A Backyard Ecosystem: Native Plants & Pollinators at Home

BY KRISTEN BASHEN

My dad has had a backyard pond my entire life. He would add things here and there, unsure of what would actually take. Little did we know, he had created a thriving ecosystem. Beyond balancing the pH of the pond, he had unknowingly chosen native aquatic plants that supported fish, birds, and insects like water striders, dragonflies, and damselflies.

Watching how that small, unintentional ecosystem flourished in our backyard stuck with me more than I realized. It wasn’t until I started my internship at Group for the East End in 2022 that I began to understand why it worked so well, and how native plants were quietly doing most of the heavy lifting.

When I started working with the Group, I knew very little about native plants. I understood they were “better” than non-natives, but I couldn’t name more than two species or explain why they mattered. That quickly changed.

I began coming home with plants and seeds from work: rose swamp mallow, goldenrods, milkweed, Joe-Pye weed, and even white pine trees. I downloaded plant ID apps and became obsessed with identifying everything in my yard. While the new plantings were native, the other plants in the yard were not. 

Luckily, my parents weren’t too concerned with having a perfectly landscaped yard. I started planting in a small side area so it wouldn’t take up too much space where our dog plays or interfere with our makeshift whiffle ball games. The great thing about native plants is how low-maintenance they can be. As someone constantly moving between school and home, I reassured my parents that they wouldn’t need to water or manage them much at all.

But to my surprise, my dad quickly became invested. I told him the plants growing in his pond were pickerelweed and cattails, both native and incredibly hardy. Now, in the second and third growing seasons, I’ve noticed some notable changes.

The greenery feels more soothing. When I look at old photos of the yard, it feels sterile by comparison. The new garden invokes the feeling of a backyard sanctuary. And on Long Island, a place known for its busyness, this is a comforting fact to come home to.

There are more butterflies: monarchs and tiger swallowtails fluttering around the yard. Monarchs only lay eggs on milkweed, so it makes sense that adding native milkweed has made my yard more inviting to them.

There are more insects, too. I’ve spotted moths I’ve never seen before, including the hummingbird moth. Around the pond, I’ve seen different species of damselflies and dragonflies. A blue dasher pair has taken up residence near the water.

It’s amazing how something as simple as planting a few native species has transformed both my backyard and my relationship with nature. What started as just adding a few plants has grown into a space that supports life, invites beauty, and inspires me every time I step outside. It’s something I now share with my dad, and that is also beautiful.