LAHR GARDEN is a small ecology project in Barrington, IL. Named for our kiddos - L-Lennon, A-Agnese, H-Herman; and our last name, R-Ross. Nature and science is the family. Grandma Wendy, a naturalist, grew a prairie at their Barrington Hills home (where the kids are beginning our project from seed), and Nonna Nancy is a former science teacher. Mom Christine, is an artist with a background in garden design from the Regenstein School at the Chicago Botanic Garden/University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Alumnus.

Why native plants? For us, 1) current research: It takes time - long evolutionary time - for insects to adapt (due to leaf chemistry). If energy from non-native plants is not available for native bugs, it is also unavailable for animals that eat those bugs (Tallamy, 2008, 2018). 2) experience: watching Grandma Wendy's prairie come to life to bring a bald eagle - yes a bald eagle! to their home.

As with most things, there are exceptions. We have some cultivars (and hope to do comparitive studies!); and heritage plants (great-great-aunt Nadine's peonies). And there are some (though not signficant) bugs that can use non-native plants (like parsley, part of the carrot family) there is just so much still to be studied. At bigger nurseries, native plants sections are growing, but finding all straight species can be a challenge for homeowners -- with the LAHR GARDEN project, we are hoping to bring the ease ordering online & pick-up to local families in our community.