get started in your community

Join the fight against climate change and habitat loss that is leading to the decline in insects and other beneficial wildlife by creating a biodiverse sanctuary filled with butterflies, bees and birdsong no matter where you live.

SAY NO TO TOXIC CHEMICALS

Read on to get started:

Connect

Connect with nature and with like-minded neighbors

WALK AROUND YOUR GARDEN…

Check out where the sunniest spots are, keeping in mind the sun changes direction in winter and summer.

Check out your soil: is it wet, dry, sandy, rocky?

AND NEIGHBORHOOD

Note any wildlife and interesting gardens you see.

Identify the butterflies you see by using this handy Butterfly ID Guide for Southeast Florida . It also tells you what host plants the butterfly caterpillars eat.

Use iNaturalist or a plant ID app like PictureThis to identify any plants that attract butterflies or birds.

The Merlin Bird ID app can identify the birds you hear and see.

LEAVE A NOTE ON THE DOOR OF A NEIGHBOR

If you see a garden with lots of wildlife, leave a note on the door introducing yourself and asking if you can come by to see the garden. Nature-lovers are happy to share their knowledge and will likely offer cuttings, seeds, and seedlings along with advice.

These connections are vital for linking like-minded gardeners and creating corridors that allow wildlife not only to survive, but to thrive.

Your note might read something like this:

“Hello, my name is _________. I live down the street at _________. I’m interested in starting a butterfly garden and would love any tips you might be able to share.. My contact info is _________. Thank you!”

Join Us and Let’s Grow Together!

You don’t have to create your wildlife-friendly garden alone! Connect with like-minded friends and neighbors through Bound by Beauty’s social media pages and join the conversation:

Connect Locally in Miami-Dade County

Looking for people, plants, and inspiration close to home? Join these local organizations:

Grow Miami - Working together to make Miami more beautiful, resilient, and sustainable through education and action in public and private landscapes.

Dade Chapter – Florida Native Plant Society — Learn about native plants and connect with local gardeners.
Miami Blue Chapter – North American Butterfly Association — Discover butterflies and how to create habitat for them.
Tropical Audubon Society — Connect with others working to protect birds, wildlife, and native habitats.
Native Plant Network – join Fairchild’s program and get free native plants.

Connect Beyond Your Community

Top Facebook groups and pages for Florida native gardening include:

Florida Native Gardening,

Native Plants of Florida

Florida Native Bees,

Florida Native Plant Society

Consider joining the local chapter of your state’s native plant society and your local chapter of the North American Butterfly Association.

The more we connect, the more habitat we can create—one garden at a time. 🐝🦋🌱

educate

Educate yourself

Read! Read! Then read some more!

Our favorite books on the subject are written by Douglas Tallamy: Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants; and Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard, and anything written by Ginny Stibolt, starting with A Step-by-Step Guide to a Florida Native Yard. Check out online blogs, ask questions on social media sites. If you prefer to get your information by listening, YouTube has lots of informative videos available like this one.

Identify the butterflies

Keep your eyes peeled for butterflies in your garden and neighborhood. If you want to see the magic of metamorphosis, you will need to educate yourself about which host plants feed the butterfly species you identify.

In Southeast Florida, we are fortunate to have Marc Minno’s laminated guide which you can buy on Amazon.

If you don't have access to a guide like that where you live, you can upload photos for identification through the wonderful iNaturalist app, or ask Mr. Google for an ID.

Focus on plants that attract insects

Happily, plants that attract insects like butterflies and other pollinators will beautify your garden as well. Birds will be attracted to a garden full of insects, and you can add in plants that offer seeds and berries as well (if you want to ID the birds, the Merlin Bird ID App is wonderful). Now that you are familiar with the growing conditions in your garden, you can use an online tool provided by such organizations as the Florida Native Plant Society or the Institute for Regional Conservation to narrow down options for your garden and its site conditions. Check your local native plant society for a similar tool.

If you live in South Florida, you may want to check out Field Guide To Plants That Host Butterflies.

Visit a native nursery

Talk with the owner, or just walk around and see what plants are visited the most by butterflies and bees.

Say NO to toxic chemicals

A wildlife sanctuary protects insects and other wildlife. Broadcast spraying even of organic insecticides kills not only mosquitos, but also butterflies and bees and mosquito predators.

And remember: no insects = no birds (except vultures).

transform

Transform your garden.

begin transformation

Now that you’ve educated yourself and picked out the right plants, you can begin the transformation. You can create a brand new planting bed or insert plants into the existing landscape. It is often best to start small and add over time. You can even keep the plants in pots and create a container garden, keeping in mind that plants in pots need more frequent watering. You can read about how one person transformed her small space.

look for information

You can find lots of information online about how to plant, if you’re unsure. Or download our free Wildlife Sanctuary guide, which provides tips on planting.

download free guide

give it time

Over time, as you plant more plants, and they grow and produce nectar and berries, more birds and butterflies will appear in your garden.

put it on a map

Add your garden to the Gardeners Restoring Our World (GROW) map! If your garden is pollinator-friendly, with native host and nectar plants, please join the map.

If you strictly limit the use of toxic chemicals and never broadcast spray for insects, you can join the map.

get on the map

replicate

Become the neighbor who inspired you

Whose garden full of flowers and butterflies and bees and birds motivated your journey, and whose helpful tips set you on your way.

Learn how to harvest seeds

Pot up seedlings, propagate plants from cuttings, and share them with neighbors.

Put up signs

Explaining that your garden is a sanctuary for Monarchs, for birds, for wildlife.

You can order Bound by Beauty’s Biodiverse Sanctuary sign for $30, either for pickup in Miami Shores (metal stake included) or for mailing (postage included) without the stake.

Please contact us at info@boundbybeauty.org

Order Here

Inspire neigbors

The magic of what you have created will inspire neighbors and passersby to create their own sanctuary, where they too can feel awe and wonder on a daily basis merely by looking out their window or walking out their door.

Thank you for caring enough to have read this far. We at Bound by Beauty wish you all the best in creating a sanctuary that provides a refuge for native plants and sustenance for the wild creatures that depend on them. You will be amazed at the beauty you will create!

BOUND BY BEAUTY TEAM