Native Plant Backyard Challenge

Register for the 2026 program here!

The Native Plant Backyard Challenge supports Central Ohio residents in turning a part of their yard into native plant habitat, providing food and shelter for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.  

We challenge YOU to introduce native plants in your yard! In 2021, Grange Insurance Audubon Center (GIAC) and Columbus Audubon teamed up to create the Native Plant Backyard Challenge (NPBYC). To date, over 600 households have taken the challenge spanning 47 zip codes across Ohio. This annual program provides resources for new and returning households who would like to transform or further develop their outdoor spaces with native plants. The NPBYC includes community events, educational workshops, giveaways, and more throughout the year. The challenge works to ensure that participants become ambassadors for native plants in their community! 

Registration 

New Challenge Participant - $35.00 

Returning Challenge Participant (participation in previous year required) - $30.00 

Registration closes March 27, 2026.

Those registering also have the option to become a Grange Insurance Audubon Center, Columbus Audubon, and National Audubon Society member as an individual or family. Click here to become a member! 

2026 Timeline of Events 

Details for each event, including location and timing, will be sent to participants after registering for the program. 

Kick-off Gathering 

Saturday April 11th 

Join us at Grange Insurance Audubon Center to kick off the 2026 NPBYC! Local environmental, gardening, and native plant focused organizations will be tabling this event. Each participating household will be able to pick up this year's official toolkit! The kick-off is a fantastic opportunity to engage with community organizations, learn more about native plants, and pick up some useful resources. 

Gale Martin, owner of local native nursery Natives in Harmony, will speak on why native plants matter and incorporating native plants into your landscape.

Matrix Planting Workshop 

Michael Keeler, Ohio Native Concepts LLC

Saturday April 25th

This workshop will explore the matrix planting approach to garden design. Join Michael Keeler of Ohio Native Concepts LLC to learn how to strategically select plants to grow together in a garden space.

Community Backyards: Rain Gardens 101

Nicole Tabit, Franklin Park Conservatory 

Thursday April 30th

This is a Community Backyards approved workshop! To learn more about Community Backyards, visit the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District website here.

Why are rain gardens so important? Discover how rain gardens can reduce runoff, support local biodiversity, and enhance your landscape's resilience to climate challenges. A Franklin Park Conservatory Educator will guide you through the basics of implementation, from site assessment to design needs, while considering which plants to select, and how to create a vibrant and eye-catching landscape design with them. 

Native Plant Sale  

Sunday May 10th

Our native plant sale is exclusive to NPBYC participants and provides households with an opportunity to purchase some of the native plants that they want to include in their garden! Multiple vendors will be selling a wide selection of plants at Grange Insurance Audubon Center. 

Making It (Habitat) in the Shade: Creating Native Soft Landings at Home and in Our Parks

Chris Anderson, Catch the Water

Thursday May 14th

Gardening in the shade has long been a challenge.  But growing awareness of beneficial insect and fungal life cycles provides a fresh layer for native garden design and natural beauty.  Chris Anderson of Catch the Water, LLC will guide us through some of these life cycles and why they matter, share some of his favorite native shade plants for home gardens, and offer an ecological approach to designing and maintaining shade and part-shade gardens that are full of life.

Native Food Forests

Sean McKay, Mid-Ohio Food Collective

Sunday June 7th

Sean McKay will be giving a lecture on native food forests at the Farm on the Hilltop! This presentation will focus on what a food forest is, the effects it can have in an urban environment, permaculture, and what native plants can be incorporated in central Ohio. Sean is the Farm Education Coordinator at Mid-Ohio Food Collective's Farm on the Hilltop with a wide range of experiences and education in horticulture, urban farming, landscape design, community outreach, and activism. He's passionate about sharing his love of the natural world and empowering people to grow their own food.

Garden Tour 

Sunday June 14th 

On June 14th, community members and program participants will be opening up their native garden spaces for you to explore, as well as connect with other local native plant gardeners and enthusiasts! Touring participants will be able to visit multiple local gardens around Columbus on a come-and-go basis throughout the day.  

Homegrown: The Art of Living Together, Artist Talk and Exhibit Preview

Carmen Ostermann

Saturday July 11th

Join us for an engaging workshop and artist talk by Carmen Ostermann about her upcoming ceramic exhibition Homegrown: The Art of Living Together that highlights indigenous Ohio flora and fauna, showcasing complex porcelain sculptures depicting native Ohio birds, bugs, and plants engaged in symbiotic relationships. This work promotes native plant gardening with the hope to enhance biodiversity and foster a symbiotic bond with nature in Columbus communities. 

During this session, Carmen will present a selection of the ceramic pieces featured in the show, sharing insights into her creative process, materials, techniques, and the conceptual themes that shape the work. Participants will have the unique opportunity to view pieces in person as an exclusive preview of the exhibit. Seeing the works up close allows for a deeper appreciation of their texture, form, surface detail, and scale—elements that are essential to the experience of the porcelain sculpture. Come ready to look closely, ask questions, and gain a behind-the-scenes perspective on this body of work.

Backyard Herbalism 101: Native Plants for Everyday Care

Sheena Hanscel, The Pollen Patch

Thursday July 30th

Returning Participants Only.

Native plants aren’t just for pollinators and birds. They’ve long supported people, too. For generations, native plants have served as food, medicine, and daily care. In this workshop, Sheena Hanscel of The Pollen Patch will share how to begin working with native plants in tangible ways. Participants will learn how common Ohio native species can be prepared as teas, salves, tinctures, and more. The program will also introduce Ohio Indigenous ethnobotany; the historical relationships between native plants and the original stewards of this land. Participants will leave with practical knowledge they can apply immediately in their own gardens and self-care routines, and how tending native plants can shift from passive landscaping to active participation in our own well-being.

Season's End Gathering and Plant Swap 

Saturday August 15th

Celebrate your native gardening successes at our Season's End Gathering! We'll hear from a few NPBYC participants about how they transformed their yard using native plants. This is a great opportunity to connect with the challenge community and share your experience. We'll also be holding our first annual plant swap on this day!  

*If you are interested in participating in the upcoming 2026 NPBYC but the fee may be cost prohibitive, please reach out to Fiona McCarthy at fiona.mccarthy@audubon.org to request to be placed on our sponsorship wait list. Sponsorship inquiries will be filled as sponsorship opportunities arise. You will be notified via email as soon as your request can be filled. 

*If you are interested in sponsoring a household, there is a ticket option on our registration page that allows you to purchase a ticket for another household. To be clear, by purchasing this ticket option you will ONLY be sponsoring a household to take part in the challenge and will NOT be a participant yourself. If you would like to participate in the challenge AND sponsor a household, you will have to purchase both a regular ticket and a sponsorship ticket. If you purchase a sponsorship ticket and there is no household to claim it, the payment will act as a donation to the challenge and the center. 

GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NPBYC? 

Please contact Fiona McCarthy at fiona.mccarthy@audubon.org.