By Heather Rhoades
Image by vastateparksstaff Growing wildflowers and other native plants can offer your landscape unlimited beauty throughout the seasons. Nearly any spot in the garden is ideal for growing these plants simply because they are already well adapted to your particular ‘neck of the woods.’ If your space is limited, such as with urban dwellers, you can even grow them in containers. Most wildflower and native gardens are planted in borders and beds, sometimes along tree or property lines. A quick scan of your property and surrounding landscape will enable you to see firsthand exactly what plants thrive in your given area. These plants and others with similar attributes will be the ideal choices for your desired planting scheme.
Typically, you’ll find the most wildflower and native species growing within woodland environments, and these are oftentimes the more commonly planted as a result. Woodland gardens are composed native species that include a variety of flowering plants, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Designing your own often entails carefully layered plantings, as found in their natural setting. This could include a grouping of small trees followed by shrubs and finished off with foliage plantings, such as ferns, and appropriate wildflowers. Woodland gardens thrive in partially shaded areas and can easily be incorporated into any shady areas of the yard that you may find challenging for growing other types of plants. In fact, placing shade-loving natives like anemone, bleeding heart, wild ginger, or hepatica beneath a large shade tree will create a lovely woodland garden for those with limited space.
Meadows or prairies are another way to enjoy the benefits of a wildflower or native garden, especially for those with wide, open spaces. In a native meadow garden, wildflowers bloom abundantly throughout the season. Most meadows include both native grasses as well as wildflowers. Some of the more commonly grown plants here include black-eyed Susan, butterfly weed, blazing star, Joe-pye weed, aster, coneflower, blanket flower, lily, and daisy. Natural prairie gardens may consist of nothing more than open grassland but if you mix it up by adding wildflowers, the result will be a pleasing blend of vivid flower colors popping out from the greens and golds of native prairie grasses. You can easily create either of these gardens by converting a treeless lawn into plantings of native grasses like prairie dropseed, switch grass, or Indian grass along with a variety of wildflowers such as prairie clover, goldenrod, bluebells, butterfly weed, prairie onion, or whatever grows naturally in your area.
Wildflowers and other native plants spread more naturally throughout the landscape. They are also more trouble-free and easier to maintain than most other flower gardens. Whatever type of native garden you choose, mix in a number of varying heights, forms, colors, and textures. Choose wildflowers that bloom at different intervals as well as those with attractive foliage to ensure year-round interest. Regardless of when, where, or what you plant the site preparation should include manageable soil, suitable light, and a nearby water source. Once your plants have established themselves in the garden, nature will take care of the rest, allowing you time to sit back and take it all in.
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By Heather Rhoades
Image by vastateparksstaff Growing wildflowers and other native plants can offer your landscape unlimited beauty throughout the seasons. Nearly any spot in the garden is ideal for growing these plants simply because they are already well adapted to your particular ‘neck of the woods.’ If your space is limited, such as with urban dwellers, you can even grow them in containers. Most wildflower and native gardens are planted in borders and beds, sometimes along tree or property lines. A quick scan of your property and surrounding landscape will enable you to see firsthand exactly what plants thrive in your given area. These plants and others with similar attributes will be the ideal choices for your desired planting scheme.
Typically, you’ll find the most wildflower and native species growing within woodland environments, and these are oftentimes the more commonly planted as a result. Woodland gardens are composed native species that include a variety of flowering plants, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Designing your own often entails carefully layered plantings, as found in their natural setting. This could include a grouping of small trees followed by shrubs and finished off with foliage plantings, such as ferns, and appropriate wildflowers. Woodland gardens thrive in partially shaded areas and can easily be incorporated into any shady areas of the yard that you may find challenging for growing other types of plants. In fact, placing shade-loving natives like anemone, bleeding heart, wild ginger, or hepatica beneath a large shade tree will create a lovely woodland garden for those with limited space.
Meadows or prairies are another way to enjoy the benefits of a wildflower or native garden, especially for those with wide, open spaces. In a native meadow garden, wildflowers bloom abundantly throughout the season. Most meadows include both native grasses as well as wildflowers. Some of the more commonly grown plants here include black-eyed Susan, butterfly weed, blazing star, Joe-pye weed, aster, coneflower, blanket flower, lily, and daisy. Natural prairie gardens may consist of nothing more than open grassland but if you mix it up by adding wildflowers, the result will be a pleasing blend of vivid flower colors popping out from the greens and golds of native prairie grasses. You can easily create either of these gardens by converting a treeless lawn into plantings of native grasses like prairie dropseed, switch grass, or Indian grass along with a variety of wildflowers such as prairie clover, goldenrod, bluebells, butterfly weed, prairie onion, or whatever grows naturally in your area.
Wildflowers and other native plants spread more naturally throughout the landscape. They are also more trouble-free and easier to maintain than most other flower gardens. Whatever type of native garden you choose, mix in a number of varying heights, forms, colors, and textures. Choose wildflowers that bloom at different intervals as well as those with attractive foliage to ensure year-round interest. Regardless of when, where, or what you plant the site preparation should include manageable soil, suitable light, and a nearby water source. Once your plants have established themselves in the garden, nature will take care of the rest, allowing you time to sit back and take it all in.
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