My backyard has several established large hardwood trees such as a post oak and a southern red oak.  In addition, my  property backs up onto a woodland that is populated with hickory, tulip poplar and oak.  These support many insects.  In addition, there are several hedges around my yard that support protection and for nesting.

I maintain a perennial bed with coneflowers, milkweed and rudbeckia that birds and insects love.

I keep two blue bird boxes which are both populated.  I have several woodpiles for protection.  I also have peanut feeders for woodpeckers and nuthatches.  I have a small, elevated water dish that the rain usually keeps filled.

Native plants are available close by at the Botanical Gardens spring and fall sales.

I'd like to plant nectar sources for hummingbirds that we have in the summer and I'd like to provide more shelter and food sources for the birds that stay overwinter.

I've been able to look up what trees, bushes, vines, or flowers I'll need, but finding the plants can be difficult. Most of the local nurseries even if they say they have native plants, end up having fancy cultivars. I've found my state's forest and wildlife department has a state tree nursery that offers many native barefoot seedlings for order in the fall. There is a local non-profit that grows native plants for sale. A native botanical garden offers native plant sales as fundraisers. A wetland restoration business offers some of the plants they use in restoration for retail sale to the public. I'm glad I've been able to find these round about ways to get native plants, but I don't understand why nurseries don't offer native plants. I feel like they are losing out. But it turns out, I can buy plants cheaper from the sources I had to uncover.

Two sources have been great for me.  The Indiana Native Plant Society via a Facebook group and some folks in the Elkhart/South Bend Audubon Society - my local chapter.

The problem in my area for natural escaping is not education / information. It's finding places to buy plants and items. And finding the items at a reasonable price.

I only recently started moving plants around our yard--it never occurred to me before that I should be able to dig up and move plants if needed! I have had no problems with transplant losses so far.

I am excited about the idea of having some climbing/flowering vines--maybe I need to incorporate an arbor into my plans.

I also want to incorporate some native ground cover into existing landscaping. I like the densely planted look, plus it will help decrease weeds.

Starting small is great advice.  I have been getting overwhelmed trying to plan my yard garden.  I want to do everything at one time, but need to learn patience to see what works.  My biggest challenge will be the area behind my house which is overgrown with english ivy.  Figuring out how to get rid of it and planting native on the bank while controlling erosion in the process is daunting.  Hoping a local nursery can help with some ideas.

I have been slowly building up my yard since my wife and I purchased our home in 2014.  My front beds will be "next" for further development as there are some bare spots to fill and a couple vines (Virginia Creeper and a grape species) to move to a more suitable location in the back yard along a fence line.  My search will concentrate on finding native perennials that are partially shade or shade tolerant and how to keep the neighbourhood rabbits away or at least at bay.  It could be a mix of a garlic/olive oil/water spray and sprinkling cayenne pepper throughout the bed.