Option One Application Page

The Standard Pollinator Garden Option provides the applicant with a pre-selected list of native plant species to include in a pollinator garden. All 14 of these plant species must be purchased with funding through this option. Other items eligible for purchase through this option are mulch, topsoil or related soil product.

The native plant species selected for this garden are suitable for growing conditions throughout Illinois and are good providers of nectar and pollen for native pollinators. They should be planted in a location that receives full sunshine for more than half of each day’s period of daylight. These are not plants to be grown in shady conditions. By planting all the species in the list, you should have some plants in bloom from May through at least October. The more species variety in your garden, the more stable it will be, and the more types of pollinators it will attract.

Plants should be purchased as plugs or seedlings grown in containers. Do not request seeds to grow the plants for Option One gardens. If you want to use seeds in your project, select Option Two. The larger the plant that you purchase, the sooner it will be likely to bloom. Some of these plants may not bloom until their second or third year of growth.

You may save the application and return to it to complete it at any time during the process. However, once the application is completed and signed, it cannot be edited.

You will receive a PDF copy of your application as well as notification that the application has been received by the IDNR Division of Education. The application is due to the Division of Education no later than 11:59:59 PM on December 4, 2024.

If you have any problems or have any questions, please contact
IDNR Education at 217-524-4126 or email joe.bauer@illinois.gov.