As I previously wrote in the posts linked below, the easiest way to create a successful native landscape is to replicate your local plant community. If you’re unfamiliar with the plant communities in your area, plan a visit to a local park or remnant to observe what is growing together and in what conditions. If you are new to the area – find a naturalist or sign up for nature walk at the local nature center.
Related Posts:
What to Plant? Taking Cues From Local Woodland Plant Communities
What to Plant? Taking Cues From Local Prairie Plant Communities
I have been admiring a local prairie and wetland restoration that was started by our city about 15 years ago. Although there is ongoing invasive plant management (reed canary grass, purple loosestrife and buckthorn in particular), the area showcases a diversity of species for both upland, lowland and wetland plant communities.
The photo above shows the wonderful transition from lowland to upland plants. In the foreground (along with a few cattails), is a huge mass of Swamp Milk Weed (Asclepias incarnata). Pink flowering Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum) is at the edge of the moistest part in the middle and behind and uphill of the Joe Pye Weed are a mix of prairie grasses.
A few more species along the edge of the trail in the moist low lying area. Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), Swamp Vervain (Verbena hastata) with its purple candelabra type blooms and Brown Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta).
Off the trail in another part of this restoration is a big stand of Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum). A 10 foot tall perennial native that gets very high ratings for wildlife value. Named for the large leaves that clasp the stems and hold water. Birds, squirrels and insects all drink water from the Cup Plant leaves. Due to its size, it also provides cover for birds and wildlife. Lastly, the gold finches will spend hours in the fall picking the sunflower sized seeds from the spent blooms.
I don’t have any lowland moist areas in my yard, but I have been able to utilize some wetland marginal natives in the rain garden we installed by our driveway.
The garden is about 40 feet long and 12 feet at its widest point. It was formerly paved (part of the driveway), five years ago we removed the pavement and created a bowl-shaped garden with a berm on the back. The garden collects all the water runoff from our cul-de-sac.
Unfortunately this spring, it collected a lot more than water. The silt fencing was inadequate for the house construction next door and our rain garden filled up with sediment.
Because the garden became so clogged with sediment, water and mud pooled on our driveway all spring.
The landscape next door has finally been sodded and paved (a story for another post) but it means that we will have to redo this garden in the next year or two since it’s collecting even more water runoff from the location of the new driveway next door.
Despite the sediment runoff, the garden looks pretty good. Many of the species from the park are included in this rain garden. We planted Cup Plant (yellow flowers) at the back along the berm to provide a tall backdrop. Where the majority of the water flows into the garden we have Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata), Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum) and Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum). Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is in the foreground on the right.
The tall white flowering species is Pale Indian Plantain (Cacalia atriplicifolia) which provides structure and interest. In the drier parts at the back we planted some upland prairie grasses and forbs including Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Side Oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida) and False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides).
If you have a pond, creek or low lying moist area in your landscape, be sure to take advantage of all the wonderful wetland marginal native species that grow locally.
© 2012, Heather Holm. All rights reserved. This article is the property of Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Heather Holm
In CT, we have two beetles that are doing a good job at controlling the purple loosestrife, do you have them yet?
Yes, they have introduced one beetle species and have had fairly good results. Our city is actively managing the loosestrife, but the next suburban city (in the same watershed) is not.
Heather Holm recently posted..Native Plant of the Week: Swamp Milkweed ~ Asclepias incarnata
And I should have said this: beautiful garden! Who could possibly want foreign nonsense when you could have this?
Thanks Sue, I like that ‘foreign nonsense’.
Heather Holm recently posted..Native Plant of the Week: Swamp Milkweed ~ Asclepias incarnata
Heather I love your posts as I love to find natives I had not considered…too many of our wetlands are clogged with loosestrife so it is hard to find ideas there.
Donna@Gardens Eye View recently posted..Bloom Day a Bust-Almost
I’m sorry to hear you have so much loosestrife Donna. Good luck with finding some worthwhile wetland marginal natives.
Heather Holm recently posted..Native Plant of the Week: Swamp Milkweed ~ Asclepias incarnata
I often say that people with wet areas are the luckiest people because they can have all these cool things. I do love the first picture showing the transition from from plant community to the next based on conditions (here moisture).
Your rain garden is just gorgeous – a feast for the eyes as well as the insects and birds.
Ellen Honeycutt recently posted..A New Favorite – Bushy St. John’s Wort
I agree Ellen, wouldn’t it be great to have a small creek or pond? I would love to have more frogs in our yard.
Heather Holm recently posted..Native Plant of the Week: Swamp Milkweed ~ Asclepias incarnata
Hubby was just out fighting purple loosestrife on the pond. I want to plant some native plants along our section of pond, but it is mostly shady..I am sorry about your rain garden. All that work…Michelle
Rambling Woods recently posted..Wild Bird-Green Heron-Butorides virescens
Sounds like a great plan Michelle, you’re lucky to have a pond to plant around.
Heather Holm recently posted..Common Boneset: A Five Star Wasp Plant
Heather beautiful rain garden! Wondering what it looks like earlier in the season? Are the images late summer?
It’s not as colorful earlier in the season as most of the natives are late summer bloomers. I do plan to add some Golden Alexanders, Prairie Phlox and Wild Lupine to the drier parts for some color in early June.
Heather Holm recently posted..Native Plant of the Week: New England Aster ~ Symphyotrichum novae-angliae