Native Landscaping

Why is it Important?

Each and every one of us can do our part.

Whether you plant a single pot on your back porch or an entire prairie field, YOU can make a difference! Thanks to information provided by Blank Park Zoo’s Plant.Grow.Fly. program, you will find easy, region-specific garden recipes to help you create a wildlife oasis in your yard. These expertly researched garden recipes will help you to plant flower and grasses that benefit local species the most.

These easy-to-follow recipes can be formed to your landscaping needs, from pet-friendly to sweet smelling, low-budget to no-expenses spared. Gardens can range from several plants in a pot to a whole backyard ecosystem!

Experts agree that even small patches of appropriate habitat on roadsides, in schoolyards, corporate landscapes, and backyards can help support local wildlife like butterflies and bees. These gardens can act as bridges to other gardens; creating a corridor of resources that our native species so desperately need.

Starting Your Garden from the Ground Up

Although the following information is focused on pollinator habitat, native landscaping is reestablishing elements of a historical ecosystem. All prairie animals evolved with these plants. For example, attracting pollinators will attract birds, and so the reconstruction begins!

Find a Location

Consider Your Space

Your garden can be as big as your entire backyard or as small as a single pot. Each garden is important and no effort too small! When using the plant recommendations below, you should favor sunny, wind-sheltered areas. Keep in mind pollinators and their plants need full sunlight for at least six hours per day.

Choose Your Plants

Introduction

The following list of plants have been formed with the help of the experts at Iowa State University's Reiman Gardens, and support local species. Most of these plants are native to the region, making them low maintenance and better adapted to our climate. The best gardens combine a diversity of plants, encouraging pollinators and other wildlife to spend more time in your garden.

Host Plants

Host plants are the nurseries of your garden, as they are vital in helping pollinator numbers. Butterflies are uniquely connected to their host plants, laying their eggs on or next to specific species of plants. Female adult butterflies lay their eggs on many surfaces of the host plant and generally, in 1 to 2 weeks, a caterpillar emerges from each egg and begins feeding on the plant. Holes in the leaves of your garden are a very good sign: this means caterpillars are present! If you're concerned about the aesthetics of holey leaves, perhaps strategically place the host plants intermixed with nectar plants.

Nectar Plants

Nectar plants will be the source of nutrients and energy for the adult pollinators visiting your garden. These plants will attract all types of pollinators: hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, beetles, wasps, flies, and bees, such as the mason bee and bumblebee. These pollinators will be attracted to many qualities, such as flowers with strong scents, bright colors, and nectar

Trees and Shrubs

In addition to flowers, trees and shrubs can also serve as both hosts and nectar sources for a variety of butterfly species and will create a multi-layered landscape for a diversity of native wildlife.

Woodland Habitat for Native Pollinators

Live outside the upper Midwest?

Here are your best native plants to include in your garden:

What Native Plants Will Grow in your Pollinator Garden?

Design Your Garden

Annual and Perennial Border Garden

This garden plan contains a mix of annual and perennial plants that are easily acquired at most garden centers. Several of the plants are also native to the Midwest. It was designed to be planted against a fence or building, tall plants in the back and plants get shorter towards the front. Make sure to plant in south or west sun for the best success. This would work for a garden that is about 6' x 10'.

Annual and Perennial Island Garden

This garden plan contains a mix of annual and perennial plants that are easily acquired at most garden centers. Several of the plants are native to the Midwest. It is designed to be planted in the yard so it is visually appealing from all sides. Taller plants are in the center and shorter plants are closer to the edges. Make sure to plant in south or west sun for best success

Island Garden using Native Plants

This garden plan contains perennial plants that are native to the Midwest. It is designed to be planted in the yard so it is visually appealing from all sides. Taller plants are in the center and shorter plants closer to the edges. Make sure to plant in south or west sun for the best success.

Sidewalk Garden

This garden plan contains perennial plants, most of which are native to the Midwest. It is designed to create a narrow border along a sidewalk; it can be used as shown or can be adapted to fit any sidewalk layout. Make sure to plant in south or west sun for the best success.

Butterfly Garden in a Container

This is a simple plan for a butterfly garden in a container or pot. Tall plants are planted in the center and shorter plants planted around the edges. Make sure to place your container in full sun for the best success.

Maintaining Your Garden

The beauty of this type of garden is that it can be enjoyed with a minimal amount of maintenance.

Dead head old flowers. If you would like to keep your plants producing an abundance of flowers throughout the season, you should pinch back or “dead head" old, withering flowers and seed heads.

We encourage you to use natural fertilizers such as lawn clippings and compost.

Remember: avoid pesticide use of any kind. Even products labeled as organic can kill butterflies, caterpillars, and other beneficial insects.

Watering is the most important aspect of maintaining your garden. If you provide the deep watering while the garden establishes itself, watering may not need to be done as often. Keep in mind containers and pots lose moisture faster and will need to be watered more frequently.

Stay on top of weeding and cultivating.

Take time to enjoy and investigate your garden! We will have more information to come on how you can identify and monitor the pollinators visiting your garden

Pollinators Also Love

Basking spots. Help butterflies catch some rays by placing large flat rocks and stepping stones in sunny spots so they can perch on them.

Winter shelter. Some butterflies overwinter rather than migrate. Rather than clearing your garden in the fall, leave it as is until late spring. Eggs, larvae, and pupae may already be present. In the fall you can add crossed logs, standing dry grasses and leaf litter to provide additional overwintering spaces.

Mineral salts. Creating a mud puddle or a shallow dish filled with sand and water can attract groups of butterflies while providing them with additional nutrients.

Sweet treats. A nectar feeder can also be a great addition to your garden. The recommended solution for nectar is 10 parts water to one part honey. You can also add treats of overripe fruit, such as bananas, pears, plums, apricots, peaches, watermelon, cantaloupe, and grapes.

Get Planting

Introduction

Butterflies and many birds are attracted to large splashes of color in the landscape. Planting in groupings of 3-5 of the same plant is important when creating these color splashes. Add plants of different heights, creating tiers within your landscaping.

Seeds or Starter Plants?

Using potted or starter plants may be the easiest choice for small garden areas or beginner gardeners, as the plants are already established and are lower maintenance to keep alive. However, for larger areas, more advanced gardeners, and those with lower budgets, seeds can also be a good option. Read on for more information about both approaches.

Seed Starters

Ambitious seed starters should start their seeds indoors as early as March or April (or earlier). Keep in mind each plant is different, so consult your local greenhouse or use the instructions printed on the seed packet to know the ideal time to start each seed. To start your seeds, you'll need plastic flats, a good soil mix (suitable for seedlings), a natural light source, and moisture from either humidity or watering. Generally, allow your seeds 4-8 weeks of growing time indoors before transplanting outdoors after the risk of frost has passed.

Direct Seeding

If sowing seeds directly into the ground, you will first need to prepare your soil in early spring. Clear your garden of weeds and debris, then cultivate or till the soil to a fine consistency. It's best to work the soil when it has had time to dry out, as soil tends to clump when worked while still moist. After the danger of frost has passed, you can sow seeds in your garden about 1/4-inch deep and 12–18 inches apart. Seed mixes may also be used and may be more cost effective in larger areas. When using seeds, remember that plants need time to mature. You may not have mature flowering plants until the following growing season.

Using Potted Plants

If using potted plants, plan your garden and prepare the bed before purchasing plants. Once you have purchased your plants, keep them well watered prior to planting. When you're ready to plant, dig a hole as deep and as wide as the pot the plant came in. Drop the plant in the hole and fill in soil as needed. Provide deep watering while the plants become established. The idea behind deep watering is to let the water soak deeply into the soil and then not to water for several days. Deep watering, followed by a lack of water in the soil near the surface, encourages roots to go deeper into the soil, enabling the plant to draw moisture from the soil more readily.

Sourcing Plants

Make informed decisions on what you're buying and where it came from. Ask your greenhouse or nursery if their plants are grown locally. Native cultivars are preferred. One of the most important questions to ask is if herbicides or pesticides were used when growing the plants. We want to provide a safe place for the pollinators to reproduce and collect nutrients.