Landscape Challenge Application 2027

Does your front yard need an update?
Do you want to attract more birds and butterflies to your yard?
Do you want to landscape with native plants?

You’re in luck!

Landscape Challenge is a program sponsored by Wild Ones St. Louis and  Grow Native!, in cooperation with St. Louis Audubon’s Bring Conservation Home program.  We are again looking for a front yard that will showcase landscaping with native plants.  Potential front yards should be highly visible and located in an area that will receive substantial foot or drive-by traffic.  The size of the planting will be approximately 300 square feet. 

One lucky homeowner will be selected for a front yard native landscape makeover. The sponsors will provide the native plants, services of a professional native landscape designer and volunteers to install the landscape. Site reviews and interviews of the finalists will be completed in December and the winner will be announced by late December.  The designer will work with the winning homeowner(s) on a plan in January/February and planting will be late April – early May. 

Wild Ones will not provide hardscaping or deal with drainage issues.  Potential applicants’ yards should be fairly level or already terraced.  Large front-yard trees present a problem for planting.

The 2027 Landscape Challenge application period is open as of Monday, October 26, 2026
The application period will close on Monday, November 30, 2026

The rules and agreement:

  • - Applications are received in the fall. The selection committee reviews the applications, and the winner is announced in late early January.
  • - While it is not required, preference is given to applicants who are current Wild Ones members AND have had a Bring Conservation Home (BCH) assessment by St. Louis Audubon at least one year prior.  If you’ve made changes to your landscape based on the BCH assessment, please highlight them in your application.
  • - The selection committee will look at criteria such as potential exposure (walking/car traffic), previous native plant experience, willingness to interact and help educate neighbors, and potential landscape issues such as erosion, water issues, or compacted soil.
  • - The grant is designed to showcase formal native front gardens to educate the public on the potential for utilizing Missouri natives in more traditional gardening styles.  It is not designed to tackle landscape “tough spots” or other issues.  We will consider front yards with elevation changes or water management issues; however, they are rarely selected as the Landscape Challenge winner.
  • - If chosen as the winner, the homeowner is expected to prepare the site for planting including turf removal and mulching, 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.
  • - Planting date is usually toward the end of April or in early May. Wild Ones recruits volunteers for planting day and the designer will be on hand to lay out the plants.
  • - Mentorship is available for new (or not-so-new) gardeners who have questions about the planting and its stewardship.
  • T- he winner agrees to host a Wild Ones gathering at their home within 3 years of the planting.  This is a great opportunity to show off your native landscape AND meet other native plant enthusiasts.

The form questions:

- Are you a Wild Ones member?
- When was your Bring Conservation Home survey completed? (mo/yr please)
- Tell us about the BCH recommendations that you have followed up on or implemented
- Why would you like a front yard native landscape makeover?
- What is your experience/knowledge level with native plants?
- Describe your landscape dilemma
- Describe any drainage problems you have on the your property
- How do you currently use the space, and how would you use it differently if it was made over?


We ask that you upload up to 5 photos that represent the site you'd like us to consider. You are required to submit at least 2 photos of the site, with 1 of those being from the street. Individual files should be resized to 1024 kb or less.

About you

About your site

Photos

Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload

Rules and Agreement

The rules and agreement:

  • - Applications are received in the fall. The selection committee reviews the applications, and the winner is announced in late early January.
  • - While it is not required, preference is given to applicants who are current Wild Ones members AND have had a Bring Conservation Home (BCH) assessment by St. Louis Audubon at least one year prior.  If you’ve made changes to your landscape based on the BCH assessment, please highlight them in your application.
  • - The selection committee will look at criteria such as potential exposure (walking/car traffic), previous native plant experience, willingness to interact and help educate neighbors, and potential landscape issues such as erosion, water issues, or compacted soil.
  • - The grant is designed to showcase formal native front gardens to educate the public on the potential for utilizing Missouri natives in more traditional gardening styles.  It is not designed to tackle landscape “tough spots” or other issues.  We will consider front yards with elevation changes or water management issues; however, they are rarely selected as the Landscape Challenge winner.
  • - If chosen as the winner, the homeowner is expected to prepare the site for planting including turf removal and mulching, 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.
  • - Planting date is usually toward the end of April or in early May. Wild Ones recruits volunteers for planting day and the designer will be on hand to lay out the plants.
  • - Mentorship is available for new (or not-so-new) gardeners who have questions about the planting and its stewardship.
  • - The winner agrees to host a Wild Ones gathering at their home within 3 years of the planting.  This is a great opportunity to show off your native landscape AND meet other native plant enthusiasts.

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