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Meet Patty
As the founding owner of Leaves for Wildlife, my journey stems from a deep-rooted love for nature and gardening and is fueled by a passion for creating wildlife habitat. I started the nursery as a platform for educating visitors on the beauty and importance of native plants. My background in natural medicine also played a pivotal role in this venture, as I firmly believe there is an intricate connection between human health and the well-being of our environment.
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Leaves for Wildlife isn't just a business for me; it's a reflection of my commitment to fostering a healthier planet and, consequently, healthier lives.
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— Patty Shipley | Owner | Leaves for Wildlife Native Plant Nursery & Leaves of Life Integrative Wellness Center
Why Planting Natives is Important
Native plants form the foundation of healthy ecosystems. Most of our native insects can’t digest non-native plants, and nearly all wildlife depends either directly on native plants or on the insects that feed on them. As native plants disappear, insects disappear, and when insects disappear, so do the birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals that depend on them.
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Urban sprawl and development have chipped away at the spaces wildlife needs to survive — by planting native species, we can help piece that web back together. ​Every yard, park, and roadside can make a difference.
METALLIC SWEAT BEE
AMERICAN LADY BUTTERFLY
EASTERN BUMBLEBEE
Native pollinators — bees, flies, butterflies, bats, moths, beetles, birds, and many others — form the foundation of every land-based ecosystem on Earth. Most flowering plants depend on them for reproduction.
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Humans do, too: about one-third of the food we eat exists because of pollinators. Yet, when we alter plants to change their flower shapes — think “double blooms” — pollen and nectar production can be lost or greatly reduced. Some pollinators have even evolved mouthparts perfectly matched to specific flowers, so when a bloom’s shape changes, they can no longer reach the food they need.
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Native plants are perfectly adapted to our local soil and climate. Once established, they thrive with little care, manage rainwater naturally, prevent erosion, and build living, healthy soil — all while restoring beauty and balance to our shared landscape.
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ZEBRA SWALLOWTAILS HOST ON PAWPAW
Host Plants
Just as monarch butterflies need milkweed for their caterpillars to develop, other Ohio butterflies require specific host plants for their young.
SPICEBUSH SWALLOWTAILS HOST ON SPICEBUSH AND SASSAFRAS
PIPEVINE SWALLOWTAILS HOST ON DUTCHMAN'S PIPEVINE
Overwintering
When your garden finishes for the season, fallen leaves, twigs and branches form habitat for many overwintering insects and other small wildlife species. In Ohio, several butterflies overwinter as adults in the leaf litter.
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MOURNING CLOAK
RED ADMIRAL
POLYPHEMUS
CECROPIA
IMPERIAL
LUNA
Silkmoths
In late summer, we often share caterpillars or eggs for several species of silkmoths. Reach out if you’d like to rear the caterpillars of some of our largest and showiest moths.
EASTERN COMMA
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