Gardener by Nature

“A garden is fully alive when it becomes a healthy, functioning ecosystem.”

Dale Batchelor, owner

Gardener by Nature

Welcome! Gardener by Nature offers landscape consultations for those who want a home environment that sustains wildlife and supports the surrounding ecosystem. I also offer workshops and presentations for both beginning and experienced gardeners as well as those new to the Triangle.

I focus on habitat gardening — emphasizing native plants for their benefit to birds and other wildlife and employing sustainable landscape practices that avoid the use of insecticides and chemical fertilizers.

As a frequent contributor to Triangle Gardener Magazine, I write about native plants and their use in landscaping. In my blog, I share my experiences creating habitats in my own and clients’ gardens. My newsletter offers seasonal tips along with upcoming lectures, plant sales, and other events of interest to gardeners. Click below to learn more about the different services I offer.

Garden with Dale

What’s New?

National Wildlife Federation Certified Habitat sign

Restoring Habitat

We enjoy eating breakfast out on our deck while listening to our backyard birds’ calls and songs. Cornell University’s Merlin bird identification app is helping us learn who’s who. We’ve …

Creating a Habitat Garden Weekday

Learn how to develop a residential landscape that supports insects, birds, and other wildlife while also meeting the needs of the human inhabitants. Participants will see native plants in a garden setting and learn strategies for creating their own sustainable and maintainable plantings. Identifying and encouraging native plants in your garden or natural areas not only benefits wildlife, it also connects your garden to the surrounding natural community.

April 30, 2026

2 to 4 p.m.

5508 Swiftbrook Circle, Raleigh

$45

April 28, 2026

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