Landscape Challenge

Our 2023 Landscape Challenge winner Laura Arthur’s before and after

Each year one lucky homeowner is chosen to receive a front yard makeover; transforming excess turf into a native Missouri landscape.

Wild Ones St. Louis Chapter, with the support of  Grow Native!, sponsors the Landscape Challenge, which encourages homeowners to landscape with native plants. The sponsoring organizations collaborate to provide the services of a native landscape designer, up to $600 worth of native plants, and volunteers to install the landscape. The approximate area of the landscaped area will be 300 sq ft. The homeowner prepares the site and agrees to maintain the new plantings.

2025 is the 19th year of our program. How many new native gardens exist because of this program?!  It’s great to think about how each Landscape Challenge yard impacts friends and family, which impacts more friends and family.  We also know that a Wild Ones front yard is more alive and more inspirational for the surrounding neighborhood!

Good luck to all applicants!

The 2025 Landscape Challenge application period is open as of Monday, October 21, 2024
The application period will close on Monday, November 25, 2024

More info and application form here 

Our landscape makeover contest was inspired by a pilot project in 2005 designed by the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Grow Native! program and the Mid-Missouri chapter of Wild Ones Natural Landscapers. They laid the organizational groundwork and coached us through the 2006 St. Louis contest. In St. Louis, the partnership consisted of Grow Native!, Wild Ones St. Louis chapter, and Shaw Nature Reserve. Other chapters might consider partnering with a wildflower nursery, the local Sierra Club, nature study groups or similar organizations.

  • Applications are received in the fall. While it is not required, preference is given to applicants who have had a Bring Conservation Home assessment by St. Louis Audubon.
  • The selection committee reviews the applications, and the winner is announced in late December.
  • The homeowner is expected to prepare the site for planting, with guidance from Wild Ones
  • The native landscape designer works with the homeowner on the design and plant selection in January and February. Wild Ones procures the plants.
  • Mentorship is available for new (or not-so-new) gardeners who have questions about their the planting and its stewardship.
  • Planting date is usually toward the end of April. Wild Ones recruits volunteers for planting day.  The designer will be on hand to lay out the plants.
  • The homeowner is assigned a mentor who will provide support for the homeowner(s) particularly through the first year.

A huge THANK YOU goes out to all of our partners, sponsors, chairs, designers, volunteers and homeowners who make this yearly project possible!

Landscape Challenge Winners

YearLocationHomeownerChairpersonLandscape Designer
2006Webster GrovesNathan and Julie JacobsScott Woodbury
Betty Struckhoff		Simon Barker
2007North St. LouisHabitat For HumanityScott Woodbury
Betty Struckhoff		Scott Woodbury
2008South St. LouisMary LambEd SchmidtScott Woodbury
Walter Peterson
2009Richmond HeightsKevin and Melissa BaumEd SchmidtPenney Bush-Boyce
2010Creve CoeurNick and Donna GiuntaEd SchmidtJeanne Cablish
2011ChesterfieldNeil and Erica RoseEd SchmidtJeanne Cablish
2012Pasadena HillsTim and Caroline YauEd SchmidtJeanne Cablish
2013St. Louis CityDawn WeberEd SchmidtJeanne Cablish
2014KirkwoodLisa WilhelmsEd SchmidtJeanne Cablish
2015University CityTerry Egan and Rosalie UchanskiEd SchmidtJeanne Cablish
2017BrentwoodMarlene BeckerJames FaupelRobert May
2018St. Louis CityDan PearsonJames FaupelRobert May
2019BallwinSteve and Krystal CoxonSue LeahyRobert May
2020Maryland HeightsAmy and Ryan CuttrellSue LeahySue Leahy
2021Webster GrovesAmy MaddinSue LeahyErin Goss
2022CrestwoodDiana LinsleySue LeahyErin Goss
2023South HamptonLaura ArthurSue LeahyErin Goss
2024BallwinJon Hammond and Megan GrothmanErin GossMaureen Keaveny
2025Erin Goss

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