Innovation

My Home Park is transforming home and community gardening by providing both pre-designed and custom native plant garden solutions that restore biodiversity and reduce environmental impact. Founded by David Levine and Wyatt Shell in Northeast Ohio, the company quickly expanded nationwide, addressing pressing issues like habitat loss, declining native species, and pollution from chemical fertilizers.

Replacing traditional, high-maintenance lawns, My Home Park uses plants naturally adapted to local climates. This reduces water usage, eliminates the need for fertilizers and pesticides, and supports pollinators like bees and butterflies. Their gardens improve soil health and reduce carbon emissions. Strategic plant selection ensures year-round blooming for sustained ecological impact and visual appeal.

The company contributes to several UN Sustainable Development Goals:

Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Each garden saves an estimated 5,750 gallons of water annually.

Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Green urban and suburban spaces enhance air quality and support wildlife.

Goal 15 (Life on Land): Native plant restoration counters biodiversity loss and creates critical habitats.

My Home Park also partners with Cleveland-area schools and colleges to enhance campus landscapes and promote environmental education.

Leveraging AI, the team has streamlined custom garden design—reducing design time from two hours to just 15 minutes, a major innovation in the industry. Through educational content, social media, and community outreach, My Home Park is making sustainable gardening accessible and empowering individuals to improve the health and beauty of their own “slice” of the Earth.

Inspiration

The inspiration behind My Home Park stems from the alarming decline of wild pollinators, which threatens to destabilize ecosystems. David Levine, who had been fascinated by bumblebees since childhood, recalled, “The more I studied and researched, the more I found out how my kids’ generation would not see bumblebees.” Initially, David believed that building more bee shelters was the solution. However, in an early conversation with Dr. Wyatt Shell—who had spent nearly a decade researching pollinator decline—he was met with blunt honesty: “Your bee house idea sucks.” Wyatt explained that the core issue wasn’t a lack of shelter, but the widespread loss of native habitats that provide essential food sources. This insight led to a shift in approach and ultimately to Wyatt joining as co-founder and Chief Science Officer of My Home Park.

This pivotal conversation reshaped David’s perspective and sparked My Home Park’s mission: to transform traditional lawns into vibrant “home parks” filled with low-maintenance, regionally native plants. By replacing resource-intensive grass lawns, which consume excessive water and rely heavily on chemicals, his team offers a sustainable and ecologically sound alternative.

With over 80 million American households maintaining conventional lawns that often lack beauty and environmental value, the opportunity for impact is immense. My Home Park’s native plant designs bloom across seasons, creating year-round habitats for pollinators while enhancing residential landscapes with natural beauty and biodiversity.

As homeowners increasingly recognize the environmental and aesthetic benefits, this movement is poised for nationwide, and eventually global growth. For David, it’s about more than gardens. It’s about ensuring that future generations can still hear the buzz of bumblebees in their own backyards.

Overall impact

My Home Park is leaving its mark on the market and industry, with measurable environmental benefits that show its influence. The numbers tell a powerful story—for every 250 square feet of gardens installed, up to 6,750 pollinators get food, including endangered Monarch butterflies and native bumblebees. Replacing traditional lawns with native plants conserves an estimated 5,750 gallons of water annually and reduces homeowners’ maintenance costs by up to $500 per year. These results demonstrate that sustainable landscaping is not only environmentally responsible but also economically practical, reshaping how communities approach their outdoor spaces.

Beyond immediate benefits, My Home Park is transforming urban and suburban landscapes by reducing reliance on harmful chemicals and promoting watershed health. By eliminating the need for pesticides and fertilizers, native gardens prevent toxic runoff from contaminating local water systems. Many of these plants also feature deep root systems that help filter rainwater, stabilize soil, and improve overall climate resilience by mitigating the effects of droughts and floods. My Home Park's partnerships with Pollinator Partnership, Wild Ones, and the Xerces Society further reinforce its commitment to long-term ecological restoration. The initiative aligns with global sustainability goals, supporting Clean Water and Sanitation (Goal 6), Climate Action (Goal 13), and Life on Land (Goal 15) under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The numbers, partnerships, and direct environmental benefits prove that My Home Park is not just selling plants, it is reshaping the future of sustainable landscaping. 

Business benefit

The impact of this business model extends beyond environmental benefits. My Home Park significantly contributes to the United Nations' sustainability goals by attracting roughly 6,750 pollinators daily, including endangered species like monarch butterflies and native bees. This has made urban and suburban communities healthier and more resilient. Moreover, by emphasizing sustainable landscaping practices, My Home Park has opened new markets among environmentally-conscious homeowners seeking attractive yet low-maintenance landscaping solutions.

Additionally, My Home Park’s success has boosted employment opportunities and employee retention due to its clear, purposeful mission and strong community impact. Employees are drawn to meaningful work that positively impacts the environment and local communities. The company's steady growth has also attracted investment opportunities, highlighting how addressing ecological challenges can generate both environmental and economic benefits.

Social and environmental benefit

My Home Park transforms traditional lawns into biodiverse native plant gardens, delivering environmental and societal benefits. By replacing water- and chemical-intensive turf with climate-adapted native species, each garden saves approximately 5,750 gallons of water annually, eliminates fertilizer runoff, and improves soil health while sequestering carbon. Year-round blooming supports pollinators like bees and butterflies, advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals for clean water (SDG 6) and life on land (SDG 15). Originally launched in Northeast Ohio, the initiative now operates nationwide, restoring ecosystems and building climate-resilient habitats across communities.

On the societal side, My Home Park democratizes sustainable landscaping through AI-driven technology that reduces custom garden design time from two hours to 15 minutes, making eco-friendly gardening accessible to all. Partnerships with Cleveland schools integrate native gardens into campuses, combining beautification with hands-on environmental education to foster stewardship. Supporting SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), the initiative greens both urban and suburban areas, improving air quality and community well-being. Through location-based social media outreach, it raises awareness and inspires widespread adoption. By saving homeowners time and resources while transforming yards into wildlife havens, My Home Park bridges infrastructure, ecological responsibility, and community engagement—demonstrating how local action can drive global change.

Interview

David Levine, CEO