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Before and After Transformations

Gardening for birds is a journey. One that can take years to come to fruition. Yet, we often see real impact in a short period of time. Enjoy these before and after images from across the U.S. and Canada. Scroll down for eye-boggling inspiration.

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tarped and mulched yard near feeders — Kentucky, 2025. I have dug up the grass that was in the yard and prepped the soil for planting. I already have many native plants in other more “formal” garden areas but I wanted to create a meadowscape – less mowing as well. Photo by Shelby French.

change in blooming gardens. — Kentucky, 2026. Photo by Shelby French.

filled in pool — Massachusetts, 2020. Filled in swimming pool to prepare for water feature and pollinator plants. In 2025 & 2026 planted 10 different species of native plants. 2021-2024 was building the waterfall, stream and pond. Photo by Bryn Dews.

water feature in old pool — Massachusetts, 2026. Showing the same view with waterfall in lower right, stream across the middle ending in pond at middle left. Photo by Bryn Dews.

barren grass lawn — Georgia, 2022 Natives: swamp hibiscus, coreopsis, clethra, green and gold, milkweed, false indigo, zizia, river oats, button bush, rose mallow, Indian pink, monarda, salvia, blueberry.

native steps in garden — Georgia, 2026.

before transformations — New York 2022. Various species of native plants, obtained from Amanda’s Native Garden ( Dansville, NY) and Sara’s Garden Center (Brockport, NY). Photo by John Jaenike.

dense garden space — New York, 2026. I started converting my backyard to native plants a couple of years ago. In 2024, I added four species of native grasses, common sneezeweed, aster, goldenrod, and swamp milkweed. I started with butterfly weed 3-4 years ago. I would like the backyard to eventally be all native plants. Photo by John Jaenike.

front yard mulched — Georgia, 2023. Stokes aster, salvia, monarda, rudbeckia, milkweed, blueberry, green and gold, mountain mint, yarrow, little blue stem, mistflower.

front yard transformed — Georgia, 2026.

pot with small dogwood — Washington, April 2026. A beautiful red twig dogwood. Photo by Tracy McHugh.

pot with thriving dogwood — Washington, August 2026. Incredible growth in one year. Even shrubs can be grown in pots. Photo by Tracy McHugh

before — Wisconsin, 2026. This photo is from the end of March, when we were prepping the area behind the house to plant our bird and pollinator garden.

after — Wisconsin, 2026. This photo is from mid August. The pollinator garden has taken off already!

barren desert yard — New Mexico, 2023. The first photo is from 2023 when we first bought the house. Since then we’ve planted various native grasses, a desert willow tree, red yucca, red hot pokers, agave, yarrow, catmint and salvia (among other things), and encouraged the purslane that has spread to become a pretty decent ground cover. We also have seasonal flowers and container vegetables under the patio overhang.Photo by Tina Marie Nicosia.

desert yard filling in — New Mexico, 2026. This photo is from earlier this summer. Photo by Tina Marie Nicosia.

fence line with not much — Washington, 2021. A row of bare-root Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) and Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) saplings along the fenceline. Photo by Katherine Wimble Fox.

fence line with bushes and berries — Washington, 2026. Now with berries enjoyed by so many birds! Photo by Katherine Wimble Fox.

baren field — Wisconsin, 2018. Photo by Wayne Edgerton

field filled with blooming flowers — Wisconsin, 2026. This is a monarch butterfly prairie planting as part of the USDA-Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Photo by Wayne Edgerton.

spring garden — Missouri, 2025. I have removed Butterfly bushes and daylilies from this area. I am replacing them with native plants and bushes. Photo by Regina Garrett.

garden filled with sunflowers — Missouri, 2026. Sunflowers, Purple Coneflower, Eastern Blazing Star, Cardinal Flower, Beardstongue, Blue Sage, Sweet Shrub. Photo by Regina Garrett.

before — British Columbia, 1990.

after — British Columbia 2026. Multiple gardens and changes. Trees (Japanese Stewartia, Katsura, Maple etc), Shrubs (Rhodos, Azaleas, Camelias, Pieris, Flowering Currants etc) & succulent gardens. 5 ponds; Shrubs (Pieris, Smoke Bush, etc);Succulents (Sedums, Creeping Thyme etc)Dangerous Hemlock & Cedar Tree made Chainsaw Carvings – Trees (Maples, Katsura etc), Shrubs (Pieris, Azaleas etc), succulents, asters etc

feeder with garden planters — Pennsylvania, 2026. Last fall I sheet mulched this area so that this spring, when I removed the bird cam, I could install native/keystone plantings. Have a few species in mind and can’t wait to get started! Photo by Trudy Phillips.

now nest box with lots of blooming plants — Pennsylvania, 2026. I replaced my birdcam with a birdhouse and chose as many native perennials as I could pack in. To my delight a pair of house wrens raised their young in the birdhouse! Goldfinches feasted on the agastache along with a variety of bees. Sparrows, bluebirds, catbirds and robins have enjoyed this little garden. Photo by Trudy Phillips.

frong yard with some gardens — Ohio, 2025. This photo was taken after my installation of a rain garden and a second rain garden had been dug but not yet planted.

front yard with gardens — Ohio, 2026. Both rain gardens have plants, the first one (on the right) is in it’s second season and is doing well, the second rain garden still in the process of being planted, many plants have not made it due largely to deer and squirrels, the enclosed structure is a vegetable garden that no animals larger than 1/2″ can enter.

new garden — Washington, 2022. Various locally-native aquatic/marginal/moisture-loving species around a pond. Photo by Katherine Wimble Fox.

water feature — Washington, 2026. Pond area thriving! Photo by Katherine Wimble Fox.

before — Ohio, 2026. Planted Elderberry, Winter Hollys, sunflowers, added side pavers moved feeders outside garden area, added ground bird bath. Already has Coneflowers, Bee Balm, and Black Eyed Susans. Photo by Michelle Reichenbach.

after — Tennessee, 2026. Birds just love it and have already been eating the seeds from the sunflowers. Photo by Michelle Reichenbach.

Before adding plants — Ohio, 2026. I plan to plant native plants between the sidewalk and street for these reasons: so people walking by can see what a native plant garden can look like, provide a “soft landings” spot for caterpillars under the oak street tree, and to improve the esthetics of the neighborhood. I hope others will see it and be inspired to start their own native garden! Photo by Elsie Jorgensen.

tree with natives under — Ohio, 2026. Plants are in and establishing. Photo by Elsie Jorgensen.

garden before — Maryland, 2023. This photo was taken in June of 2023. Reclaiming our backyard for a native pollinator garden began in 2022. Photo by Michelle Dunn.

garden after — Maryland. 2026. Most of our plants have come from Chesapeake Natives, Inc and Ujamaaseeds. Plantings include spotted bee balm, golden ragwort, cardinal flower, red columbine, velvet cerastium, blue mistflower, lyreleaf sage, cinnamon willowherb.

Garden is establishing — Michigan, 2024.

More resources for birds and a sign. — Michigan, 2026.

fence and wheel barrow — Saskatchewan, May 2026. Photo by Leanne Grieves.

fence line with sunflowers — Saskatchewan, August 2026. Photo by Leanne Grieves.

grass lawn — Virginia, April 2026. April. I removed the lawn and replaced it with about 25 species of native plants including American beautyberry, Aromatic Aster, Arrowwood Viburnum, Blue Vervain, Butterfly Milkweed, Cardinal Flower, Downy Phlox, Eastern Columbine, Flowering dogwood, Foam Flower, Golden Alexander, Gray Goldenrod, Green-headed Coneflower, Jacobs Ladder, Maidenhair Fern, Marsh Fern, New England Aster, Pussytoes, Slender Leaved Mountainmint, Swamp Milkweed, Tall Coreopsis, Virginia Strawberry, Late Boneset, Blue Mistflower, and Virginia Mountain Mint.

new garden over grass lawn — Virginia, August 2026.

before — Ontario, 2024. Overgrown bridal wreath removed. Photo by Steven Heiter.

after — Ontario, 2026. I seeded 14 native plants in 2025. Second and third photos are same spot, July 2026. Photo by Steven Heiter.

cardboard on side of road — Massachusetts, 2025. Newly planted pollinator garden with native plants. Created next to road to peak people’s interest. Photo by Deborah Vondal.

cardboard with native plants coming up — Massachusetts, 2026. 80% of plants survived drought and the winter. I’ve added new plants that I grew from winter jug sowing. I’m expanding the garden( see the cardboard) soon will be added additional native plants. Photo by Deborah Vondale.

space for plants — Michigan, 2026. I planted Geranium maculatum, wild geraniums, from bare root on the easement behind my house. Photo by Elizabeth Toftey.

thriving geranium — Michigan, 2026. Later in the season geranium is establishing well. Photo by Elizabeth Toftey.

milkweed, yarrow, zinnias — Tennessee, 2026. Native milkweed planted last year has returned luxuriously at far end of bed. Tiger lilies and lamb’s quarters and zinnias coming along with volunteer milkweed in foreground. All to attract pollinators for bird support. Photo by Marcia Donovan.

milkweed, yarrow, zinnias_after — Tennessee, 2026. Milkweed, yarrow, zinnias. Photo by Marcia Donovan.

mulched space for plants — Michigan, 2026. I planted 3 Lindera benzoin, spicebush. I also planted zinnias and Coreopsis lanceolata that I plan to transplant in the future. Photo by Elizabeth Toftey.

After adding plants. — Michigan, 2026. Unfortunately a rabbit bit the stem of the middle spicebush so I am hoping the roots will survive. Photo b y Elizabeth Toftey.

backyard in spring — Indiana, April 2026. Photo by Ginny Richey.

blooming backyard — Indiana, July 2026. Photo by Ginny Richey.

Garden that is not mowed. — Vermont, 2025. This is the third year of NOT planting, just letting wildflowers grow. I weed out grasses and saplings. When the flowers bloom, I cut some flowers before they go to seed, and I let others go to seed and just shake out the seed pods where I want more to grow. Photo by Lisa McGuire.

asters, pyeweed coming in — Vermont, 2026. Photo by Lisa McGuire.

mulched side garden — New York. 2025.The start of the garden, planted black eyed susan, cone flowers and little joe pye weed.

flowering side garden — New York. 2026. The garden has finally come alive!

birdbath shade garden — Tennessee, 2025.The start of the garden, awaiting additional plants.

bird bath shade garden 2 — Tennessee, 2026. I planted Columbine, Yarrow, Blue Stemmed Goldenrod, Smooth Blue Aster, Spotted Joe Pye and Pink Turtlehead. We have a Bluebird nesting box in front of the garden, a birdbath my neighbors gave me, and bird feeder to make this a true sanctuary.

before — Quebec, 2026. Sunflowers planted during spring 2026- in the background, Black-eyed Susan’s planted last year. Photo by Julie Lamontagne.

after — Quebec, 2026. My first sunflower this year, and our Black-eyed Susan’s in full bloom. Photo by Julie Lamontagne.

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