Yellow Goldenrods, Brown-Eyed Susans, and tall grasses wind through hundreds of native prairie plants in the first Lake County yard to be certified “eco-friendly.”

The Grayslake non-profit Liberty Prairie Conservancy awarded Louise Wood and her husband, Dennis Leu, a marker that is nestled in their garden. It states that their Green Oaks home “supports clean water, rich soil and resilient ecosystems.”

“I plant natives because they give. I plant natives because when I go out to my deck to have my cup of coffee, the hummingbird comes to feed,” Wood said during a press conference at her home.

Called “awe-inspiring” by Steve Barg, executive director of Liberty Prairie Conservancy, Wood’s work included installing more than 900 plants in the last year in the front and back yard of her home that abuts a wetland in the Reigate Woods subdivision. Wildflowers and native grasses have become home to animals, birds and butterflies, she said.

One of her proudest achievements was rescuing a shagbark hickory. She spent several hours digging a deep hole to pull up the hickory, which needs more space than it previously had for its long roots to expand. She transplanted it in the front of the yard, where it now has plenty of room to thrive.

Among many best practices in the Conservancy’s guidelines, she and Leu use organic lawn treatments and have a rain barrel system they use to water their garden.

Not all people have to go to the lengths Wood did to have the same “bragging rights,” said Sarah Surroz, conservation and outreach manager.

“We want to certify as many people as we can,” Surroz said.

Some homeowners are already using eco-friendly “best practices,” and more than 100 people have signed up for the Conservancy’s consultation services, according to a news release.

In order to become certified, Wood and Leu’s yard had to receive 100 points in a list of required items including minimal lawn chemicals, one native tree or shrub, wildlife habitat, lawn care, stormwater management and soil health, according to the conservancy’s checklist.

The Wood-Leu yard garnered 393 points, according to the certification check list.

Certifying the Wood-Leu home is part of the launch of the Conservancy’s sustainable landscaping program, Conservation@Home, which provides free property consultations, certifications and presentations on eco-friendly landscaping.

For more information, go to www.libertyprairie.org.