I’m in the Piedmont (South-east US) region with a hardiness zone of 8a. I have a large area of turf grass, and I want to plant native plants, attract butterflies, native insects, fireflies, all of it. I’m looking for trees, shrubs, small plants, anything would be nice to plant.
Where do I start? I see a lot of different species online, but where can I get seeds for them to plant? Is planting from seeds a viable option for a beginner?
Any help would be appreciated!
Thank you for the detailed answer, I especially appreciate your list of species that have worked well. We also have a big population of deer and bunnies in our area that love to eat things in the backyard. Which plants should I plant that can protect against deer? Are there any methods (netting?) that you’ve found effective with deer?