CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A couple of weeks ago in this space, we caught up with reader Jay from Lakewood, who replaced his foundation planting with native plants . As part of his garden makeover, he added signs from the Monarch Watch Monarch Waystation, the National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat, and the Greater Cleveland Wild Ones NEO Native Habitat Corridor.

This detail sparked interest in readers on how (and why) to get these signs.

Environmental certification signs do more than decorate a garden. Tall grasses, seedheads, brush piles, and winter stems can confuse neighbors (not to mention HOAs and local code enforcement staff) who are used to conventional landscaping. A sign tells neighbors that the yard is intentional, not neglected, and that the gardener is participatin

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