Envision our alleys and yards as lush gardens filled with native plants, pollinators, and beautiful artwork. During the month of May, Love Your Alley will help create that vision by providing classes, instruction, plants, artists, and plant installation teams (if you need help with your native garden). You can work individually or collaborate with neighbors to make our alleys greener and more beautiful.

Love Your Alley is about transforming our underutilized alleys into extended living space for everyone to enjoy. By planting native plants, we are cultivating our land to create a Homegrown National Park in 43209 to support our ecosystem. Native plants pack a powerful sustainability punch: they support our pollinators, assist in flood prevention, fight climate change, and protect the aesthetic that defines the Midwest. Go Buck(eye Tree)s!

With the majority of land in the US developed or used for agriculture our ecosystems are threatened. Homeowners are in an incredible position to restore biodiversity and protect ecosystems and it’s as simple as using our properties to plant native!

All are invited to our free speaking events and classes. Dr. Doug Tallamy, the inspiration for Love Your Alley, is kicking off our events on May 1st. Dr. Tallamy is a preeminent entomologist and the founder of Homegrown National Park. We also have a series of classes including design for small garden spaces, hands-on gardening skills, and cultivating your landscape for fireflies.

As part of Love Your Alley month, everyone is invited to a festival on Saturday, May 13th from 12:00–3:00 in the pool parking lot. Swing by for free native seedlings from Natives in Harmony and Native Landscaping and Consulting. Check out the firefly kids’ activities, visit the Pet-a-bee hands-on table and learn about native plants and beneficial insects with OPHI and OSU. In addition to local artists selling their artwork there will also be super fun music and delicious food. If you have native plants to share or swap, bring them by.

You don’t need an alley to participate! There are many ways to get involved: go native in your yard, donate to the Love Your Alley fund, join a plant installation team, grow native seedlings and distribute to neighbors, and help spread the word.

Love Your Alley will culminate on Sunday, May 21st, at 5:00 with an “Art in the Alley Walk”. Everyone is invited to peruse the alley upgrades and enjoy the new gardens and artwork. A panel of judges will travel Bexley’s alleys and award prizes for the Best Native Yard, Best Native Alley Block, and Best Individual Native Alley Garden. Winners from all categories will receive Newfangled Kitchen gift cards!

Love Your Alley’s 2022 Best Native Yard will be featured in this year’s House and Garden Tour on June 4th.

Thank you to the Bexley Community Foundation for their generous grant.