Growing and sourcing native plants with pollinators, wildlife, and healthy local ecosystems in mind.
At Deep Roots Natives, we believe the plants we put into our landscapes matter. Native plants can provide essential food and habitat for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife while creating beautiful spaces that feel connected to the natural environment. But choosing native species is only part of the equation; how we grow, treat, and source those plants matters too.
We grow many of our own plants and work with carefully selected regional growers to expand the variety available to our customers. Whether you’re shopping for your own garden or working with our sister company, Garden Environments, on a professionally designed landscape, we want you to feel confident about where your plants come from. Our approach rests on four commitments that guide how we grow, source, and select native plants.
1. Our plants are neonicotinoid-free.
A pollinator-friendly plant shouldn’t come with chemicals that can harm the very insects it’s intended to support. That’s why we prioritize plants that haven’t been treated with neonicotinoids or similar systemic insecticides.
Since acquiring Deep Roots Natives in 2021, we’ve remained focused on providing native plants grown and sourced with pollinators and other beneficial insects in mind. We grow many species ourselves, which gives us greater control over how we raise them. When we bring in plants from regional growers, we carefully consider their practices before adding them to our selection.
This commitment helps us offer plants that don’t just look at home in a native garden. They can play a meaningful role in supporting the wildlife that depends on them.
2. We offer access to native species that can be difficult to find.
Finding the right native plant isn’t always as simple as visiting a garden center. Availability changes throughout the growing season, and certain native trees, shrubs, grasses, perennials, and other species can be challenging to source.
Because we grow plants ourselves and maintain relationships with other regional growers, we can provide a diverse selection of native species. Our sourcing network also gives us more options when a customer is searching for something specific.
If you’re working from a particular plant list and don’t see a species currently available, we can look into sourcing it. Availability can’t always be guaranteed, but we’re happy to investigate options and help you find plants suited to your project.
3. We evaluate our plants according to four important standards.
We want our customers to know we put thought into every plant we grow or source. Our standards focus on four areas that help us protect the integrity of our native plant selection.
- Neonicotinoid-free practices: We seek plants that haven’t been treated with neonicotinoids or similar insecticides that may harm pollinators and other beneficial insects.
- No invasive species: We avoid invasive plants that spread aggressively and disrupt healthy local plant communities.
- Verified native species: We prioritize plants that are genuinely native to our region and naturally suited to supporting local ecosystems.
- Responsible growing practices: When sourcing from other growers, we consider their cultivation methods and carefully vet potential plant sources.
Our approach has also earned us a place on the New Hope Bird Alliance’s highly recommended list of native plant sources. Its criteria include proper identification of native species, avoiding neonicotinoids and similar systemic insecticides, and excluding plants included on the NC Invasive Plant Council’s Shun List.
4. We support the Homegrown National Park movement.
We participate in the Homegrown National Park movement and are represented in its plant directory.
We encourage people throughout North America to restore biodiversity where they live by adding native plants and replacing portions of conventional lawn with species that offer greater ecological value.
That mission closely reflects our own. We believe individual gardens can make a meaningful difference together. A native tree, a patch of flowering perennials, or a backyard pollinator garden can provide valuable habitat while bringing more life and beauty to the places where we live.
We’re proud to help make native plants more accessible and to give gardeners confidence in what they’re planting. By maintaining thoughtful growing and sourcing standards, we can continue supporting healthier landscapes, thriving wildlife, and stronger local ecosystems, one garden at a time.