The program encourages gardeners to use native plants in their gardens for the sake of our environment and to help save the declining numbers of insects that visit native plants.

Native gardening is not Ken Wellnitz's profession, but in recent years it has become very important to him. His first gardening experience was gardening with his mother who had a relatively large flower garden on the farm. Years later after purchasing houses, he began to make some small flower and vegetable gardens but started to really get into flower gardens after he purchased his current house in 1995. A good share of the yard is now in flower gardens, at first with only interest in the flower. He began to see the need for native plants around 2015 and became serious about converting the flower beds to native plants in 2019. In 202, Ken joined Wild Ones Quad Cities whose mission is education in native gardening. He has developed a program to help show his steps and reasons for transitioning to natives.