Our Story

My name is Nick Fuller, and as a lifelong native plant enthusiast, I saw a growing need for a dedicated outlet focused exclusively on plants native to Illinois and the greater Midwest. In 2014, I founded Natural Communities Native Plants to fill that gap—making it easier for homeowners, land managers, and restoration professionals to access locally sourced native plants, seeds, shrubs, and trees.

Rather than operating a traditional brick-and-mortar nursery, we built our home online. This model allows us to serve a large geographic area efficiently, providing high-quality native plant material delivered right to your door. Whether you’re restoring a prairie, building a rain garden, or planting a pollinator patch, we make native plants accessible, affordable, and convenient.

Why We’re Different

We go beyond selling plants—we help you succeed with ecological restoration. Our focus is on long-term partnerships, not one-time transactions. We provide:

• Expert guidance on native plant selection, site preparation, and ongoing management.
• Regionally adapted species sourced from trusted local growers to ensure resilience and success.
• Educational resources and consultation to help landowners, municipalities, and organizations restore thriving native ecosystems.
• Deep ecological commitment — We are passionate about protecting landscapes, restoring biodiversity, and supporting long-term ecosystem health. 
• Support for conservation & Indigenous culture — Over 25 % of our profits are donated to land-trusts, conservation organizations, and Indigenous initiatives.  These contributions help fund land protection, ecological restoration, and cultural education about native plant traditions.

Our goal isn’t a one-time sale, but flourishing native ecosystems. We measure success by what takes root, spreads, and thrives over years.

Our team comes directly from the Midwestern ecological restoration movement, with decades of hands-on experience restoring prairies, wetlands, savannas, and woodlands. We now proudly serve clients across the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and eastern U.S., uniting science, passion, and local knowledge to revive natural landscapes.

We’re ecologists, conservationists, and plant lovers dedicated to rebuilding native biodiversity—one landscape at a time.

What We Do

We specialize in providing native plant and seed material for both retail and wholesale customers, offering:

• Native Wildflowers and Grasses – perfect for prairies, meadows, and pollinator gardens.
• Native Trees and Shrubs – suited for woodland and riparian restoration.
• Native Seed Mixes – regionally sourced for ecological restoration and habitat creation.
• Wholesale and Retail Orders – available in bulk quantities or convenient flats for homeowners.
• Ecological Restoration Coaching – personalized support to ensure project success.

Order online today and have native plants shipped directly to your home or project site. Together, we can restore the land—one native plant at a time.

 Stewardship Circle: Growing Together, Giving Back

We created the Stewardship Circle to support the conservation community and honor those doing meaningful restoration work. We encourage land trusts, nonprofits, educators, volunteers, Indigenous groups, municipalities, and more to apply and receive a lifetime 25% discount on native plants and seeds. 

This is more than a discount program:

• It’s our way of recognizing and enabling stewardship efforts
• It helps lower barriers to sourcing native plant material for mission-driven projects
• It fosters a network of conservation partners, connecting you to like-minded individuals and organizations
• Members may also be featured in partner stories and be recognized in our community
• There’s no minimum order requirement to benefit from the discount 

Join the Stewardship Circle and gain access to pro-level pricing, support, and community. Apply today and let’s restore the land—together.