![\"Butterfly](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Butterfly-Bush.jpg\")
Your weekends in Louisville should be spent sipping mint juleps or cheering for your favorite horses at Churchill Downs instead of tirelessly working on your lawn care. It’s time to explore low-maintenance landscaping ideas that minimize outdoor chores and maximize your leisure time in the Bluegrass State. With low-maintenance landscape design, you can save time, […]
\n","content":"\nYour weekends in Louisville should be spent sipping mint juleps or cheering for your favorite horses at Churchill Downs instead of tirelessly working on your lawn care. It’s time to explore low-maintenance landscaping ideas that minimize outdoor chores and maximize your leisure time in the Bluegrass State.
\n\n\n\nWith low-maintenance landscape design, you can save time, effort, water, and reduce the need for weeding, mowing, and managing pests. You can also strike the perfect balance between a stunning landscape and a relaxing weekend.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll delve into:
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Peter O’Connor aka anemoneprojectors / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAnnuals may be eye-catching with their vibrant colors, but they only last one growing season. For a more sustainable and low-maintenance option, consider switching to drought-tolerant perennials suitable for full sun or partial shade in your front yard or garden design.
\n\n\n\nDrought-tolerant perennials are a practical choice because they need less water and maintenance, and they return year after year. These plants not only provide beautiful blooms, but also attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, promoting a healthy ecosystem in your yard. By choosing perennials that are adapted to Louisville’s climate and sunlight conditions, you can create an attractive and low-maintenance garden that enhances your outdoor space.
Some heat-tolerant perennials for Louisville include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of perennials:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The average cost of a perennial plant varies depending on the size and type of plant, purchase location, and whether you are having a professional handle your landscaping. If you head to your local store to purchase your own perennials, you can expect to spend between $10 to $100 per plant.
\n\n\n\n![\"red](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Coral-Honeysuckle.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Zeynel Cebeci / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNative plants are the easiest-to-care-for greenery you can add to your Louisville garden layout. They support a lively habitat and flourish in Louisville’s weather while being tough enough to endure the chilly season.
\n\n\n\nNative plants often have a natural resistance to common pests and diseases found in the area, reducing the need for pest control or constant lawn care. Incorporating these plants into your garden design not only simplifies maintenance but also supports the local ecosystem and enhances the overall beauty of your yard.
\n\n\n\nSome Louisville native plants to consider include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of native plants:
Estimated cost: Native plant prices can vary depending on the species and size, with an average price range between between $5 to $30 per plant, $15 to $50 per shrub, $5 to $50 per vine, and $200 to $1,500 per tree.
\n\n\n\n![\"gardener](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Garden-Bed-.jpg\")
Photo Credit: ronstik / Canva Pro / License
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMulching is an excellent low-maintenance landscaping solution for Louisville locals, as it provides numerous benefits for both plants and gardeners. It helps retain moisture, reduce weeds, and insulates plant roots from extreme temperatures. This makes plants healthier and easier to care for.
\n\n\n\nMoreover, organic mulches like wood chips or tree bark decompose, adding nutrients back to the soil. As a result, mulching is a practical and eco-friendly option for creating beautiful, low-maintenance landscapes.
\n\n\n\nOrganic mulch:
\n\n\n\nInorganic mulch:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of mulch:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Typically, the majority of homeowners spend around $17 to $68 per cubic yard of mulch or $2 to $5.50 per bag. Should you choose to have it professionally installed, anticipate an added cost of $20 to $45 per cubic yard or $43 to $98 per hour.
\n\n\n\n![\"Patio](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Patio.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pexels
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHardscaping is a landscaping technique that involves using non-living elements, such as rocks, pavers, or concrete, to create functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor spaces. It’s an excellent option for homeowners looking to create visually appealing outdoor spaces that require less time and effort to maintain.
\n\n\n\nIncorporating hardscaping elements, such as walkways, patios, retaining walls, and decorative stone borders, can help minimize the need for constant upkeep like mowing, weeding, and watering. These features not only enhance the overall appearance of your outdoor space but also provide functional areas for activities and entertainment.
\n\n\n\nHardscape features include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of hardscapes:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Prepare to invest between $15 to $30 per square foot for a new deck, depending on your choice of pressure-treated pine or composite deck material. The average cost of a 280-square-foot paver patio is $3,350, while a basic pergola comes in at approximately $4,000.
\n\n\n\n![\"Rain](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Rain-Garden.jpg\")
Photo Credit: James Steakley / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRain gardens are a sustainable and low-maintenance landscaping feature designed to capture and absorb stormwater runoff from roofs, driveways, and other impervious surfaces. These gardens help prevent flooding, reduce water pollution, and recharge groundwater, making them an eco-friendly addition to any landscape.
\n\n\n\nIn addition to their environmental benefits, rain gardens also offer aesthetic appeal. With a variety of native plants, they create a visually attractive space that attracts birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. This contributes to a healthier and more diverse ecosystem in your yard.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of rain gardens:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The cost of installing a rain garden depends on its size and complexity. On average, expect to spend between $3 to $5 per square foot for a DIY project or $10 to $20 per square foot for a professionally installed rain garden.
\n\n\n\n![\"Sweet](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sweet-Coneflower.jpg\")
Photo Credit: AfroBrazilian: Aleksandrs Balodis / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGroundcover plants are low-growing, spreading plants that form a dense mat over the soil surface, making them a valuable addition to low-maintenance landscapes. By effectively covering bare soil, these plants help prevent soil erosion, suppress weed growth, and retain moisture, resulting in less time spent on watering, weeding, and other maintenance tasks.
Some popular Louisville groundcovers include:
Advantages of groundcovers:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Ground cover plants cost around $4 to $40 each, depending on size and variety.
\n\n\n\n![\"Artificial](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Artificial-Grass-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Nick Bastian / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nArtificial grass, also known as synthetic turf, is a popular low-maintenance landscaping option that replicates the look and feel of natural grass without the need for regular mowing, watering, or fertilizing. Made from durable synthetic fibers, artificial grass is designed to withstand heavy foot traffic, making it an excellent choice for homeowners seeking a low-maintenance, long-lasting lawn solution.
\n\n\n\nArtificial grass is also an eco-friendly option, as it reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, which can negatively impact local ecosystems and water sources. It also ensures your lawn will have a vibrant and green appearance year-round, regardless of weather conditions or seasonal changes. By installing artificial grass in your landscape, you won’t have to contact a landscaping service to keep your lawn green throughout the year.
Advantages of artificial grass:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The cost of artificial grass varies depending on the type, quality, and installation. On average, expect to pay between $5 to $20 per square foot for materials and installation.
\n\n\n\n![\"Hens](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Hens-and-Chicks-growing-amid-other-succulents.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Robpinion / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSucculents are a diverse group of plants characterized by their ability to store water in their thick, fleshy leaves, stems, or roots. This unique adaptation makes them an ideal choice for low-maintenance landscaping, as they require minimal watering and care to thrive. With a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors available, succulents offer endless possibilities for creating visually appealing and easy-to-maintain outdoor spaces in Louisville.
\n\n\n\nSome hardy succulents for Louisville gardens include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of succulents:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The price of succulents depends on factors such as size, variety, and location. Typically, you can expect to spend between $3 to $15 per plant.
\n\n\n\n![\"Karl](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Karl-Foerster-Reed-Grass.jpg\")
Photo Credit: daryl_mitchell / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOrnamental grasses are low-maintenance, versatile plants that add texture, movement, and color to your Louisville landscape. They thrive in various conditions, including full sun to partial shade, and are well-suited to Kentucky’s climate. Ornamental grasses come in a wide range of sizes, colors, and growth habits, making them an excellent choice for any garden design.
\n\n\n\nSome ornamental grasses for Louisville landscapes include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of ornamental grasses:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The cost of ornamental grasses varies depending on the size, variety, and location. On average, expect to spend between $8 to $25 per plant.
\n\n\n\n![\"Floral](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Floral-arrangement-of-petunias-in-Columbus-Ohio.jpg\")
Photo Credit: ElenaSchifirnet / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nContainer gardening is a versatile and low-maintenance way to create a beautiful landscape in Louisville. It allows you to grow plants in various container types and sizes, making it perfect for homeowners with limited space, such as a small front porch or balcony. Container gardens can include anything from flowering plants, herbs, and vegetables to small trees and shrubs.
\n\n\n\nSome plants suitable for container gardening in Louisville include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of container gardening:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The cost of container gardening depends on the container type, size, and the plants you choose. On average, expect to spend between $5 to $50 per container and $3 to $20 per plant.
\n\n\n\nNewly planted native plants may require regular watering during the establishment period, which typically lasts for one to two years. Once established, most native plants can survive on rainfall alone. However, during periods of prolonged drought, it may be necessary to provide supplemental water to help them thrive.
Hardwood mulch is the most popular choice for Louisville gardens, as it is locally available and works well with the area’s native plants. Additionally, hardwood mulch breaks down slowly, providing nutrients to the soil and suppressing weeds.
Hardscaping is an excellent option for Louisville’s climate, as it is durable and able to withstand the region’s temperature fluctuations and precipitation patterns.
Creating a low-maintenance landscape in Louisville is possible with the right plants, hardscapes, and techniques. By considering the local climate, hardiness zones, soil types, and native plants, you can design a beautiful and sustainable outdoor space.
\n\n\n\nMoreover, by including groundcovers, perennials, and native species, you can save time and energy and support a healthy ecosystem for pollinators.
Don’t hesitate to explore more options in creating a low-maintenance landscape for your home. Connect with local lawn care professionals who understand the unique needs of your region. This way, you can get back to relaxing and sipping mint juleps without worrying about your lawn’s upkeep.
\n\n\n\nMain Photo Credit: Jambu2021 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n","title":"10 Low-Maintenance Landscaping Ideas for Louisville ","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":2.0547945205479454,"src":"/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/1789c/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.jpg","srcSet":"/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/107df/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.jpg 320w,\n/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/293e9/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.jpg 500w,\n/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/f2cbb/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.jpg 800w,\n/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/1789c/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.jpg 960w,\n/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/c26c2/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/1dd6e/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/67b76/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.webp 320w,\n/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/8df11/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.webp 500w,\n/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/98a65/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.webp 800w,\n/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/1dd6e/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.webp 960w,\n/static/c0debc28cb25834e564ad8ce3a53c45b/3cc96/Graeser-Family-Education-Center-at-Waterfront-Botanical-Gardens-in-Louisville-Kentucky.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"10 Low-Maintenance Landscaping Ideas for Louisville | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Enjoy more leisure time with these low-maintenance landscaping ideas for Louisville, KY, including the estimated cost of each project."}},"relatedPosts":[{"node":{"id":"97ed0690-33a4-5dde-86f5-9a94a61287d3","slug":"how-to-edge-a-lawn","path":"/lawn-care/how-to-edge-a-lawn/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Frank Naper is a nature enthusiast who loves to travel and explore new cities, taking nature photographs along the way.","name":"Frank Naper","id":"548facf1-0faf-5729-a658-167972066913","path":"/author/frank-naper/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/905ec21d5a8e70f5f8486364c08aa6b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"cfca3a30-772e-535e-90a9-3056dfc1de8c","name":"Home & Garden","count":15,"path":"/category/home-garden/"},{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"},{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"},{"id":"bf4daca3-f477-56c4-b0f9-b212905a3b28","name":"Tools, Apps & Accessories","count":6,"path":"/category/garden-accessories/"}],"date":"October 15th, 2019","excerpt":"Proper lawn care is more of an art than a chore. Nowhere is that more evident than in lawn edging. Your neighbor’s perfect lawn and crisp edges might make you jealous, but with a few simple tools, a little patience, and a lot of practice, you can achieve the clean lines of perfect edging. Here […]
\n","content":"\nProper lawn care is more of an art than a chore. Nowhere is that more evident than in lawn edging. Your neighbor’s perfect lawn and crisp edges might make you jealous, but with a few simple tools, a little patience, and a lot of practice, you can achieve the clean lines of perfect edging. Here are some DIY techniques professional landscapers use to give flower beds and walkways that manicured lawn look you envy.
\n\n\n\nString Trimmer: A quality power edger is an investment, so do your research and don’t skimp on this purchase. Gas trimmers are heavy but ideal for large yards, while electric trimmers are lighter and more eco-friendly. A straight shaft will give you a longer reach and better ability to cut curves than a curved shaft.
\n\n\n\nManual Edging Tool: This tool looks a little bit like a shovel but has a flat, half-moon edger blade. For small yards or an aversion to power tools, this tool is the answer.
\n\n\n\nManual Rotary Edger: This one looks like a stick with a spiky wheel at its end. The spikes are rotating blades that shear off grass in a line. Used to manually edge grass at the edge of sidewalks or other hardscape surfaces. Good for small lawns with thin-bladed grass varieties.
\n\n\n\nHand Shears: For the finishing touches, trimming grass in hard-to-mow spots.
\n\n\n\nGarden Hose or Rope: Use to mark out the edge if you are making new garden beds and need a guide.
\n\n\n\nA Plank of Wood: You’ll only need this if you are using a manual edger to do the job.
\n\n\n\nThere are only a few ways to go about edging a lawn: using a power edger or weed eater, using a manual edging tool, or a combination of both. String trimmers sometimes come with edger attachments that can make short work of overgrown grass spilling into walkways and flower beds. These power tools can make the job easier. They can also make a big mess of an edge in no time if you’re not skilled at using them. Here are some tips for both methods.
\n\n\n\nPower edging is more hardcore than manual edging and requires a little more caution. Follow these steps for a safe, successful experience:
\n\n\n\nMowing with a lawn mower is always the first step in edging. If you are edging in a straight line, you can use a board as a guide. Before you begin, make sure the blade is sharp. If it isn’t, grab a file and go to work.
\n\n\n\nWith your sharp tool in hand, lay your board along the outside of the straight edge you want to cut. Stand on top of the board with one foot to secure it, and then drive the half-moon edger a couple of inches into the turf, using the edge of the board as a guide. If you’re edging against pavers or a sidewalk, you may come up against the edge, cutting a wedge-shaped bit of turf and earth as you go. Rock the edging blade back and forth and then scoop out the grass and dirt you’ve cut away, depositing them out out of the way to be collected later.
\n\n\n\nKeep a consistent angle by using the board edge as a guide, and make sure the blade stays nice and sharp. Susan Harris of Behnke Nursery recommends edging garden beds to avoid high-maintenance mowing around pavers and stone borders. “It’s called a Victorian Trench,” she says. “It does what edging needs to do — holds back the lawn from the garden and the garden from the lawn — without being an eyesore in the garden.” If you’re manually edging along a curved edge, you’ll want to overlap your cuts and double your depth, cutting to a maximum of 6 inches. When you’re finished with flower bed edges, backfill the trench you’ve dug with mulch for a clean, weed-resistant edge.
\n\n\n\nWhile it may seem like a lot of work, edging, like aerating and fertilizing should be a part of your lawn care routine. It gives your yard a tidy, professionally managed look and feel, and instantly increases your curb appeal.
\n","title":"How to Edge a Lawn","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/1789c/jack-edging.jpg","srcSet":"/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/107df/jack-edging.jpg 320w,\n/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/293e9/jack-edging.jpg 500w,\n/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/f2cbb/jack-edging.jpg 800w,\n/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/1789c/jack-edging.jpg 960w,\n/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/356ef/jack-edging.jpg 1280w","srcWebp":"/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/1dd6e/jack-edging.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/67b76/jack-edging.webp 320w,\n/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/8df11/jack-edging.webp 500w,\n/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/98a65/jack-edging.webp 800w,\n/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/1dd6e/jack-edging.webp 960w,\n/static/cd8f28f8891294bf820abc65435ec04c/93f70/jack-edging.webp 1280w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"How to Edge a Lawn | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"af0ab3b1-589f-5ebb-b53b-eeca82d451bc","slug":"best-native-plants-southeast-virginia","path":"/lawn-care/virginia/southeast-virginia/best-native-plants-southeast-virginia/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Based in the south of France, Jeffery holds a master of science degree from the International University of Monaco. His hobbies include hiking, cycling, and traveling across Europe.","name":"Jeffery Keusseyan","id":"75c05140-c87e-540a-8d34-da174527f4cc","path":"/author/jeffery-keusseyan/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12a7b239a959b7f6feee4e4b9495d63f?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"},{"id":"e3ae6f66-0bfc-57c1-9bb1-48a2124e6360","name":"Southeast Virginia","count":1,"path":"/category/lawn-care/virginia/southeast-virginia/"},{"id":"ddd20ffd-f767-55d6-8823-27520167ef7e","name":"Virginia","count":20,"path":"/category/lawn-care/virginia/"}],"date":"May 1st, 2023","excerpt":"Southeast Virginia is blessed with a temperate climate where you can enjoy the outdoors all year round. From snapping pictures of seals in Blakeney Point to taking long walks in Buckroe Beach and Park, there are plenty of activities for nature lovers to enjoy. Wondering how you can give back to the local ecosystem? With […]
\n","content":"\nSoutheast Virginia is blessed with a temperate climate where you can enjoy the outdoors all year round. From snapping pictures of seals in Blakeney Point to taking long walks in Buckroe Beach and Park, there are plenty of activities for nature lovers to enjoy. Wondering how you can give back to the local ecosystem? With 10 of the best native plants for Southeast Virginia, you get to spruce up your backyard and support the local wildlife habitat.
\n\n\n\nNative plant gardens are generally low-maintenance, water-efficient, and essential to the survival of butterflies and pollinators. However, it is important to note that not all Virginia-native plants thrive in this part of the state. The following section will list some of the best plants for your native Southeast landscape, along with their characteristics.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis part of Virginia, east of Piedmont, lies in USDA Hardiness zones 7b and 8a. The temperature typically varies from 32 to 87 degrees Fahrenheit, with muggy summers and cold, windy winters. Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay are not prone to prolonged periods of extreme weather, allowing a variety of plant species to thrive.
\n\n\n\n![\"Red](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Red-Chokeberry-Aronia-arbutifolia.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Mr.TinMD / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0
\n\n\n\nRed chokeberry is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with green leaves that turn orangish-red in the fall. During this period, pear-shaped berries appear and may persist through winter. These fruits can be used in making jams, but can also be eaten raw!
\n\n\n\nRed chokeberry is an excellent addition to your native landscape with high wildlife value. It is a source of nectar to bees and butterflies. Additionally, this plant’s fruits are an excellent food source for a variety of birds.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Clay, loam
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Sweet-scented
\n\n\n\nBloom time: February – May
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Average
\n\n\n\nMature height: 5 to 10 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Leaves, bark, stem, and stones (seed pit) are all toxic. Chewing on the stems and leaves could be fatal.
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"White](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Common-Buttonbush-Cephalanthus-occidentalis.jpg\")
Photo Credit: The Cosmonaut / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nCommon buttonbush is a hardy shrub with green leaves and round flower clusters. They tend to bloom during midsummer. This native plant species is a fast grower, making it useful to prevent erosion in wetlands or near rivers. Common buttonbush attracts more than 24 species of birds, as well as butterflies and pollinators. It is perfect for rain and cottage gardens.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 11
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Loam, sand
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Dried flowers and leaves smell like freshly-mown grass
\n\n\n\nBloom time: June – September
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Average, high
\n\n\n\nMature height: 5 to 12 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Leaves are toxic to domesticated animals.
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\nAmerican beautyberry is a bushy, deciduous shrub that is easy to grow. In early summer, it bears clusters of small flowers that can be pink or white in color. These flowers are followed by bright violet fruits which encircle the plant’s woody stems. The best fruit production occurs when the shrubs are planted in groups. Unfortunately, American beautyberries may die back to the ground in areas with harsh winters.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 7 to 11
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Loam, Sand
\n\n\n\nDuration: Deciduous perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Citrus
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Summer
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low (one inch per week)
\n\n\n\nMature height: 4 to 8 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Yellow](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/American-Witch-Hazel-Hamamelis-virginiana.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Fritzflohrreynolds / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nPlanted as a shrub or small tree, the American witch hazel boasts sweetly-scented flowers in fall and early spring. Each flower consists of 4 golden yellow petals. This native plant sports smooth oval leaves that turn golden yellow in the fall. No regular pruning is required for this plant, but you can always remove any damaged, dead, or weak shoots.
\n\n\n\nThe American witch hazel is the species from which medicinal witch-hazel extract is made. Overall, its smooth gray bark and colorful fall foliage make it a great addition to your native garden.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Shrub, tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade, shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Clay, loam, sand
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Sweetly scented
\n\n\n\nBloom time: September to December
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Average
\n\n\n\nMature height: 15 to 20 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Prune in spring to control its shape and size.
\n\n\n\nCommon winterberry is a stunningly beautiful shrub that is native to the eastern United States. It is classified as dioecious, so the male variety planted close to the female plant will lead to the production of bright red berries. Unlike the classic Christmas holly, this species loses its leaves every autumn. However, you may still use the red-fruited branches to make lovely home decorations. Common winterberry is great as a specimen plant or in mixed shrub borders.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Clay, loam, sand, moist, acidic
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nBloom time: April – July
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium to high
\n\n\n\nMature height: 3 to 15 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazard: Fruit can be poisonous to pets and people
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Pink](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Eastern-Redbud-Cercis-canadensis-2.jpg\")
Photo Credit: David J. Stang / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nEastern Redbud, also known as ‘Ace of Hearts’, is a deciduous tree with unique branching patterns. It does not tolerate root disturbance, so be sure to pick a proper permanent spot for this plant in your garden. The rose pink to light purple flowers mature in early spring, and attract scores of bees and butterflies.
\n\n\n\nIt is important to note that this native plant is very sensitive to herbicides and other chemicals sprayed on lawns. Used for shrub borders or as a specimen plant, eastern redbud can provide your native garden with an elegant touch.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun or partial shade.
\n\n\n\nSoil: Any moist, well-draining, nutrient-rich soil
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Spring
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Keep the soil moist to a depth of 2 to 3 inches; watering schedule depends on your soil type, but you should water about once per week
\n\n\n\nMature height: 20 to 30 feet tall with a 25 to 35 foot spread
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Requires little pruning
\n\n\n\n![\"Many](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Flowering-Dogwood-Cornus-florida-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Eric Hunt / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nFlowering dogwood is another species that can be used as a shrub or ornamental tree. This native plant produces showy, long-lasting fruits that are a valuable source of food for songbirds and small mammals. In hot and moist summers, you can add a layer of mulch to keep the roots cool.
\n\n\n\nFlowering dogwood is a perfect fit for shrub borders, woodland gardens, or naturalized gardens. Many landscapers and gardeners regard this plant as one of the best flowering trees native to the area.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 5 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Grows best in part shade but can tolerate full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: organically rich, moist, acidic soil
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Slightly fragrant
\n\n\n\nBloom time: March – June
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 15 to 30 feet, sometimes reaching up to 40 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: The fruit is poisonous to humans
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\nBlack Huckleberry is a low-growing deciduous shrub, with a foliage that turns orange and crimson in the fall. Urn-shaped red to pink flowers appear in late spring to mid summer. These flowers are followed by edible purplish-black berries that humans, birds, and other wildlife can enjoy.
\n\n\n\nBlack huckleberry has a shallow-spreading root system that helps prevent erosion on rocky hillsides. This native plant is perfect for wildlife gardens, shrub borders, and foundation plantings.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 7
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Loam, sand
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Sweet berry smell
\n\n\n\nBloom time: May – July
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nMature height: 1 to 3 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Orange](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Butterfly-Milkweed-Asclepias-tuberosa-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Joshua Mayer / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nButterfly milkweed is a bushy perennial that is native to most of the United States. It boasts clusters of yellow-orange flowers which bloom continuously throughout summer. These flowers are followed by seed pods in the fall. This native perennial performs quite well in poor, dry soils. More importantly, milkweed doesn’t handle transplanting very well and should be left undisturbed once established.
\n\n\n\nA great nectar source for birds and insects, butterfly milkweed is critical to the survival of monarch butterflies. Consider adding this plant to your native landscape and help reverse their fortune.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Perennial herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Clay, loam, sand
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Vanilla
\n\n\n\nBloom time: May – September
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nMature height: 1 to 2 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Can be lethal to horses, cats, and dogs
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Pink](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Beebalm-Monarda.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Alan Silvester / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nBee balm is a clump-forming perennial that is a magnet for butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial pollinators. It is one of the showiest summer-blooming perennials you can get for your native garden. Bee balms have very distinctive tubular flowers that help you create visually stunning border displays. These Monarda species combine well with other summer perennials, such as phlox, and make excellent cut flowers.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Perennial plant
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Chalk, clay, loam, sand
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Minty aroma when leaves are crushed
\n\n\n\nBloom time: July – August
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Average
\n\n\n\nMature height: 1 to 4 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Average
\n\n\n\nAll of the plants mentioned above are native to Southeast Virginia, and should grow properly under normal circumstances. However, there is another decisive factor that cannot be overlooked: your landscape.
\n\n\n\nBefore purchasing any of these native plants, you should double-check on your property’s soil type, exposure levels, and water availability as a starting point. Each of these factors can affect the plant’s growing ability in your backyard.
\n\n\n\nSeveral of the plants listed in this article are native to Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach Native Plants include:
• Butterfly Milkweed
• Cardinal Flower
• Inkberry Holly
• Fall Phlox
• Eastern Redbud
• Sweetbay Magnolia
• Trumpet Honeysuckle
• Smooth Alder
• Virginian Witch Hazel
• American Beautyberry
The purple fringeless orchid is one of the rarest orchid species in the state. It is a short plant with a cluster of pinkish-purple flowers, with a maximum height of 3 feet. The Department of Conservation and Recreation ranks it as ‘critically imperiled’, with estimates that less than 1,000 of these plants remain in Virginia.
Invasive plant species are unwanted for a reason. They harm native plants and basically threaten the entire state’s forests and landscapes. Invasive plants can include grasses, trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.
Below are some of the non-native and invasive plant species in Virginia:
• Alligator weed
• Japanese sand sedge
• Chinese privet
• Marsh Dewflower
For more information on invasive plants, you can visit the Virginia Department of Forestry website.
The tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is a deciduous tree that was introduced as an ornamental species. It has leaves that resemble native sumac and walnut species. Tree-of-heaven is originally from China and classified as invasive in the state of Virginia. Concerning the southeastern cities, it can be found in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Hampton.
Northern Virginia’s native plants include:
• Red columbine
• Common yarrow
• Yellow wild indigo
• White turtlehead
• Maryland golden-aster
• Spring beauty
• Eastern rose-mallow
• Turk’s-cap lily
Plants native to Virginia’s Capital Region include:
• Black oak
• Willow oak
• Sassafras
• Common partridge-pea
• Smooth oxeye
• Arrow arum
• Wild pink
• Red chokeberry
Plant species native to Southeast Virginia will grow naturally in forests, national parks, wetlands, and even near your own property.
\n\n\n\nFortunately, there are several nurseries and garden centers that sell native plants to help with your backyard transformation. Not only do they sell them, but they can provide answers to any of your questions regarding native species and how to grow them properly.
\n\n\n\nFor information on wildflowers, wildlife service, and native plant sales throughout the state of Virginia, visit the official webpage of the Virginia Native Plant Society.
\n\n\n\nBut why stop at native plants? With several low-maintenance landscaping ideas that include hardscaping features and Virginia grass types, you can design a unique and visually appealing outdoor space with minimal backyard chores.
\n\n\n\nYour lawn will still require the occasional upkeep. Whether you live in Virginia Beach, Newport News, or Suffolk, we can help you hire a local lawn care professional to handle the yard’s mowing, trimming, or edging.
\n\n\n\nMain Photo by: Eric Hunt / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n","title":"10 Best Native Plants for Southeast Virginia","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5009380863039399,"src":"/static/529af5fb7b1388973a5051e487c5cfd5/f2cbb/Native-Plant-for-Southeast-Vigina.jpg","srcSet":"/static/529af5fb7b1388973a5051e487c5cfd5/107df/Native-Plant-for-Southeast-Vigina.jpg 320w,\n/static/529af5fb7b1388973a5051e487c5cfd5/293e9/Native-Plant-for-Southeast-Vigina.jpg 500w,\n/static/529af5fb7b1388973a5051e487c5cfd5/f2cbb/Native-Plant-for-Southeast-Vigina.jpg 800w","srcWebp":"/static/529af5fb7b1388973a5051e487c5cfd5/98a65/Native-Plant-for-Southeast-Vigina.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/529af5fb7b1388973a5051e487c5cfd5/67b76/Native-Plant-for-Southeast-Vigina.webp 320w,\n/static/529af5fb7b1388973a5051e487c5cfd5/8df11/Native-Plant-for-Southeast-Vigina.webp 500w,\n/static/529af5fb7b1388973a5051e487c5cfd5/98a65/Native-Plant-for-Southeast-Vigina.webp 800w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"10 Best Native Plants for Southeast Virginia | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Explore the best native plants for Southeast Virginia, and boost the local ecosystem by creating a visually appealing native landscape."}}},{"node":{"id":"caee7657-c627-5bbf-a0c1-69fb97a92b3f","slug":"best-native-plants-oklahoma-city","path":"/lawn-care/ok/oklahoma-city/best-native-plants-oklahoma-city/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Janae Soules is a freelance writer with a newly discovered love of gardening with her kids. She enjoys spending time in nature hiking, biking, or playing sports.","name":"Janae Soules","id":"0def06f9-a4f4-58d5-891d-d423dde342f4","path":"/author/janae-souleslawnstarter-com/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/aab1931e793481d75c080c7271be7652?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"},{"id":"d2d6ff96-cc14-5d0f-bbfe-f7eac3bba6d9","name":"Oklahoma","count":7,"path":"/category/lawn-care/ok/"},{"id":"89161243-3980-5fa1-a6f5-daf0cebe4f02","name":"Oklahoma City","count":2,"path":"/category/lawn-care/ok/oklahoma-city/"}],"date":"April 1st, 2023","excerpt":"After a visit to the Myriad Botanical Gardens, you’re inspired to have a beautiful native landscape. Whether you want to add a new pop of color or do your part for the ecosystem with native plants, we’ve got you covered with the 8 best native plants for Oklahoma City. Patience is often needed when growing […]
\n","content":"\nAfter a visit to the Myriad Botanical Gardens, you’re inspired to have a beautiful native landscape. Whether you want to add a new pop of color or do your part for the ecosystem with native plants, we’ve got you covered with the 8 best native plants for Oklahoma City.
\n\n\n\nPatience is often needed when growing native plants from seeds, as some may take a couple of years before the beauty appears, but it is well worth it.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll cover:
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"purple](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Purple-Poppy-Mallow.jpg\")
Photo Credit: PublicDomainPictures
\n\n\n\nPurple poppy mallow is a drought-tolerant flowering native plant. The magenta cup-shaped flowers bloom in late spring to early summer to give your garden a bright pop of color and attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
\n\n\n\nPurple poppy mallow does not thrive in moist soil–– ensure your soil is medium to dry and well-draining to avoid rust. The flower may self-seed if the growing conditions are favorable and can be grown as a ground cover.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Flowering ground cover
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Rocky, sandy, loamy, clay
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: No fragrance
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Late spring to early summer
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: Up to 1 foot
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Can prune in late summer if desired
\n\n\n\n![\"New](\"https://lawnlove.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/new-england-aster_800.jpg\")
Photo Credit: hedera.baltica / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
New England aster is another wonderful native flower for your OKC garden if you want to attract bees and butterflies. It boasts a range of colorful flowers, including purple, blue, white, and pink.
\n\n\n\nThe leaves on New England aster are rough and hairy. These flowers flourish well in moist soil with good air circulation.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Flower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Sandy, loamy, clay
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: No fragrance
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Late summer, autumn
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 3 to 6 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Medium. May require staking or other support if it grows tall. Pinch back stems before midsummer to control the plant height and produce more flowers.
\n\n\n\n![\"colorful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Butterfly-Milkweed.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Eric Hunt / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nIf you already have a butterfly garden or wish to have one that gets abundant sun, check out butterfly milkweed for your Oklahoma City backyard. Its bright-colored orange and yellow flowers attract not only butterflies but also rabbits. Consider metal fencing around your butterfly milkweed so a monarch butterfly can enjoy it, but the rabbits cannot.
\n\n\n\nButterfly milkweed is low-maintenance, even in the aspect of watering–– once established, butterfly milkweed only needs occasional watering and prefers dry soil.
\n\n\n\nThe downside to butterfly milkweed is that it can have invasive qualities due to large seed pods that disperse small seeds with hairs that spread with the wind. Remove ripened seed pods if you don’t want the plant to spread.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Perennial herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Clay, loam, sand
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Sweet, vanilla
\n\n\n\nBloom time: May to September
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nMature height: 1 to 2 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Poisonous to cats, dogs, livestock, and people when ingested
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Crossvine.jpg\")
Photo Credit: gailhampshire / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nCrossvine is a vine with green leaves and trumpet-shaped yellow and orange flowers. If you were to look closely at the stems on crossvine, you would notice the crisscross pattern–– hence the name.
\n\n\n\nIf your landscape is part shade, you can still grow crossvine, but it won’t flower as much as in a full sun yard.
\n\n\n\nEnsure you plant the crossvine with abundant space–– these vines can grow an impressive 30 to 50 feet high and 6 to 9 feet wide. Crossvine is often used on fences, trellises, walls, or as a ground cover. Crossvine will move across the ground if there is not a vertical structure for it to climb up.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Vine
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 6 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Sandy, loamy, clay
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Mocha
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Mid-spring to late summer
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low to medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: Climbs up to 50 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Prune to keep the desired shape
\n\n\n\n![\"Baptisia](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Baptisia-australis-Blue-False-Indigo.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Fritzflohrreynolds / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nBlue false indigo is a fantastic option if you want to add some bright, beautiful color to your native garden. It is a perennial flower but can have a shrub-like appearance. As beautiful as blue false indigo may be, avoid planting it in your garden if kids or pets frequent the area–– it is mildly toxic to people and pets if ingested.
\n\n\n\nBlue false indigo has blue-purple flowers which attract bumblebees from April to July. Keep blue false indigo planted in full sun to avoid it flopping over. Good air circulation is also needed for blue false indigo to remain happy–– without it, the plant might develop a fungal disease, such as leaf spot or rust.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Upright perennial
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Loam, sad
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: None
\n\n\n\nBloom time: April to July
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low, average
\n\n\n\nMature height: 3 to 4 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Poisonous to cats, dogs, livestock, and people when ingested
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"white](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/American-Black-Elderberry.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Famartin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nAmerican black elderberry, also known as common elderberry, is a native shrub with white flowers that bloom from May to July with dark purple fruits following the flowers in late summer. It can be grown in a location with either full sun or partial shade and moist soil with good air circulation.
\n\n\n\nAmerican black elderberry fruit is edible and full of antioxidants–– it can be used for jellies or wines, but it needs to be cooked, dried, or fermented before consuming.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 10
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, part shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Tolerates a wide variety of wet to dry soils but prefers rich, moist, slightly acid soil
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Sweet
\n\n\n\nBloom time: May to July
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 5 to 8 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Raw elderberries are toxic and should not be consumed
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Regular pruning to remove suckers from the base of plant
\n\n\n\n![\"Evening](\"https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/evening-primrose-1458681_1920_800-646x440.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay
\n\n\n\nEvening primrose is a beautiful plant with four-petaled yellow flowers and a leafy stem. It is often viewed as an invasive weed because of its self-spreading seeds, but it can be a wonderful addition to your native garden with minimal work.
\n\n\n\nEvening primrose needs full sun (even though the flowers open at night), well-draining soil, and snipping of expired blooms to reduce the self-spreading of the seeds. During especially hot OKC summers, you may need to give your evening primrose some additional water.
\n\n\n\nHolistic properties have been associated with evening primrose, which is why it’s also known as the cure-all plant.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Herbaceous
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Sandy, gravelly, medium moisture, well-drained soil.
\n\n\n\nDuration: Biennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Mild lemon
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Early summer to early fall
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 3 to 5 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Snip expired blooms
\n\n\n\n![\"Purple](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Purple-Coneflower.jpg\")
Photo Credit: PumpkinSky / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nPurple coneflower is a common yet beautiful flower with its long-blooming, daisy-like purple flowers and a brown-colored center. It’s low maintenance but needs full sun to achieve the best blooms. A landscape with part shade can still have purple coneflower. However, they could eventually flop over.
\n\n\n\nWhile you admire this showy wildflower, hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and finches will also enjoy the purple coneflower.
\n\n\n\nAn overly wet soil does not suit a purple coneflower well–– ensure to only give the plant one inch of water per week during its first growing season and only water during droughts thereafter. Fertilizers shouldn’t be used for purple coneflowers because it can cause the plant to become laggy– instead, opt for compost to provide nutrients.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Flower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Sandy
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Light, sweet, honey-like
\n\n\n\nBloom time: April to September
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 2 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\nBefore you choose native Oklahoma plants for your OKC landscape, evaluate your space — you wouldn’t want a massive native tree if you have a small space. Consider whether you want drought-resistant plants, how much maintenance you wish to perform, and how much shade your property receives.
\n\n\n\nOKC is in USDA hardiness zone 7, so ensure any other plants (native or non-native) that catch your eye fall into the correct hardiness for OKC.
\n\n\n\nThis article covers several plants that are poisonous when ingested, including blue false indigo, butterfly milkweed, and the raw berries of American black elderberry. If your kids play close by and have curious hands, you may want to avoid growing these native plants.
OKC can see frost through March or April. Most native plants have the best chance of survival if they are planted after the last frost has occurred.
Native plants require less watering, less use of fertilizers, and less use of pesticides. This is great not only for gardeners but for the environment. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies will also be attracted to many native plants.
The best view is sometimes off the beaten path–– take the scenic route during springtime, and you’re bound to see flower-lined roads with native wildflowers. Bricktown, Turner Falls, and Medicine Park all boast colorful wonders of Oklahoma’s native plants. In addition to seeing native plants along the roadways, you might also spot native plants or purchase native plants at the following locations:
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you want your landscape to include more than just native plants, the best grass types for Oklahoma City can help complete your picturesque backyard oasis. Connect with a local lawn care pro to upkeep your landscape with lawn mowing, edging, and trimming.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: Bill Wilson / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n","title":"8 Best Native Plants for Oklahoma City","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5,"src":"/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/1789c/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.jpg","srcSet":"/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/107df/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.jpg 320w,\n/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/293e9/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.jpg 500w,\n/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/f2cbb/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.jpg 800w,\n/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/1789c/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.jpg 960w,\n/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/c26c2/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/1dd6e/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/67b76/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.webp 320w,\n/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/8df11/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.webp 500w,\n/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/98a65/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.webp 800w,\n/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/1dd6e/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.webp 960w,\n/static/04d68339f020731a0ef0fb829d03419b/3cc96/Lawn-in-Oklahoma-City.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"8 Best Native Plants for Oklahoma City | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Oklahoma City native plants must tolerate heat, cold, and everything in between. Check out these 8 native plants that grow well in the area."}}},{"node":{"id":"40e62fa1-78b2-5e3f-badb-a12f7e359f03","slug":"ten-pet-safe-weed-killers","path":"/blog/ten-pet-safe-weed-killers/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Raven Wisdom is a screenwriter from West Texas and a proud mom of two in an autism family. Self-described as \"half-feral but mostly harmless\", Raven loves houseplants, a good laugh, and furry friends.","name":"Raven Wisdom","id":"4fb83156-96f1-58f1-8074-4a6c5c50eaaa","path":"/author/raven-wisdom/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a2813f63a6af9d07a7a5bb212b5645db?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"},{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"}],"date":"August 4th, 2022","excerpt":"Removing weeds by hand is time consuming, and many weed killers are dangerous to pets who come into contact with them. Here are 10 pet-safe weed killers that will squash those pesky weeds while keeping your furry friends healthy and happy. Contents: 5 Commercial Pet-Safe Weed Killers 5 DIY Pet-Safe Weed Killers Dangers Of Herbicides […]
\n","content":"\nRemoving weeds by hand is time consuming, and many weed killers are dangerous to pets who come into contact with them. Here are 10 pet-safe weed killers that will squash those pesky weeds while keeping your furry friends healthy and happy.
\n\n\n\nContents:
\n\n\n\nMost of the products we’ve picked are certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), a nonprofit group that reviews and certifies organic products.
\n\n\n\nHere are our top five picks for pet-friendly herbicides you can buy online or in most home improvement stores.
\n\n\n\nGet Sunday’s Weed Warrior is certified organic by the USDA and made with OMRI-listed ammonium soap and fatty acids. It’s a non-selective weed and grass killer, meaning it will kill all weeds.
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nOMRI certified as an organic weed killer, Green Gobbler is designed to kill both weeds and the grass growing between sidewalk cracks and pavers. It works on all types of weeds, including dandelions and crabgrass.
\n\n\n\nPros:
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nDoctor Kirchner Natural Weed & Grass Killer is a biodegradable weed control that’s made from ocean salt water, vinegar, and soap. The University of Florida found Doctor Kirchner Natural Weed and Grass Killer to be effective in eliminating more than 250 common weeds.
\n\n\n\nPros:
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nMade with salt water and concentrated commercial grade white vinegar, Natural Elements is glyphosate-free. It’s effective against common weeds like clover, dandelions, chickweed, crabgrass, thistle, and broadleaf weeds.
\n\n\n\nPros:
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nPreen Weed Preventer is a pre-emergent weed control, meaning it stops weeds before they sprout, so you have to think ahead and apply it before you see the first weed. It’s safe to use around pets, established flowers, trees, shrubs, and vegetables. It is made from corn gluten meal and does not contain glyphosate.
\n\n\n\nPros:
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nA good rule of thumb is to keep your pets off the lawn for 24 hours after applying both pre-emergents and weed killers. Many of these products dissipate with water, so to be certain it’s safe, water your lawn the next day before letting your kids, cats, and dogs play on it.
\n\n\n\nPet parents can make several homemade pet-safe weed killers and avoid exposing their dogs and cats to harsh chemicals.
\n\n\n\nMake a weak solution with three parts water and one part salt. Dissolve rock or table salt in water and pour it into a sprayer. A shot of dish soap will increase its effectiveness.
\n\n\n\nPros:
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nPour boiling water over the weeds. Cover the area with cardboard or a tarp for four to six weeks to prevent seeds from germinating.
\n\n\n\nPros:
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nLayer a cup of sugar around the base of the weeds, making sure to cover the area surrounding the roots. You may need to reapply another cup in a few days if the weeds are persistent.
\n\n\n\nPros:
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nMix 1-cup of borax powder and 2 gallons of warm water in a sealable container. Stir until dissolved and let it rest for at least an hour before pouring it into a spray bottle. Apply it directly to the weeds.
\n\n\n\nPros:
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nBoil 2 cups of water and add 10 drops of clove essential oil. Mix well, let cool, and pour into a spray bottle to treat weeds. Sunlight decreases the efficacy of clove oil, so it’s best to spray weeds after sundown.
\n\n\n\nPros:
\n\n\n\nCons:
\n\n\n\nUsing the wrong products while trying to kill weeds could cause serious harm to your four-legged friends. A common active ingredient in chemical weed killers, like Roundup, is glyphosate which is a toxin often overlooked by pet owners.
\n\n\n\nA Purdue University study concludes that common lawn and garden chemicals may increase the risk for cancer in dogs. Those chemicals include dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 4 -chloro-2.
\n\n\n\n1. How long does it take for my pet to show signs of poisoning?
\n\n\n\nTwo to 36 hours, depending on how much your pet ingested.
\n\n\n\n2. How long does it take for weed killer to dry?
\n\n\n\nSome products dry within 3 hours, however, it’s best to wait for at least 24 hours before allowing pets or people into the treated area. Humidity can affect drying time.
\n\n\n\n3. What do I do if my pet comes in contact with poisonous weed killers?
\n\n\n\nVeterinarians recommend you separate your pet from the poison, make a note of the weed killer they ingested, and contact your vet.
\n\n\n\n4. My vet is closed. What should I do?
\n\n\n\nCall ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) and the Pet Poison Helpline (855-764-7661) for expert advice or contact your local 24-hour emergency vet.
\n\n\n\n
Got a yard full of weeds but little time to get rid of them? We can help you find an eco-garden pro or lawn care professional who can handle the problem while you and your furry friend relax.
Main photo credit: Rawpixel
\n","title":"10 Pet-Safe Weed Killers","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/1789c/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/107df/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.jpg 320w,\n/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/293e9/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.jpg 500w,\n/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/f2cbb/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.jpg 800w,\n/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/1789c/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.jpg 960w,\n/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/c26c2/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/1dd6e/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/67b76/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.webp 320w,\n/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/8df11/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.webp 500w,\n/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/98a65/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.webp 800w,\n/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/1dd6e/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.webp 960w,\n/static/b1ee74c3e342e5f9c98c06a0595ef1a2/3cc96/rsz_image-from-rawpixel-id-6022016-jpeg.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"10 Pet-Safe Weed Killers | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Keeping your lawn beautiful and weed-free while protecting your pet’s health can be a challenge. We’ll look at 10 pet-safe weed killers."}}},{"node":{"id":"eeec794e-9685-5fde-9f57-579e9dbc414c","slug":"best-landscaped-outdoor-wedding-venues","path":"/blog/landscaping/best-landscaped-outdoor-wedding-venues/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Emaley Baxter is an expert landscaper who loves writing in her free time. She enjoys research and exploring the great outdoors.","name":"Emaley Baxter","id":"c006aa66-4cfc-59dc-b3ce-5c07b0f83ff0","path":"/author/emaleybaxter/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/889dbc1c9ea88d564723019ac6c9b47b?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"},{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"}],"date":"June 5th, 2020","excerpt":"The term “wedding bell blues” has taken on a new meaning as the pandemic forces couples to postpone nuptials until it’s safe for crowds to gather. But as the $74 billion industry suffers, there’s a bright spot: Outdoor weddings are gaining in popularity. Outdoor wedding venues have always been popular. Tying the knot in Mother […]
\n","content":"\nThe term “wedding bell blues” has taken on a new meaning as the pandemic forces couples to postpone nuptials until it’s safe for crowds to gather. But as the $74 billion industry suffers, there’s a bright spot: Outdoor weddings are gaining in popularity.
\n\n\n\nOutdoor wedding venues have always been popular. Tying the knot in Mother Nature carries a splendor no indoor venue can match. Choosing a beautiful garden or vista can save you an average of $1,500 on wedding flowers. And now there’s a new reason to consider them, since they can keep guests safer with social distancing and avoiding recirculated air.
\n\n\n\nSo if you’re considering an outdoor wedding venue, we’ve made it easier by compiling a list of the best, with a special focus on landscaping and natural beauty. Below are the winners of Wikilawn’s “Wiki Wonder Award” for best landscaped wedding venues.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/best_venue_badge.png\"){kind=icon}
To win the Wiki-award badge of honor, the venue must have several selling points:
\n\n\n\nWeeding the list down to the best was challenging. We now know what brides go through when choosing the site for her picture-perfect wedding. We hope this list will make things a little less stressful.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/jP2oGeISjwPECaOEp-mriyU4qBjTCiKSXinEeFk9COyrrLtmbjXXQ3hc4b_TDI2ZpIOYDZjjtuU4Ndq4-eMa9Lp1Xfj2oLExsQBw8M7WQR7H7e_-wXYq0GG6TFYJ30B_8eZFvkga\")
Calling itself the “emerald jewel in the crown of Atlanta culture,” the Botanical Garden opened in 1976. It’s become one of the city’s most popular wedding sites, but choosing your setting isn’t an easy task, as there are so many gorgeous backdrops. Want a serene forest setting? Got it. Lush tropical plants and the sound of waterfalls? Yep. Or go for the most popular ceremony site on the grounds: the Rose Garden, with brightly hued flowers and a brilliant green lawn.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Alice’s Wonderland Reimagined
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/lNhDIvYHR3xdOsR4M-9siNjJaPJJDeLI8EXij7yHhgPutKcVnu-kXH5y__sFnjRewV4iZ3pCfCc2AAMIOcQSlIGASy0m9B1SRRAT7S-OmjqvB3CRA2EX7z2kS2-1r6CYxpbKfEHr\")
This historic mansion on Atlanta’s Peachtree Street was the talk of the town when it was built 116 years ago. Amos Rhodes was inspired by homes he saw when traveling through the German Rhineland and built this house for his family. These days, Rhodes Hall is a museum and the setting for numerous weddings. You can hold your ceremony inside, but the outdoor backdrop features a magnificent green lawn, flowers, and trees against large stone arches.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Going Green
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/HOT2Blqi3IL_AwDWpiOeupzurxaLjNC-0ksOGNTvAn9aMn2gR_-crMrMEa8Cm1rCi2Z3HXzaQ2V7PdqZ851glJ41jPSw1A5N_t7uxjEA2mMJ9PGeoeOsq1DRCkGXFAh86mDC7lz4\")
The Contemporary Austin has a lofty goal: to be an essential part of city life. With a unique combination of both urban and outdoor sites, the museum has something for everyone. The Contemporary occupies a downtown space that housed a drugstore 150 years ago. Several renovations later, it became The Contemporary in 1998. Many couples looking for a downtown wedding choose this site for the renowned Moody Rooftop, featuring a breathtaking view of downtown, including the Capitol.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Create at Home
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/vcN71kHI2Vndv0IAIxROm6Wc1OXvJRfeD3w8xL72B_av1zvCHRJinPgo9HhDwckTKmOatDXHsJqzSDmISt5vuVFjg5M8eBDGUGoL3DiQrWgFXJ-fiiyjTnslVPLDYDGPQIipWGAB\")
Atlanta, known as “the Gate City” since 1857, after the railroad system was completed, is home to this landmark. Back then, Atlanta was the gateway from the Atlantic Ocean to the west by train. Now, this 100-foot tall monument is the backdrop for weddings held in its courtyard. Ceremonies take place on the oval lawn, nestled inside Roman columns and surrounded by green trees and shrubs. There’s even a pond with a fountain.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Collections Highlights
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Rkf-iZQrNXFghJYiIpXjrGzcbTquKwQi1yNZt4khHcoQxrCHV3_6NXIUU1Cy8KjkuMi6aDuO9kTZ8XzRKLkyPbk1NprMuGcSV5YJpnWZrO8t-xrGZ_Db3E0jC644JmHDn2lXKj5C\")
This historic site in the heart of Austin, Texas, has a fascinating and varied background. Built in 1856, the Neill-Cochran House Museum features the city’s only intact slave quarters. The Greek Revival home was also used as a school for the blind and, during the Civil War, a federal hospital. This antebellum venue features an outdoor space for weddings with stone pavers, trees, flowers, and privacy shrubs surrounded by history.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Dancing With the Demon Rum
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Zj5a7g4zSoxeN_KGKmXFu1VcG46m5EV03WJ96JV6jA6gvcnR0Sjb1y577LLycEtm7qKWAXW5lIl7SfNvBUNodg_cdVYUDiCbuekOckwUKNy1xpkUiz5l6ow_J57n0mq1H-PQ5mqG\")
Co-owner Tirzah Caffee grew up around weddings, thanks to her parents, who restored historic homes and turned them into wedding venues. The Alexander Homestead was built in 1903 in Charlotte, N.C., and was renovated to its present state in 2010. The outdoor space is full of vibrant flowerbeds, emerald-green hedges and trees, pathways, and water features with small bridges.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Stress Free: The Way Your Wedding Should Be
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2nT5DK6JaEtksNSJNZ9eAnPlgyNG8-DwtclT-nL1rqp4XX7rq7rc7_NBDqxCBG3VbIcSIZO83vuGIufIvXZ_-MuoHrgvPA9eWEBqmNrziWnYx-mvWpbFmJJ1J6kWEVk2W8QFfpC9\")
The original Duke Mansion was built in 1915. Four years later, tobacco mogul James Buchanan Duke bought it and tripled its size. The Charlotte, N.C., property passed through many hands before landing with a foundation designed to preserve its history. The Duke Mansion operates as a small, upscale inn and hosts weddings 25 weekends a year, making it a much-sought-after site. Two outdoor spaces are available, each with beautiful grounds and brilliant flowers.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: The Mary DBT Semans Gardens
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ZhvmgtrpoU5VtbO6mnoYsvJn7wyB7dT7pSt4cHUQCOEBJ0OwJb07OiSUCZADib3fpHSy-CNetDO0UZubkGZIqGbkngCUJlCiZhA8R3uh50-a68wH1qcyX1VQ0xwzc8T2SiGTtR6w\")
The 18-acre Pinecroft estate sits right in the middle of a busy neighborhood in Cincinnati. The area was less developed when the estate was built in 1928 by inventor and former owner of the Cincinnati Reds, Powell Crosley, Jr. The mansion now belongs to Cincinnati Preservation and serves as an event center. The grounds feature a 5-acre lake, dozens of gardens, and a lavish pavilion, providing a variety of backdrops for weddings.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Rich English Elegance for Your Cincinnati Celebration
\n\n\n\nCincinnati Parks
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/QQbIS4ZTqDf6uA9-9yFi79V6bsnoxVzJ4jcui6-diajiuKUKd5pmqmhv65kIFY7k7gqRGk1LLylkNf_2hvClZ5w6gT2pb9pjg2YUZ9KybUwhBFCQDWtT3Im5s-XDeUC7vvIQ8DSd\")
Cincinnati’s first park started with a donation of land in 1817, laying the groundwork for today’s large city park system. Four of the parks offer wedding backdrops, including a mid-nineteenth century domed pavilion on a vast lawn. You’ll also find picturesque gazebos and arbor settings featuring both annual and perennial gardens.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Cincinnati Parks Rank 5th in the Nation
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AQxJoVqlSIIB3H3OkChxem5SPtdkhVxIhrG8CGvLiP-RcPpyHBJkTddUQh_o2ijoxZv-W_S48gb7-DzXtuonyHBRoNRnVt-Te0OSmuYbyey-PwssNZICA3rf2-pHCjFXVuXgPMtD\")
Tucked away in a 15-acre park setting, Nationwide Hotels & Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio, is the perfect spot for outdoor weddings. Couples can choose from a patio overlooking a tranquil pond, a luxurious lawn with mature trees and vibrant floral displays, or a white pergola with clinging wisteria vines. The Nationwide Hotel hosts more than 75 weddings each year.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Send Them Off in Style
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/InuDUdWRsmQ_JO_MbADGu3dzm_z5leF0I_OcYEhw_55r4HPpEKMm7FrRpt9_Ge5Qv_CTtw9CRR3rtDtKgmiWEqQzDK64BMPRju7uERmzXkkmf8L7b8l8ytLnz6fSUpOkF8kuUPOJ\")
This banquet hall wedding venue near Columbus, Ohio, offers one-stop shopping for couples. The rustic setting features reclaimed wood, whiskey barrel tables, and a wrought iron arbor. The outdoor patio sits near a secluded stream and the garden is bursting with flowers. Guests can hold the ceremony and reception on-site, where meals are also prepared and a DJ is available, making wedding planning simple.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Ceremonies
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/JoWz-FVOol39gujChFoUZcksKGyVQM-aD7VEeqGq8cwd36HYSm7x9rhJJMO4qL0TQ198fmdw7bhH_WWKB7O0awOY10E5as4hzN5Mor-nbFPuOO7tR0i8ZnH_b6RX_fjHhhpduJnG\")
This country-like location is just 15 minutes from downtown Austin, Texas. Rambling Rose Ranch is home to horses, donkeys, goats, and chickens. The flagstone patio in the center of a large gravel floor is surrounded by gardens, potted flowers, and oak trees. Nearly all the decor was created by the ranch owners on a shoestring budget. It’s now one of Austin’s most popular wedding destinations.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Nature=Stress Relief
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7V71g1_YzcUTND7fDn7AUgc3ui3CiWJMWhHWFFWbUSBVPTq1DwRQHI00pf2jYUDZB7tcLDtiFcwmH9fVCJszX3dkMRnlfhtYebu5Cww4EiI8qZI2vE1lBFbM0dSxHQ66gmKpF9e_\")
The backdrop for this wedding venue is a beautifully designed and landscaped 18-hole golf course. The Reception House is managed by Schmidt’s, the city’s iconic food service legacy that goes back more than 100 years in Columbus. Seal your love on the greens or opt for a patio ceremony with a view of the idyllic setting.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Wedding Receptions
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/QWmzv-cuCE0kgB98AgroQOnwou0EIHw_CrxQDG9e3nOQiuqX8_E5sr4l_hUDipKYj__WKY5pmWlDpdBnLw0l7RsZqJXNM4eM9N-xzoN6XiztrRT4MPaYrmcLDrydad1fBwmueoxJ\")
Imagine dinner and dancing under the stars next to works by Picasso. That can be your wedding reality at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas. The Nasher is home to more than 300 contemporary sculptures by famous artists and has hosted countless weddings. The intimate sculpture garden includes more than a hundred weeping willows, live oaks, and magnolias. The center is a past winner of an Honor Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Sweet Pass Sculpture Park Revels in Looseness
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/QaPt7oGF22EXo4HtBJnlwdz6p5jJABRl_CqOyyCzCTBfXJghQthfEoTQB0NG7hwdCz4jkT-eTBRkzQ3Xw-6H-2XNVtFYVHsVbn20YKwBY247xuCt9VjZ-oM4044QPRnxgb_nNbde\")
Built in 1902 for James Benton Grant, the third governor of Colorado, Denver’s Grant Humphreys Mansion was sold to oil baron A.E. Humphreys 15 years later. The Colorado Historical Society now manages the property, using the front lawn and back patio (with pergola) for weddings. Photographers rave about this site because it’s located next to a park and features flower beds, birch trees, and rolling lawns. The lighting at sunset also helps create picture-perfect wedding memories.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Research & Learn
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jhTHupbN2aMxWloJmqAdfiOCZy5uVX99_Lsf6G0xkyaotHlTxaj_8lIr2BtJ4dRdAzV7Nb5W26pBUwVoAwe4X8yHw46qaBw18MTxDqlhNZrY31xTcglnJFc3__MA3ZPnv5eP--Td\")
Villa Parker bills itself as the place “Where the Tuscan Charm Meets the Rockies.” This wedding venue is just south of Denver and features a grand entrance and brilliant gardens. You’ll also get great pictures under the archways and courtyard with panoramic mountain views.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Villa Weddings
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Ck32MichoAh6rMaWaBraxzQLrzrQ6TbEPPcHTWacTmeaU9O_FeVzkgxmNog9SMGfs_GYu1W1QhaRjuRMEcMzVyQJ1E_Si5n--uW_3gREIwe-B9aWxnaVNGD8rjh0bWpcZafN0B-9\")
Wedding guests will go ape over ceremonies held at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas. This is an unmatched spot for your special day, offering several backdrops. Put black bears and jaguars on the guest list at Texas Wild!, overlook a savanna and gaze at giraffes among the trees. Maybe you prefer the green surroundings of the Museum of Living Art gardens while surrounded (safely) by crocodiles, turtles, and exotic fish.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: The Fort Worth Zoo Is Seeing Pink!
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/1uuVjKAIPRdZJiJD-ZL5jt_Fi7B4yertdiCAW5RBq0GUCVHZpmB51RRfgUJZpBQ7l0JPWmXk80YZPRrBfKBj-RCZH1LeM_tmG32iLmFQFN4wVDgKtpRLcxFC2jd1aEgq27ESLZi7\")
This art gallery and wedding venue in Fort Worth occupies a space that’s 110 years old. Enjoy two sculpture gardens and an outdoor patio. Cafe lights strung between the many tall trees create a just-right ambiance.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Elopements and Intimate Ceremonies
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/KE7jal_Av-rt0Rk7xpjvPRhHx-rZ8OOvW8ryyuR-zjO8ykj_7ox-Y0gPIE97INkL1T--9DdzsR1mn1xAvodyUGDnm1Ylt7FT1ikf3ePkfOWFFNLmUfwrSz7XBnAtSjOOE8363ILC\")
The Houstonian sits on 27 wood acres with several beautifully landscaped backdrops for couples to choose from. Pine and oak trees hold lush foliage and flora. Say “I do” under the twinkling lights wrapping a majestic live oak. Or spread out over the Event Lawn where, at certain times of the year, you’ll be treated to Houston’s show-stopping azaleas.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Celebrate Everything Azalea at the Houstonian Hotel Club & Spa
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wb0lP0KVi0BLhKR7m7ihFdi6kF_tCRbWviwFxKj-SusXGDjcYBVJ9wNz1UW-XPY5YKYqDd4OuRAJ9_ToxuJezTziiAvZUSL6eHQfLRoKWDwxkqUF0-KdaVKWPtpOWZU9YbsBkb3z\")
Looking for a rustic setting for your wedding? Moffitt Oaks in Houston may have what you want. Say your vows under an arbor next to a lake with a backdrop of mature trees, a green lawn, succulents, and flowers. Or choose a more rural look with a corral fence, an expansive lawn and an arbor dripping with plants and vines.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Outdoor Wedding Venues in Houston That Will Get the Party Started
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/DMVLSIcSIR1mv9n3S3FXPLwNj1E98YXIAQ2aZr3qhGpqEmgZ3wmQia-D1r8dCCBXSVfBn0qXPWYL_JsM1OruPFdoBstdJwFpyXtx3ntyXGB2wzb_ina7nqwWCcKxeNOc5M-PJoX3\")
Longview Mansion was Kansas City lumber baron R.A. Long’s country estate. Built in 1913, it was once known as the “World’s Most Beautiful Farm.” Restored to its original splendor two years ago, Longview Mansion boasts numerous perfectly manicured outdoor spaces for weddings. Cultivated gardens, wooded sites, a lake and sprawling fields create a picturesque backdrop for your ceremony.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Choosing a Wedding Venue
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/dbOUOFFxhAP7azFmhfPLTF4baH6fFkNZk77GgUPiSNdy3LOeZ6TKeRHgBs-QUycO3KuszszBq8__eowLmhOH6wOVKV3yNuoRcIETacjwlaP3lcg0GjPWJndzvQmGGSp0sD0HSTs_\")
An open-air chapel is a unique setting for a wedding, and you’ll find just that at The Pavilion Event Space in Kansas City. Surrounded by an expansive lawn, the chapel features trees, a garden, hardscaping, bridges and paths. State-of-the-art amphitheater surround sound and custom lighting make it an outdoor wedding to remember.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Moody + Romantic Wedding
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/BajKR6O6P6DZ_i53nieCYp3ewEHHMlCxWU7-9Z5wfSZXQUQ7JYnIYvvGJgZwDdIeAyyx5wzTEqlX3mbz2kmCBV5pTmZHxJHNZUep1btF7WsZlHRQXbOV-nTMptgvO8ghv6AuaPUo\")
This venue in Phoenix was never intended to be the popular wedding spot it’s become. The owner created the Hidden Gardens as a personal project but soon decided to share its distinctive style. Boojum Tree is a 5-acre forest of trees, fountains — even a waterfall! Couples can tie the knot on the Mexican Plaza, the Tropical Rainforest, or English Garden.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Photo Shoots
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eRX1mWH3SLt5LZQ9oIre0gFgdiBSLXCIjqvQZOA2vKalv_Ykd-ezbdP7aEwA5AO9TLC4SMLl3TDSZOgJ5ooNdkqMJavb6P2bd55rPpIzOZcBkHF8PRia6NuBPqyQFljSjWuTc57A\")
The Royal Palms Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., initially operated as a couples retreat. These days, couples remain in the picture but the focus is on uniting them in marriage. Wedding sites include a stone-walled courtyard surrounded by palm trees, cacti and succulents, a lawn with mountain vistas, and the Camelback Vista with a garden and mountain views.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Weddings Outdoor Venues
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/BjARXUT0mY14S4At9hfub_7f5q5kMAoF5T-oArTWyvpXUhHThHHfJmZ3CvAIUaddfzzKB7tR6JZsvvsnczKAXoniz6j-s4Jgf5do4zQzEEzpzfscLNMEjSC3q-HI8nsJIL6846PF\")
The MIM in Phoenix calls itself “The World’s Only Global Musical Instrument Museum.” With more than 7,000 instruments from 200 countries, you’ll find items played by Johnny Cash, Elvis and Tito Puente. Wedding guests in the museum’s courtyard are treated to desert foliage, fountains, the Phoenix sculpture, and gorgeous desert sunsets.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Celebrating 10 Years of MIM
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/DYDaYhVX22_kUIQCBBDXERrIECNTLkBi1rtk6zog1tqnuX3C12uEpQR1ommQGfq6StFtMWDb4WrXtiRm-RCeDzKHoM7vRL3ha7EeyFTtZ5FzTewndgp1nxNKPOF2hCX_m-awos2A\")
The Meadows near Raleigh, sits on a heritage farm (owned and operated by members of the same family for more than 100 years). The rolling meadows and mature forests set the scene for couples who want nature to play a role in their ceremony. The Valley offers wide-open spaces, the Lawn gives a more intimate feel in a smaller space and the Meadows puts guests right in the middle of grassy fields.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Gone Camping: The Big Fake Wedding
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/pJ5JqHHKqq_J1jaGvywiYkFtUu90FxcDJD7Lsv-lMPNHETgLjeFES-ZRbU7uKhQYnyvezmZ4dt75pA9j0Sfje_7KjJmcnlZhLomXi7pqDVFSzwOtyH08CYK-VZ_889HxkOcn1mwC\")
This historic home in Raleigh, N.C., was built in 1876 by Agustus S. Merrimon, a chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. For years in the 1900s, it was used as a college dormitory. Now, the Merrimon-Wynne House is one of the city’s premier wedding venues. Couples and their guests can experience the ceremony on The Lawn, under 100-year-old pecan trees, or in front of The Carriage House, with a sloping yard and a pergola.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: 8 Non-Diamond Engagement Rings That Still Have Plenty of Sparkle
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qb8ZweaDJfyas9hr49BvWob2Xi0vL90Y_Y8Ju6_dZ9urIbWc3gJkkGe1cDV_o9dwA2k9vr8rEudlpTLZa2bowfnzo6YCX8GR886vlMDb8Dno4NratVbhJTX4GDSI0tK_sOlaaS4D\")
This Minneapolis, Minn, mansion was built in 1892 for George Washington Van Dusen, a grain mogul. After years of commercial use, the historic property was set to be demolished, but an investor swooped in and restored it to its original splendor. Weddings at this castle-like estate are sure to impress. Ceremonies on the brick pavers in the courtyard are surrounded by gardens, trees, and flowering shrubs; an oasis in the city.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: 2020 Minnesota Bride Awards
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BnkZGa8UBKNRVnEjAZWNzSiAXCy67iwOlaP36ioOXpqNagiay6CQBceZpHsbqPW_tVUHCZI-ZUz0OlWrpVsOVYY8BjWKtMkt5nX4GGA4KGrWlv_lDLawc5QaDTiAOQ8lROtxi4D0\")
The Japanese Garden is part of Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minn. This 2-acre gem was built in 1972 on a swampy area behind the college. A professional garden architect from Tokyo helped design the space. Couples who wed at The Japanese Garden find a serene setting with shrubs sheared into specific shapes such as clouds or hills.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: The Japanese Garden Beckons in All Seasons
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/5dlEURh9YQNNhAcDuBwKZpaneWZM3Zpkt85_NaGa-uHle3PxqB6TOR2AQJdLB27fnsWt4T6y1YMG7fsPb4W3UwxFaSC_ShuLKUwfVYp3rUKuvb2esRxjVEFHsTgkchuglE30UntD\")
Brides and their Prince Charmings can say their vows like royalty at this venue in Minneapolis. Set in “Cindyrella’s Wedding Garden,” the backdrop for your special day features old country charm and unique landscaping. There’s a vineyard with Edelweiss and Swenson red grapevines, a 100-year-old willow tree, a flower garden, and a lake. Best of all, you arrive at the site in a white carriage.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Ceremony
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/s45RniOSidtwsB86RA6Pfp9V9_sdga0yhAPXaA__5JLOIntB8EA4jggEusid8N1_tNuos_sIxtpV10NIulvrok-ehv3das1pDTJPEC2FdUEor37YApRiylxy7hU3OG4KzSajGzuG\")
This historic property in Stillwater, Minn., has an unusual past. It was founded in 1858 as a poor farm, a place for the chronically indigent. The farm was discontinued 100 years later and eventually abandoned. Today, fully renovated, The Outing Lodge at Pine Point, serves as a pastoral setting for weddings. With 300 acres of wooded paths and rolling land amid hundreds of pines, the setting offers something for everyone.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Theme Rooms
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Oa27X_ZjdJIkjkFn6XPi61vba1UV9yUby4JvL3XlGv_ycsokD5V4gnyqkdlHbi8hvaPRPbDQwTgPt2UrQULEspL-pGg56P-63_9D5XF34qPIBOxm-U8J6g3sDNwfIsor42aiXnoM\")
The Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, a Central Florida town northwest of Orlando, is home to one of the earliest golf courses in the state. Built in 1917 to attract investors to the owner’s citrus business, the property declined during the Depression. Many years and renovations later, an inn was built based on Spanish Colonial architecture. Couples today can choose from three outdoor spaces; Legends Courtyard, Marina del Rey, and Plaza de la Fontana, all with spectacular landscaping and water views.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Goodness From the Garden
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LYVqTIwhYTLSQ3BsV5-cP3ixIsM523w-FpE419HW8ZEt3osFk2vtavw-TK7-TRVXOrDQ_X1OTDKXpD0bIUTExeuFPafOaBWd_dwAzWLVzyaYgye184foXD7S3U3JbY1YCFN_XBeS\")
In 1895, Richmond, Va., businessman Lewis Ginter bought property that was once Powhatan Indian hunting grounds. He then built the Lakeside Wheel Club, a place for local bicyclists. After several expansions, the property morphed into the Botanical Garden. Couples choose from three wedding sites: The Rose Garden envelops guests in vivid roses and delicate scents; Flagler Garden features a secluded pagoda, surrounded by a circular screen of trees; and Grace Arents Garden offers a wide lawn, a paved path leading up to an arbor and plenty of bright flowers and plants.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Worms! How to Make a Wormery
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XYkzGurq0lFuFJUy4Sl0SMpNeAG0w7HIADMouxDdEKmo81lx5YnU7tC5BfR0CeT-qRkaxShwKpaAzE-zo6jM6QshwdmLFblRqMW9o4NX1zLs6m7IFOvu2iMekr3iddgfqiZ6QlDf\")
Raise a glass to ceremonies at Virginia’s first urban cidery! Founded seven years ago in a historic building in Richmond, Blue Bee creates artisanal ciders from heirloom Virginia apples. This full-fledged cider production and tasting facility makes for a wedding backdrop like no other. The cidery offers French country style buildings and garden with vivid blooms and, of course, cider. Bottoms up!
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Persnickety Pawpaws
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/4m8SCIeJPbYjiMh7g7h3QYehAIqrZ48_4kzZxXYYOnKS2CDHMCRErIuQUvwDnIyfblEoVFCLLHwxyZBMUlix1OLsBN3zWTmSXRIveFLRy6M-KzcH5-hdyMjyTqrMGrwmJeb_rZRa\")
This ornate mansion on 100 acres of manicured lawns, flower gardens and trees started out in 1893 as the home of a wealthy lawyer and his wife. Having no children, the couple left the property to the people of Richmond, Va. Maymont is now a city park and museum and hosts many weddings each year. Impeccably landscaped spaces include the Italian Garden with hundreds of brilliant blooms, the Japanese Garden with a terraced waterfall, and The Robins Nature Center with fish, turtles, and river otters.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Teacher Appreciation
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/yOZ14a2mtfhjQC3xBxIx-mYBCCPVyh7tQL1hmu5Wq3D8x0UqzyOvCtRkBLprQSzaVNJA1SgOU61fF7AOFf7mJOlCRPXR4bf3_nhgxJidksdNlV3ZUSK3Qnz4xNxlIZO8RHwddQTk\")
The 1850 Settlement in San Antonio, Texas, offers a taste of the old Southwest. The property was homesteaded 170 years ago. Couples choosing this venue will find some of the original buildings still standing. Wedding guests will enjoy a spacious lawn, an outdoor firepit and enormous live oak trees, all set against the original homestead and The Settlement Stage Coach Station.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Rainy Day Wedding
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Qfyl2q_qxWVcZz7GggXH5thu7Ooqd0QPu5pZ70j7Pwi0iYv3fxTKKEc9Y86wY3jm4Wtzxp1J5aOrJSTw8KW1hIVCOTWzBIwFZ9h21hJaoJGcSXw8-FCdF31uOuX7izw0eKXELhYx\")
This 1894 home is modeled after the chateaus and castles in Belgium and France, as its original owner was Ambassador to Belgium in the early 1890s. The historic house in San Antonio, Texas, now functions as an inn and event venue. Couples who wed outdoors on the lawn have the arches of the mansion, well-kept shrubs, and plenty of mature trees as a backdrop.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Afternoon Tea Party
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/I8kqEwrhb5qKz_f7KqAUvVbP_6tvJYlBrVm2FPzBJBQSOaEVsz8N1ZpK5brD-exS8-KROh8ysaH67OKLbPbb_y3dI87mx7ZGNwYfpmfyzV_lqE0ID8fEKV7OfNJ0J4KGgpm8_mrZ\")
Couples looking for European ambiance and charm in the Austin, Texas, area will find it at The Gardens of Cranesbury View. An Italian Sculptured Garden sits on 32 acres and features intricately designed hedges, rose bushes, and peaceful water features. An ornate gazebo with classic columns completes the picture-perfect look.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Useful Wedding Favors for Family and Friends
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/PpKdUUSxa60QPPQyS5V1Ovog-zlPnOrk_kEMu8hXONPLrAzYcQpkmWaI6xnl7cf8q5NNwbw_o4ApA1K28mGH8d0cmV4j95_FaudqaBIhu3TnvUPzMiSROmoReMmjDyibNMP_dy89\")
Imagine having peacocks on your guest list. That’s the reality for couples who hold their ceremonies at Hummingbird Gardens in Tampa. This family-owned business has been around since 2005, filling the grounds with well-known and exotic plants, trees, and flowers. Wedding guests will see the peacock and his family roaming the gardens, as well as horses and chickens.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Garden Nursery
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-A_HYDn5xQs1AdNEq-gRGttLB69laW1SrPU6_fB4CxTVEKoSVr_Exr_9qw23lYM1VdXPVgBlq_QCIvh2H6Q7wvdgL_BwY_2TSWLeYz3zVyV0gLYFe3Z-Xfmrc8wkqmZolYgM-E6p\")
Four acres of natural landscaping just seven minutes from the ocean make this the ultimate wedding venue for couples wanting greenery with a beach nearby. Country Villa in rural Virginia Beach, features white blooming bushes and trees behind a unique altar. You’ll also find a pavilion surrounded by mature pines, a spiral staircase attached to a vine-covered tree, and a bridge over a rock river surrounded by flowers.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: The Groom’s Room
\n\n\n\nDumbarton House
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/B0iZqhAo4heFaxBMnq3JrsVl5Unkha9ofQaTAFJFCz1xB2OIu2Ea8bqSBSHsBgujrZU2BZNg4F9R9xLBLsjqCQ8tpJ-UEHLr5xeuWrtJOQXQtZZQfb2IfpMQvcFmtOpLPBJDulkQ\")
Built in 1799, Dumbarton House offers a look at life in the earliest days of our nation’s capital city. The home is famous for being the place Dolley Madison first fled to when learning the British were coming during the War of 1812. These days, the museum is often used as a wedding venue. A courtyard paved with slate is among 1.2 acres of gardens and terraces, including an herb garden growing more than 40 varieties of plants.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Dolley Madison
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/LCuW0U-zFxwSXRg6Mcr6j2ks18A-jcJ09DRVRyOILUXdsjiJ_ETy36f_RkoAaypUHc-ewVa7lIa44KyxO1eMx2AJqMXjnRCCy3rfaTSrL708c3viMaQ2dbb6kArOxHH7mB07iDn2\")
This landmark hotel in Washington, D.C., has hosted presidents and world leaders since 1930 and is a member of Historic Hotels of America. In 1933, the Omni Shoreham Hotel put on the first inaugural ball for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Thirty years later, The Beatles booked the entire seventh floor. Today, the property boasts three garden wedding venues complete with trimmed hedges, cherry trees, tulip beds, and a pavilion on a vast lawn, all surrounded by a colorful forest.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: 48 Hours In Washington, D.C.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/cvTy4qJc8PxFkGYiHsz1YDZ30x_hLm3T-A4g4TdCRWig7qXU-Uzsq962PzNShPILWqJSIXH0T2g6c_bljecCm4oVuzsc-Mmr_NRws3c2jqEWVdzerXzUbnJiXU6lLNQ6asPtCZk-\")
This private country estate in Jacksonville, Fla., was discovered by its owner five years ago as she was searching for a one-of-a-kind site for her own wedding. She took the rough space and put in the hard work to make it what it is today. The Keeler Property features Florida’s only covered bridge that’s open for both public and private events, a barn for rustic charm, all set on a lake and surrounded by trees.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: How Wedding Music Can Make — or Break — Your Reception
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_4a5ZFiUV_WNnWwMxp9loxH1HiWAbGaEihQbaX_3wjf7FCUZMr3vtEvNQ2crviM92DHQd2xKJBFqwtVwKJViXTZKbUmSS7MzFVgG99yp_4bNMMrdIZz0IsYLBhveIGGNJvb6FlWx\")
More than a million people visit the Chicago Botanic Garden each year, some of them brides and grooms. The Garden is a living plant museum and conservation center situated on nine islands in the Cook County Forest Preserves. Wedding parties can choose from many spaces, including a canopied terrace next to the water, an English walled garden, the Rose Terrace with its water features and roses, and the Buehler Enabling Garden, with hanging baskets and vertical flower beds.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: The Elements of Design
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/i-jivfckafGtfkXtvCPktuueF0ti5RSX51Wedya85cf2r6M9l7Csx17Pgwe84WHf8W6l6TlHaugCh8m64NW2t0ZI7aEFhjPnHhwFqQHNIPhPL9THfxQnyV9K0da7usp5KCMUZ100\")
In an epic example of reuse and recycling, South Coast Botanic Garden in the Greater Los Angeles area is one of the first botanical gardens to be created over a sanitary landfill. The garden is proof that land reclamation can help solve refuse disposal problems while creating a brilliant and beautiful space. Couples and their wedding guests enjoy 87 acres of rolling meadows, vivid flowers, a rustic amphitheater, a gazebo and a shaded koi pond patio, experiencing first hand this unique example of environmental improvement.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: The Banyan Grove
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/5Udrz2Y-lFktEL8QF2RNrnYyK6wxScUZYEbbFLcC3FQMDc9VRvCTmKLeG__BVxIyL_zSoE5QRaKO-mUfc0AuFhyz48ly3J8e6VwTnKBYJ-Lhb_0hTqJkbxfRtcoEPYOTTE9JWRJU\")
The vision of Lisa Brannon, an Ohio native and avid conservationist, sprang to life nine years ago near Dayton, Ohio. While creating a refuge for endangered species, including monarch butterflies, she also came up with a perfect outdoor wedding venue. The backdrop is a Tuscan-style pavilion surrounded by an expansive lawn, trees, stone paths, a pond, and vivid flowers everywhere. Cedar Springs Pavilion bills itself as the place where elegance meets nature.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Gardens
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/fYp_vMbfuGc5Aq-X97PGNf_ioh7jN6OhNvijpGBefDBrfaPLk_xdYpN754SahlA2MraVqr5wvQe3Yc-Del7YMk9q7hwtLYX9qVeAZYO5M0Frl4eX3fUHrpNqhrmfq5Enps7qYXwc\")
If you’re looking for a spectacular backdrop for your wedding, you can’t beat the Rocky Mountains. And if you’re looking for five-star luxury, The Little Nell has it. Located in Aspen, Colo., and named for an 1800s lady of the evening, it sits on land that’s been used as a summer hunting grounds for the Ute Indians, a place for miners to rest and a railroad depot. Today’s weddings at The Little Nell are nothing short of amazing, no manmade landscaping needed. Mother Nature already did that with jaw-dropping views of the mountains.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Wine Experiences at the Little Nell
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Y3rQ7_wiZcGTF53Ve6yMHPKq_4gBv7kKg3TAiUYy8rm_R2iS1ayG2Nigc-y1buCVmho7G9tWRd5OcSmUsqvfa1RfewV293d0lraWVuBgQnmwl_5t3jKPJJH2jOA8Ycfi9vdIcsDK\")
They really know how to throw a party here, as this 24,000-square-foot event center was designed specifically for weddings and banquets. Stonebrook Manor in Thornton, Colorado, features outdoor ceremonies in brightly colored gardens. The greenery is set among bubbling brooks and waterfalls with bridges, gazebos, arbors, and benches.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: 5 Ways to Make an Entrance at Your Wedding Reception
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/hVfO5sQf92bescAtovB8ULjaVCrw2YKUyBkkL0_c2m0ySyIgm_yrXagmVJe4cboUruIEVKEzQ7eYD9wUhTBa_dVBqQGR6IRTZw-ru_ckPghBK6s5z5ezgGMOCYUR_diVwmubMY2L\")
This living landscape is part of the University of Utah system and is a state arboretum in Salt Lake City. For 35 years Red Butte Garden has been connecting people to plants, with 100 acres of formal gardens, natural areas, waterfalls, and mountain views. Couples can say “I do” in the Rose House, the Rose Garden, or the Fragrance Garden where each spring, you’ll find a half million blooming bulbs.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: The Garden Misses You
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dU2QHjJ2wRPTq0-hiYNXEA01AC2cJZ7UoJJeGWbkmSHncmRkOPFsctackOXjDs5p6kvr33mqdtJ0-pWIDGLMJkLq8Vd1yw9nxmZrEBNOh3vxt_tYavVf7Sk3RmtwKeuzsswCJkJU\")
Experience the Wild West with your wedding guests at This Is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City. Featuring 50 historic homes and structures, train rides, panning for gold and mining, the Park takes you back in time. Couples have ten wedding venues to pick from, including two outdoor pavilions. The third option, The Garden Place, is a rustic mountain lodge with French doors that open to a patio with a waterfall, a massive outdoor fireplace, and, of course, a majestic mountain view.
\n\n\n\nFavorite Post: Pioneer Children’s Memorial
\n\n\n\nGetting married outdoors comes with the risk of a hiccup or two. You’ll have to worry about the weather and maybe a few uninvited mosquitoes. But the Wiki-award winning venues have you covered, literally. All have awnings or contingency plans for rain, and each has a bug zapper and plenty of bug spray on hand.
\n\n\n\nThe pros for choosing an outdoor wedding venue far outweigh the cons, especially when it comes to price. With the average couple spending more than $22,000 to get hitched, saving on flowers and other decor is a huge plus. Keep in mind, like real estate, the cost of any venue depends on location, location, location.
\n","title":"Best-Landscaped Outdoor Wedding Venues","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.7768595041322315,"src":"/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/1789c/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.jpg","srcSet":"/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/107df/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.jpg 320w,\n/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/293e9/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.jpg 500w,\n/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/f2cbb/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.jpg 800w,\n/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/1789c/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.jpg 960w,\n/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/1ff5b/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.jpg 1290w","srcWebp":"/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/1dd6e/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/67b76/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.webp 320w,\n/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/8df11/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.webp 500w,\n/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/98a65/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.webp 800w,\n/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/1dd6e/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.webp 960w,\n/static/992c26f9b1fc17e82e167ebd0e1b2902/bdec4/best-landscaped-wedding-venue.webp 1290w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Best-Landscaped Outdoor Wedding Venues | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"00f4152c-89c8-58e5-a4c5-8086d747d6cb","slug":"value-well-kept-landscape","path":"/blog/landscaping/value-well-kept-landscape/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Danielle Bradley is a botanist who experiments with native plants from every region in the U.S. She’s dedicated to companion planting without the use of pesticides. Her own garden is filled with a variety of colors and textures.","name":"Danielle Bradley","id":"7329a804-3158-5b9f-94fc-835a4923557a","path":"/author/danielle-bradley/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a840af9ee5b616963d15a622658e9612?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"7fc32475-4c73-58a8-996f-8b8d79ba2450","name":"Arizona","count":12,"path":"/category/lawn-care/az/"},{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"},{"id":"90f74182-5f0d-5dd3-8d32-576a5a21d01d","name":"Phoenix","count":12,"path":"/category/lawn-care/az/phoenix/"}],"date":"October 3rd, 2019","excerpt":"A beautiful landscape is like the cover of a book. Neighbors and future buyers will know the inside is well-kept when the outside is pristine. A lush, green lawn also hits home with future house hunters, adding several thousand dollars to the value of your property. When it comes to Scottsdale real estate, the old […]
\n","content":"\nA beautiful landscape is like the cover of a book. Neighbors and future buyers will know the inside is well-kept when the outside is pristine. A lush, green lawn also hits home with future house hunters, adding several thousand dollars to the value of your property. When it comes to Scottsdale real estate, the old cliche of Location, location, location can be changed to Landscaping, landscaping, landscaping!
\n\n\n\nThere’s nothing like pulling up in front of your home after a hectic day and taking time to admire your yard. Your neighbors may be green with envy, especially if their yards are overgrown with tall grass, weeds, and out-of-control bushes and shrubs. All of which harbor insects, rodents, and other pests. Studies show a vibrant, green lawn also increases oxygen production. If you’re allergic to certain types of foliage, keeping your yard maintained can reduce the spread of allergens around your home. Prospective buyers, impressed with your landsdaping plan, kwil see the value of your home.
\n\n\n\nA nicely maintained yard with a deck, patio or swimming poolalso helps expand the square usable footage of your living space by allowing you to entertain outdoors. And a well-kept landscape gives your children a safe place to play as it adds to your home’s value.
\n\n\n\nDepending on the types of plants, animals, and trees that are in your area, failing to maintain your landscape can lead to property damage, which is not the curb appeal you want. Proper landscaping prevents water build-up outside and inside your home. Excess leaves and roots can clog your gutters and cause your roof to leak. Trees planted too close to your home can sink their roots in your foundation over time and crack your foundation, inviting water damage and mold. Those repairs can be costly, erode your home’s value, and, until they’re done, cut your resale value by makimg a bad first impression.
\n\n\n\nWhen the grass is greener on your side of the fence, your neighbors will be encouraged to keep up with their landscaping. This benefits the entire neighborhood by increasing property values. Few people want to buy a home next to a trashy yard! Many a neighborhood feud has started with code enforcement complaints and city fines for unkept lawns. Homeowner association covenants and restrictions often pile on, adding their own HOA penalty fees for failing to mow lawns, on top of the fines you’ll face for violating city ordinances.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"/](\"https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/5CTjjI_t-amIvMuqat0qEsidUHXsCtwS48adpLWCz42pbWxvVGrCDBywGsbnXtKnFwAm0DBbHtUZ1Ma825upNTbwO5zWdfrCz4Neu67dMtE4THKVpEgbcmCSHhAT31LetGqJJa8p\")
Green lawns save you plenty of green as they add to your home’s value. It costs more money to restore a yard that is ravaged by weeds, dry patches, and unruly foliage. The more severe your lawn issues are, the more it will cost to repair them, and the longer the process will take. Homebuyers and potential buyers won’t want to wait for you to deal with your front yard landscape issues. When plants and shrubs are groomed properly and weeds are treated early, you can tend to your yard on a regular basis in a fraction of the time.
\n\n\n\nMaintaining your landscape is an underrated home improvement that can do wonders for your home. If you find it overwhelming, you can hire a professional to take care of it for you. You’ll save money on repairs in the long run.
\n","title":"The Value of a Well-Kept Landscape","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/1789c/money_shot.jpg","srcSet":"/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/107df/money_shot.jpg 320w,\n/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/293e9/money_shot.jpg 500w,\n/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/f2cbb/money_shot.jpg 800w,\n/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/1789c/money_shot.jpg 960w,\n/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/a2a79/money_shot.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/1dd6e/money_shot.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/67b76/money_shot.webp 320w,\n/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/8df11/money_shot.webp 500w,\n/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/98a65/money_shot.webp 800w,\n/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/1dd6e/money_shot.webp 960w,\n/static/5d713d4a23bad4a6a409511a60686f96/7aa54/money_shot.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"The Value of a Well-Kept Landscape | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"9d256264-8504-58ac-af46-368e0f705194","slug":"native-plants-seattle","path":"/lawn-care/wa/seattle/native-plants-seattle/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"LaShonda Tucker is a freelance writer, poet, and spoken word artist in Atlanta. She earned her masters from the University of Georgia and enjoys playing her violin.","name":"LaShonda Tucker","id":"f7fdb6d3-a89a-5295-963a-aac47afa7cee","path":"/author/lashonda-tucker/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ce61747b62dbfb82f56a8611f2835988?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"},{"id":"c6d9bd8a-28b0-5293-8a0f-89910712d2d9","name":"Seattle","count":2,"path":"/category/lawn-care/wa/seattle/"},{"id":"7987b7f7-662d-55d4-9011-4af5647aa2dd","name":"Washington","count":8,"path":"/category/lawn-care/wa/"}],"date":"April 17th, 2023","excerpt":"Some may say Seattle has two seasons: wet and dry. You can enjoy the multiple walking trails at Washington Park Arboretum, or, when the relentless drizzles kick in, duck inside and explore the retail shops at Pike Place Market. But unlike you, your yard cannot duck inside to avoid the humidity, rain, or summer drought-like […]
\n","content":"\nSome may say Seattle has two seasons: wet and dry. You can enjoy the multiple walking trails at Washington Park Arboretum, or, when the relentless drizzles kick in, duck inside and explore the retail shops at Pike Place Market. But unlike you, your yard cannot duck inside to avoid the humidity, rain, or summer drought-like conditions that define Seattle. You need plants that can handle these conditions. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best native plants for Seattle.
\n\n\n\nYou’ll want a yard full of plants that are adapted to the Pacific Northwest climate. In this article, we’ll explore a variety of plant types native to Seattle.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/pexels-marek-kupiec-10178701-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pexels
\n\n\n\nPacific bleeding heart’s trademark is its delicate-looking, heart-shaped pink or white flowers. It’s also called fern-leaf bleeding heart because of its fern-like foliage.
\n\n\n\nIf your yard is visited by local forest dwellers, these hearts are a good idea; they’re rabbit and deer resistant. Pacific bleeding hearts are a great choice for borders and cottage or shade gardens. But be careful if you have skin allergies, the leaves can cause irritation.
\n\n\n\nWith that caveat in mind, cover up with gloves and other protective gear, plant these bleeding hearts, and watch as they attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other birds.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Flower
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun to partial shade. Thrives in partial shade. Tolerates full shade, but less flowers will bloom.
\n\n\n\nSoil: Moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: None
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Late spring to early summer
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low to medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 1 to 2 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Toxic to humans and animals. Causes sickness when ingested and is a possible skin irritant.
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Blue](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/800px-Mahonia_aquifolium.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Meggar / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\nIf you have pets or small children, the toxic properties of the pacific bleeding heart may cause concern. No worries. The tall Oregon grape is not only deer-resistant and low maintenance like the bleeding heart, it’s non-toxic and has medicinal uses, too. It treats skin diseases and is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristics.
\n\n\n\nThe tall Oregon grape, also called the Oregon grape holly, adds color to any home. Its bright yellow flowers greet you in the spring and its purplish-blue berries beckon you in the summer. Pollinators feast on the flowers, while wildlife and birds come around for a taste of the edible berries that look like small grapes. Plant the tall Oregon grape in groups in woodland or shade gardens.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Shrub
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 5 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Partial shade to full shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Loam, acidic, well-drained
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Honey
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Spring
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 6 to 8 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/15037160035_4ed81031c8_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: John Rusk / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nAre you undecided on whether you want a bushy shrub or a small tree? Vine maple is a people-pleaser. On one hand, it can be a large spreading shrub. On the other, it sometimes develops into a moderately-sized tree. Remove branches close to the ground to promote tree-like growth.
\n\n\n\nThe vine maple will even offer you a variety of colors. Its bark is reddish-green with bright green leaves. The fall ushers in orange and red-hued foliage. Small purple and white flowers arrive in the spring. The berries that soon follow draw mammals and songbirds.
\n\n\n\nVine maple thrives in moist and cooler climates like that of Seattle. If your yard is shaded, vine maple will be a loyal companion. This shrub is a wonderful choice for a shady border or patio tree.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Small tree, shrub
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 5 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Loam, sand, clay, moist, well-drained
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: None
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Spring
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 15 to 30 feet, sometimes reaching up to 40 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/8090352658_f3dbbefe27_c-1-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: brewbooks / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nWild ginger is a Seattle favorite because it thrives in wet winter conditions. It has glazed, heart-shaped leaves and deeply red-colored, three-pronged flowers that emerge around late spring and early summer. The flower’s end forms a tail. Although wild ginger smells like ginger when crushed, it’s not the spice you find on the racks at the grocery store.
\n\n\n\nWild ginger loves shade, so it will work well on a property that doesn’t get much sun – that is, if you don’t mind a few extra creepy crawlers in your yard. Wild ginger is pollinated by ground beetles and ants. This ground cover is often used in woodland gardens and under shrubs.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Evergreen ground cover
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 4 – 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full or partial shade, no direct sunlight
\n\n\n\nSoil: Fertile, organic matter
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Leaves when crushed have a lemon-ginger smell
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Spring
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Must stay moist
\n\n\n\nMature height: 6-10 inches
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Caution is advised. Do not ingest.
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/48267568732_29cdb6a664_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Mount Rainier National Park / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nSalal is also called Shallon, and is a great choice if you love to see color in your plants in the winter. The leaves turn a red-purplish color when it’s cold. Salal is an attention-seeker, as it is high maintenance and needs pruning immediately after it flowers. But its edible and medicinal properties may make it well worth the effort.
\n\n\n\nHumans and birds can eat the deep blue berries that emerge near the end of summer. And although salal’s medicinal uses are not well known, it has been used for medicinal purposes. It has anti-cramping and anti-inflammatory properties. The leaves can be applied externally to soothe insect bites and stings. Salal has been used in jams, baked goods, and as a sweetener.
\n\n\n\nUse this attractive shrub as a ground cover or border, along slopes, or in rain gardens.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Shrub
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 5 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Partial shade to full shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Moist, acidic, well-drained
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Smells like wintergreen
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Spring and summer
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: Grows up to 5 feet in shade and up to 3 feet in full sun.
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: High
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/30284962355_651a2441c9_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Bureau of Land Management / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nCommon camas is usually called by the short version of its common name, camas. The leaves are long and grass-like. Around the end of spring to the beginning of summer, sky-blue petaled flowers blossom. For best results, plant camas in the fall and give it plenty of water while it’s growing.
\n\n\n\nThis wildflower attracts beetles and bumblebees, and is perfect when planted in groups in cottage gardens and borders.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Flowering plant/wildflower
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, very little shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: High organic matter with good drainage; tolerates seasonally moist soil
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Spicy; Smells like molasses when boiled
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Late spring to early summer
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Average /(Natively found in moist, spring meadows that dry by late spring)
\n\n\n\nMature height: Up to 30 inches
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low to medium
\n\n\n\n![\"Close](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/39114468694_a55e6cddd3_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: John Rusk / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nEvergreen huckleberry showcases reddish leaves that emerge in the spring, and white flowers that sit underneath the leathery foliage. The blue or black colored berries come around in the late summer, bringing with them wildlife and birds that nibble on them for nourishment. One of the best things about this evergreen is that the berries serve as a buffet for humans, too. The berries have been used in pies, jellies, and syrups.
\n\n\n\nEvergreen huckleberry makes a great shrub border or hedge. It’s also a good choice for rain gardens. It’s considered high maintenance, but it may save you a trip to the grocery store.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Needled Evergreen
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 7 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Sun or shade; prefers partial or full shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Tolerates sand, clay, and soils low in organic content; requires acidic soil
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Musky
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Feb to July
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low, Medium to wet
\n\n\n\nMature height: 2 to 10 feet tall; grows taller in shade
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: High
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/52704209231_8c892efc77_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: John Knight / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nYou may have noticed these growing alongside the Cascades. The red flowering currant is also called the blood currant. Drooping, small red-petaled flowers appear and take over the shrub in the spring.
\n\n\n\nThe red flowering currant produces dark blue berries that are appreciated by humans and animals alike. The fruit has been used to make juice, pies, and jam. The red flowering currant shrub thrives well in yards with lots of sun or a little shade. This sweet, sage-rosemaryish-smelling plant attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Deciduous shrub
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 5 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Prefers well-drained, rocky soil but tolerates poor soil
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Sweet sage-rosemary
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Spring
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Water the first two summers of establishment
\n\n\n\nMature height: 8 to 10 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: None known
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\nAll plants are not created equal. Some may look and sound attractive, but not be suitable for most homes even if they are native plants of the Pacific Northwest, like the douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Others should not be planted close to your home because they’re highly flammable, like the eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Make sure you’re aware of the potential hazards of a plant before purchasing it.
\n\n\n\nThe best plants are those that fit well with your property’s conditions, your maintenance expectations, and your family’s lifestyle. Some questions you can ask yourself are:
\n\n\n\nAlso, consider whether you want to spend your time pruning shrubs or if you have the budget to pay someone. If you’re too busy for high-maintenance plants, salal may be a deal breaker, while the pacific bleeding heart may be a must-have.
\n\n\n\nIf you have small children or pets that may get into the vegetation, you may want to stay clear of pacific bleeding heart and indulge in a medley of red flowering currants or evergreen huckleberry.
\n\n\n\nIf you have pets, you may have concerns about plants that will make them sick. According to the Washington Native Plant Society, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (APSCA) lists several plants that can be harmful to pets. Here are five native plants harmful to dogs and cats that are most commonly found in the Seattle area:
\n\n\n\nMany plants are native to Washington, including:
\n\n\n\nUSDA hardiness zones identify which plants grow best in which areas of North America. The U.S. Department of Agriculture divides zones by average lowest winter temperatures. Knowing your area’s hardiness zone helps you identify the right plants that will thrive in Seattle.
\n\n\n\nKing County is a bit confusing, as it’s in two zones. Most of the county is in zone 8. The eastern part of the county is in zone 7. If you don’t know which zone you’re in, ask your local nursery.
\n\n\n\nUsing native plants can make your life easier. These plants already thrive in their current environment, so they take less maintenance. This saves resources and money.
\n\n\n\nNative plants need less water and require fewer pesticides and fertilizers if any. This means fewer hazardous chemicals running off into creeks and other water-supply sources.
\n\n\n\nBy choosing Seattle native plants, you can enjoy bonding with nature as you see a beautiful display of various insects, butterflies, and native wildlife flocking to a diverse buffet of vegetation.
\n\n\n\nIf you’ve been to Carkeek Park, you’ve seen some native plants. You’ve probably also seen plenty of native plants while you were out walking in your neighborhood or driving around the city. Adding native plants to your home will create a colorful and diverse environment that gives back to the ecosystem. The Washington Native Plant Society highlights community events and sites where you can see native vegetation and take advantage of plant sales.
\n\n\n\nCheck out these local nurseries in the Seattle area recommended by the King Conservation District:
\n\n\n\nSoaking in the sunshine and fresh air by spending time working in the garden or around the yard can be calming. But everyone deserves a break. When you’re ready to let someone else do the work, call your lawn care professional.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: Oregon Grape / Kirt Edblom / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n","title":"8 Native Plants for Seattle, WA","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.5113350125944585,"src":"/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/1789c/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.jpg","srcSet":"/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/107df/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.jpg 320w,\n/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/293e9/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.jpg 500w,\n/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/f2cbb/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.jpg 800w,\n/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/1789c/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.jpg 960w,\n/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/c26c2/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/1dd6e/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/67b76/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.webp 320w,\n/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/8df11/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.webp 500w,\n/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/98a65/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.webp 800w,\n/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/1dd6e/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.webp 960w,\n/static/f8e48998021ef21c1623d52fec262680/3cc96/28535744074_4feede8509_k-1.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"8 Native Plants for Seattle, WA | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Check out the best native plants for Seattle that thrive in the PNW’s wet winters and dry summers, plus information on where to buy native plants."}}},{"node":{"id":"f6b0b0e0-da8f-59fe-a29c-72229f6dc7a9","slug":"grass-around-pools","path":"/lawn-care/grass-around-pools/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"","name":"Kelly Holland","id":"87ed81cb-6dc6-5b6f-8673-e295fb5aa8f3","path":"/author/karen/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a7bdc84bcad759506a493dca25650999?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"},{"id":"205f24d4-c1e5-5728-bb28-8ba70eecbc7a","name":"Lawn Care","count":432,"path":"/category/lawn-care/"}],"date":"November 12th, 2019","excerpt":"Just picture it: getting out of the pool and walking around on soft, green grass instead of hard, hot pavement. It seems like a good idea — but there are some things to think about when it comes to poolside grass. Will the pool water affect the grass? How do I keep grass clippings out […]
\n","content":"\nJust picture it: getting out of the pool and walking around on soft, green grass instead of hard, hot pavement. It seems like a good idea — but there are some things to think about when it comes to poolside grass. Will the pool water affect the grass? How do I keep grass clippings out of the pool? Can a grass installation be as low-maintenance as hardscape around the swimming pool? Here’s what you need to know about grass around pools.
\n\n\n\nThe benefit to a concrete or tile pool deck is the maintenance — or lack thereof. At most, you might power-wash the deck at the beginning and end of the pool season, and it’s an easy continuation of your pool design. It also stands up to heavy foot traffic with no problem. Grass around pools, for all its comfort on bare feet and safety, needs more TLC. Two major concerns are water and mowing — water, because pool water may have an effect on your grass, and mowing because it can make a mess in the pool. But with a little effort, you can keep the grass around your pool from getting into your pool.
\n\n\n\nArtificial turf has come a long way in the last few decades, from that plastic, bright green stuff, to synthetic grass that looks real. You and your guests may not be able to tell it apart from natural grass at first glance. Fake grass doesn’t need mowing, fertilizing or watering — but it maintains the same look as real grass. And the best artificial grass will keep your feet cool and cushion any slips and falls as well.
\n\n\n\nArtificial grass may also hold up better when doused by the chemicals in your pool. But keep in mind turfgrass can tolerate chlorine better than ornamental grasses and shrubs. If you accidentally spill full-strength chlorine on the lawn, you can flush the chemicals out of the soil with a heavy dose of water. The grass should bounce back without too much trouble.
\n\n\n\nSaltwater comes with different rules, and it depends on what kind of grass you have. Certain varieties, like Bermuda grass and seashore paspalum, tolerate saltwater pretty well. Seashore paspalum is used on golf courses, and watered with brackish water. But some varieties such as Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescues will dry out and suffocate when hit with too much salt.
\n\n\n\nToo much salt in the soil will also impact other plants as well as water features, like a koi pond, as the salt leaches into the soil. That’s something to consider if you want to change your landscape design in the future.
\n\n\n\nA concrete pool deck won’t get quite hot enough to fry an egg, but it can get up to 145 degrees Fahrenheit — definitely too hot to walk on with bare feet. That includes any hardscape surface, like pavers, that are part of your pool landscaping. Grass is a terrible conductor of heat, so it’s safer and more comfortable for you, your family, and your pets in the pool area.
\n\n\n\nThere’s a reason the lifeguards at your local public pool are always screaming at kids to “WALK!” When you add water and some oily sunscreen residue and wet feet to a concrete pool deck, you’re looking at an easy recipe for injuries. The Consumer Protection Safety Commission posted a warning back in 1974. That warning about slippery pool decks lives on today because the danger is the same as it was more than forty years ago. The CPSC says, “Many severe injuries result from falling on slippery walkways and decks and falling from diving boards and ladders.” While slipping on grass is not impossible, it’s less likely, and the landing is softer. Safety should be a major consideration when designing your pool and deck.
\n\n\n\nWhether you’re installing a new pool, or making some upgrades to an existing one, both concrete and grass have pros and cons. Weigh them carefully before deciding which is best for you.
\n","title":"Grass Around Pools","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":0.99609375,"src":"/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/1789c/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.jpg","srcSet":"/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/107df/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.jpg 320w,\n/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/293e9/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.jpg 500w,\n/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/f2cbb/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.jpg 800w,\n/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/1789c/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.jpg 960w,\n/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/28e3e/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.jpg 1020w","srcWebp":"/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/1dd6e/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/67b76/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.webp 320w,\n/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/8df11/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.webp 500w,\n/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/98a65/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.webp 800w,\n/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/1dd6e/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.webp 960w,\n/static/a3e012b088c2698b9b908b0373e484d2/11d64/pool-swimming-pool-property-fence-leisure-palm-tree-1454847-pxhere.com_.webp 1020w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Grass Around Pools | Wikilawn","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":""}}},{"node":{"id":"19ba5d3d-1386-51f8-84a6-73cafabb2318","slug":"create-safe-sensory-friendly-backyard-landscape-special-needs-child","path":"/blog/landscaping/create-safe-sensory-friendly-backyard-landscape-special-needs-child/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"Danielle Bradley is a botanist who experiments with native plants from every region in the U.S. She’s dedicated to companion planting without the use of pesticides. Her own garden is filled with a variety of colors and textures.","name":"Danielle Bradley","id":"7329a804-3158-5b9f-94fc-835a4923557a","path":"/author/danielle-bradley/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a840af9ee5b616963d15a622658e9612?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"c16818a6-3923-5fc7-a49b-191ac48bf4d2","name":"Blog","count":81,"path":"/category/blog/"},{"id":"a4b803e1-5b3a-516a-b5b4-c5b50b2ae834","name":"Home & Garden","count":19,"path":"/category/blog/home-and-garden/"},{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"}],"date":"February 24th, 2020","excerpt":"Playing outside is one of the greatest joys of childhood. There are extra considerations when your child has special needs, but time outside still can offer tremendous therapeutic benefits, especially for children with autism or similar conditions. But it’s possible to create a sensory-friendly backyard landscape for your child with special needs. If you’re looking […]
\n","content":"\nPlaying outside is one of the greatest joys of childhood. There are extra considerations when your child has special needs, but time outside still can offer tremendous therapeutic benefits, especially for children with autism or similar conditions. But it’s possible to create a sensory-friendly backyard landscape for your child with special needs.
\n\n\n\nIf you’re looking to create a safe and sensory-friendly outdoor sanctuary where your children can enjoy themselves and learn through nature-based sensory play, it’s imperative first to approach the design and construction with an understanding of your child’s specific needs — including sensory, cognitive, visual, or auditory impairments, as well as issues with fine and gross motor skills.
\n\n\n\nThis guide will focus on techniques to use in creating a sensory-friendly backyard for your child with special needs. You can design a haven that offers plenty of stimulating activities to engage all the senses. At the same time, you can take steps to address accessibility barriers, common behavioral and environmental risks, and potential safety hazards.
\n\n\n\nYou might wonder, what’s the point of creating an outdoor space for my child? Are the potential benefits worth the work? Yes, they overwhelmingly are, says pediatric occupational therapist Christine Sadecki. “Outdoor play can address many challenges for children with sensory processing disorders and/or autism. It can be calming or alerting.” Studies show hands-on sensory play can help kids operating on the autism spectrum or experiencing low vision, as well as those working to develop fine motor skills.
\n\n\n\n“Outdoor play encourages listening skills, executive functioning, motor planning, and body awareness, as well as self-control and social development,” says Sadecki. “It also encourages participation in the senses such as touch, sound, sight, vestibular, and proprioception, which can be challenging areas for children with sensory processing disorder or autism.” Playing outdoors helps promote kids’ strong, sustained, physical development in a number of ways:
\n\n\n\nMany children with autism face vision issues, such as a lazy eye or crossed eyes. A study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that 40% of children with autism and related conditions have some issue with their eyes.
\n\n\n\nVisual stimulation can help kids with low vision improve their understanding of what’s around them and feel more comfortable with their surroundings. Outdoor landscapes can offer a variety of visual stimuli not available indoors, from flowers and trees to the sky overhead. And they can offer the added benefit of helping even a child with visual impairment become familiar with more organic shapes and colors than are found in manufactured environments.
\n\n\n\nBecause there’s more to see outdoors, there are more reasons for your child to stay engaged. Did you see that bird that just flew past? What was that in the bushes? A squirrel? The wind makes the trees seem to dance as it rustles through the leaves.
\n\n\n\nOutdoor environments are constantly changing, constantly inviting engagement and attention. Just being out in nature can increase a child’s attention span, and there’s more room on your back lawn to create new adventures than the indoors could ever provide.
\n\n\n\nThe sun’s ultraviolet rays can stimulate the production of vitamin D. Why is this important? Vitamin D helps the body absorb the calcium it requires to maintain strong bones. It’s also important to muscles and nerves, and it’s part of the immune system’s defense against viruses and bacteria.
\n\n\n\nYou can find vitamin D in food supplements, although the most direct source is sunlight. Be sure, though, that your child is protected from the sun if they’re outside for an extended period. The body can only produce so much vitamin D at one time, and spending prolonged periods outside without protection can increase the risk of skin cancer. For kids with sensory issues, try using fast-application sprays or sun-protective clothing.
\n\n\n\nKids need to develop gross motor skills — the kind they need to walk, jump, and climb — before they can learn to master finer motor skills that require more patience, such as holding a pencil or opening a package. Developing gross motor skills is no easy task. If you’ve ever seen a child learning to walk, you know the amount of concentration and physical effort it takes.
\n\n\n\nA backyard lawn can give your child a big, safe place to exercise these skills. A large, flat surface with a soft landing space is a lot better than a hazardous environment such as a staircase or a hard tile floor. An accessible space outdoors provides your child with a safe, fun place to develop balance and coordination.
\n\n\n\nThe more room your child has to roam, and the safer the environment, the more she’ll be able to exercise. It’s as simple as that. And the more exercise she gets, the more physically fit she’ll be overall.
\n\n\n\nThis is important because children with autism are at higher risk of obesity than other kids. They also face greater challenges when it comes to balancing or catching a ball because they pay more attention to their own muscles than to watching what’s happening around them. Having a safe backyard play area gives them the space they need to work on their motor skills, while at the same time keeping them physically fit.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/autism-child-backyard-630x1024.jpeg\")
Safety is, of course, the paramount consideration when designing and creating play and learning environments for any kids. Extra measures must be taken when designing outdoor spaces to accommodate children with special needs.
\n\n\n\nYour backyard landscape will consist of living and nonliving elements. The first is called softscape, comprising primarily horticultural elements: grass, flowers, trees, plants, hedges, vegetable gardens, and so forth. Nonliving or hardscape elements, by contrast, can include the following:
\n\n\n\nIt’s important to incorporate both softscape and hardscape elements when designing an outdoor play space for your child with special needs.
\n\n\n\nAccessibility and safety considerations to keep in mind include:
\n\n\n\nBuild or widen walkways to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers. According to the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), pathways should be at least 6 inches wider than a wheelchair, or a total of 36 inches. Entries and gates should be at least 32 inches wide.
\n\n\n\nEmphasize the openness of the outdoors. Even if your child does not use a wheelchair, pathways should be wide to emphasize the feeling of openness and freedom a garden can provide. This is not a place to feel cramped or crowded. It’s an expansive place to explore! Still, paths should have clear boundaries, so your child knows where the walkway ends and the garden begins. If your child is sensitive to light, install non-glare surfaces and make sure they’re smooth and easy to navigate.
\n\n\n\nAdd wheelchair ramps. ADA standards require that the grade for wheelchair accessibility ramps rise no more steeply than 5% — and, at most, 2% at entrances and steps.
\n\n\n\nEliminate surprises. Visual aids and signs can help children with special needs feel secure. If they are nonverbal, a system of pictures can help them feel safe. A child who feels lost can grow anxious and worried, and he won’t feel safe enough to explore and enjoy his backyard wonderland. Make sure they always know where they are and consider creating orientation maps to help them get where they want to go next, easily and directly.
\n\n\n\nInstall handrails or handholds along paths, on decks, and in seating areas. Handrails should be installed on both sides of a pathway. When installing handrails for kids, the ADA calls for heights to be measured at a 90-degree angle from directly above the walking surface. Handrails shouldn’t be more than 28 inches high and should be at least 9 inches apart so kids don’t trap their heads or hands between the uprights.
\n\n\n\nInstall tactile features on or alongside walkways. Tactile features include raised bumps, lines, and patterns. They aren’t to help traction. Instead, they accommodate special needs by helping those with impaired vision know when they’ve entered a new path or they’re about to leave the path they’ve been on.
\n\n\n\nStrive for consistency. Once you’ve created the layout of your backyard, keep it constant. Try not to change the location of a bench, water fountain, or bird feeder, for example, unless it’s necessary for safety or functionally essential reasons. Once a child is familiar with his surroundings, you can make small, incremental changes to challenge them as part of the learning process. Children with special needs feel safer when they know what to expect. They’ll blossom in an environment they know they can count on.
\n\n\n\nCreate transitions. Gradual transitions are much easier for children with special needs to process than abrupt changes. Give them space and time between activities, and provide them with visual and verbal cues to alert them when something new is about to happen. Preparing kids for change helps them accept it and feel safer than springing a new situation or activity on them without warning.
\n\n\n\nEnclose play areas with fencing or railings. It’s important to make your backyard as safe as possible. One study found that nearly half of children on the autism spectrum wander from a safe place at some point. Enclosures can help keep this from occurring. Fences improve safety by keeping children from wandering into an area where they shouldn’t be, like a flowerbed or hedge. They also can help them stay focused on the adventure you’ve created. Fences should be at least 5 feet high and shouldn’t provide handholds that kids can use to climb. Smooth surfaces are best.
\n\n\n\nLabel play areas with Braille or textures to help a child with low vision find the location they’ll be visiting next or the activity you’ve planned for them.
\n\n\n\nFeatures worth adding can include:
\n\n\n\nHazards to avoid:
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/unsplash-child-sandbox.jpeg\")
According to the STAR Institute, kids with conditions that hinder them from readily processing sensory input may have a hard time knowing where their body is in space. The results can include poor posture, weakness, motion sickness, awkwardness, and clumsiness. So it’s important to identify the sensory activities that can best help your kids learn, improve their motor skills, and focus on their environment without getting frustrated or distracted. Here are a few sensory play ideas for backyard activities designed to engage your child’s senses:
\n\n\n\nHands-on sensory-based play is one of the best ways to capture a child’s attention and provide much-needed tactile sensory input.
\n\n\n\nSwinging: Nearly all kids love to swing, and the benefits include an enhanced response to proprioception, better coordination and balance, stronger muscles, and a boost in positive mood. A repetitive back-and-forth motion also can be soothing and calming for kids with autism.
\n\n\n\nSadecki, the pediatric occupational therapist, recommends careful attention and assessment to help your child get the most out of swinging: “Swings stimulate the fluid in the inner ear, which activates the vestibular senses. It lets your child know they are moving, and it can also impact the brain’s ability to process and use sensory information in their environment.
\n\n\n\n“However, the amount of vestibular input needed varies by child,” explains Sadecki. “Some crave movement to feel more centered in order to focus and attend to the world around them. Others may be movement-sensitive, which makes things difficult such as riding in a car, so swinging can be used to help desensitize them to movement. Vestibular input as part of a sensory diet should be monitored by an occupational therapist.”
\n\n\n\nWater activities: Water is a versatile element that offers so many hands-on sensory possibilities, limited only by your imagination.
\n\n\n\nPlaying in sand and soil: Who says you need the beach to build sandcastles? With a bag of sand and a little water in a small enclosure, that can happen right in your backyard! Otherwise, your child can enjoy the fun of getting their hands dirty by digging and planting in soil.
\n\n\n\nClouds: Invite your child to lie down in the grass with you and stare up at the clouds as they pass by. What shapes does she see? What do they remind her of?
\n\n\n\nLeaves: Collect fallen leaves with her and point out their different shapes, as well as the colorful reds and golds and oranges they turn in autumn. Look for birds that share their various colors. Study the effects of wind and water after a spring rain.
\n\n\n\nDay and night skies: Take your child out at daybreak to see the sunrise or at dusk to witness the sunset. Make a wish on the first evening star you see. Look up at the night sky and point out the moon, the stars and the constellations. Find out when the next meteor shower is expected and see how many shooting stars you and your child can count.
\n\n\n\nScavenger hunt: For a more-organized activity, consider a scavenger hunt. Remember how much fun you had getting up early on Easter Sunday for an egg hunt? See how many things your child can find in your backyard. Give him a list and accompany him on his quest for specific plants, birds, animals or perhaps for items you have hidden.
\n\n\n\nTreasure hunt: Another possibility is a treasure hunt. Get your child a special treat and hide it in the garden, then make a pirate’s map and help her follow it to discover the secret treasure.
\n\n\n\nBird calls/ insect sounds: Help your child become conscious of sounds we often miss in the background (or take for granted) by listening for bird calls and insect sounds. What does a blue jay sound like? What about a crow, a lark or a sparrow? That high-pitched humming is a cicada; let’s see if we can find it! What’s that rapid rat-a-tat-tat coming from that tree trunk over there. Could it be a woodpecker? Learn about birds and insects yourself. You might want to pick up a book on birdwatching that identifies different species in your area, or listen to recordings of bird calls online. Then point out which birds and insects make which sounds and help your child learn to identify them.
\n\n\n\nGarden flavors: Plant a vegetable garden or fruit trees and let your child taste what you’re growing there. What does a tomato taste like? A strawberry? An apple? You can illustrate the concept of growing food like this: Accompany your kids around your garden and pick samples from vines and trees, showing them the difference between ripe and unripe fruit. Wash the fruit off with then and prepare it as part of a sandwich or simple meal, then make a picnic trip back out to the yard and eat it underneath the tree that shared its fruit with you. Your children will be able to follow the journey of the meal you’ve created from tree to table — or, in this case, picnic basket.
\n\n\n\nNature’s aromas: Help your child learn to recognize the many smells of your yard by getting close to the source of each scent. Let them sniff different flowers and herbs, saying the name for each so they can associate the word with the smell. And this goes for not-so-pleasant outdoor smells, too: Help them find the wild onions, or sniff the recently spread mulch. In other seasons, point out the crisp, clean scent of snow, or that particularly lovely scent in the air just after a spring rain begins.
\n\n\n\nSensory garden: You can engage all your child’s senses by creating a sensory garden. Include plants that will attract wildlife like crickets, buzzing bees, and chirping birds; maybe plant some bamboo stems so your child can hear the sound they make in the wind. Set up a birdbath or birdhouse to attract some feathered friends or a hummingbird feeder for those faster-than-the-eye-can see winged wonders. Water fountains and wind chimes can enhance your child’s auditory experience, too.
\n\n\n\nFind plants with fragrant scents such as gardenia and honeysuckle, as well as those with a variety of tactile sensations, from moss to jade trees to lamb’s ear. (No roses, cacti or other thorny plants, though!). Also, seek out plants with a variety of forms, from creeping vines to woody stems to soft grasses.
\n\n\n\nConsider dividing these sensory-friendly environments into two areas — one for playtime and another for relaxing and unwinding. If you can, put brightly colored flowers with red or yellow petals in one area of the garden, and provide a shaded area in the other. A pergola or shade trees can provide a haven from the bright sun and vivid colors that provide stimulation but can be overstimulating if your child doesn’t have a calm place of refuge in which to retreat.
\n\n\n\nAnother possibility: an outdoor speaker system that plays soothing background music on occasion. Just don’t leave it on all the time. You want your child to notice the natural sounds all around her in your backyard.
\n\n\n\nTo help your child feel at ease, think about creating a theme for your garden that she’ll enjoy: maybe a fairytale character, a favorite game, or an animal.
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/pexels-photo-1661818-man-carrying-child.jpg\")
The best outdoor spaces are inclusive, welcoming kids and grown-ups alike with a variety of capabilities, considerations, and objectives. When designing a backyard play space, keep in mind any of your child’s special requirements and build in features to accommodate them. Here are some elements to consider for safe sensory learning environments for kids with different conditions:
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/photo-unsplash-dogs-1555897209-208b67f652c5.jpeg\")
Most people think of eloping as running away to get married, but the word literally just means to run, or lope, outward. In the case of children with special needs, it indicates wandering or running away from a caregiving environment — and it’s a common hazard for people on the autism spectrum.
\n\n\n\n“Studies show that 50% of kids with autism spectrum disorder elope, but it is still unclear as to why,” says Sadecki. “Many parents believe that their child simply enjoys running and exploring, but it could also be because they are escaping anxious or overstimulating sensory situations.”
\n\n\n\nThe more strongly children are impacted by autism, the more likely they may be to elope. Parenting styles aren’t a factor; most parents in a survey about the phenomenon said their child just enjoyed running and exploring.
\n\n\n\nThis makes it all the more important to provide plenty of sensory stimuli for children with autism. The more you give them to explore right in their own backyard, the more likely they are to stay focused on the adventures you’re providing — and the less likely they will be to wander off.
\n\n\n\nEven so, it’s important to repair or install continuous fencing, as well as out-of-reach locks or latches on gates and doors to keep your kids inside where they belong. As mentioned before, this is particularly important if you have a pool. Secure fencing and locking gates are important for all young children. Similar gates and fences should be in place around other potentially hazardous areas, such as dog runs, thorny bushes, or rock gardens.
\n\n\n\nStepping in poo is a perfect way to start a meltdown. Minimize the possibility of your child’s coming into contact with pet waste (which is toxic in some cases and unpleasant in all cases) by designating a separate area for your pet, and/or diligently picking up after their bathroom time.
\n\n\n\nPlastic bags and pooper-scoopers can make this odious (and odorous) task a little more painless. There are even high-tech, dog poop vacuums that pull up pet waste, which can then be ejected into a trash bag or toilet.
\n\n\n\nFertilizer can be an irritant — a toxic one, if it contains pesticides or other chemicals. Use fertilizer according to the directions and keep it contained appropriately when not in use. Don’t assume a fertilizer is safe for kids just because it’s labeled as “organic” or “natural.” Also be aware that fertilizers in powder form can drift into other areas on a windy day, so apply them when the air is calm and be sure to sweep any excess away from paths and other areas your child might frequent.
\n\n\n\nStanding water not only invites messes, just waiting for kids to reach or step in, but it also can be a health hazard, depending on the organisms growing in it. If left around long enough, pools of standing water can attract breeding mosquitoes. Take care to empty any uncovered containers with standing water in them. If you find standing water remaining at a low spot in your yard for any length of time, make sure you find a way to drain it away.
\n\n\n\nPrickly or toxic plants can puncture skin with spines, cause rashes with irritating secretions, initiate a sneezing fit with pollen, or poison a person who ingests any part of them. Make sure your outdoor area is free of poison ivy, poison oak, stinging nettle, and other allergenic plants.
\n\n\n\nHow do you recognize toxic plants? Poison ivy and poison oak each have three leaves growing off a main leaf stem (giving rise to the saying, “leaves in three, let it be.”) Their leaves also alternate on the stem or branch, never growing directly across from one another. Stinging nettle leaves are heart-shaped, prickly-looking, and tapered at the end.
\n\n\n\nPlants can be poisonous in two ways: They can irritate the skin if touched, or they can be toxic if ingested. Some very pretty plants, including oleander and monkshood, can be dangerous. Be sure you have a medical kit. You can look up information from the American Association of Poison Control Centers, or call Poison Control at (800) 222-1222 if you think your child has eaten a toxic plant.
\n\n\n\nAlso be on the lookout for mushrooms, which aren’t technically plants, but fungi. Those with scales, warts or white (not brown) gills are likely to be hazardous. Other red flags: a bulb-shaped base, or a ring around the upper or lower stem. The vast majority of mushrooms aren’t toxic, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you notice mushrooms in your yard, remove them immediately.
\n\n\n\nMove cactus, agave, and other spiny plants out of traffic areas. Keep fencing around rose gardens so kids can’t wander or stumble into their thorns.
\n\n\n\nLoud noises are a potential problem outside, where barking dogs, heavy equipment, or a backfiring car nearby can trigger a child’s noise sensitivity. Creating areas buffered from ambient noise with fences, walls, high bushes, or shrubs can help protect your child from overstimulation by sound.
\n\n\n\nIn an age when kids are often glued to their phones or gaming systems indoors, an outdoor adventure can be (literally) a breath of fresh air. Sadecki says electronics should be limited for all children, especially those with special needs. “There have been lots of recent studies done that have shown the impact of too much electronics on kids. Children who spend more than 2 hours a day on electronics are more likely to have emotional, social, and attention problems. They also develop shorter attention spans because their brain develops the need for constant stimulation by bright, fast-paced programming. It makes it more difficult for them to connect to and focus on people and things in their environment that don’t provide that constant stimulation.”
\n\n\n\nWe as adults often spend most of our days indoors, too, whether we’re working at the office or around the house, and it’s easy to forget how important it can be to get out of the house. The outdoors can be a forgotten resource to check our worries at the back door and enter a land of refreshment and adventure.
\n\n\n\nAdults need a break from highly structured indoor settings, and so do children with special needs. Why not offer them a safe backyard playground with an expansive lawn and fascinating sights, sounds and smells to explore? It will open up a whole new world to them. And that can make a world of difference!
\n\n\n\nAll the tips in this article were reviewed by licensed pediatric occupational therapist Christine Sadecki, OTR/L, owner of Reach for the Stars Therapy Services, LLC, in Lake Worth, FL. The strategies reflect widely accepted therapeutic practices, however, for specific advice, you should always consult a medical professional.
Living in a warm climate means maintaining plants year-round, which can be exhausting, especially when you’re boiling in the blaring Birmingham sun. So, many homeowners choose low-maintenance landscaping ideas for Birmingham, including native plants, succulents, and grass alternatives. Spending a lot of time working on the yard is a shame when you could be dining […]
\n","content":"\nLiving in a warm climate means maintaining plants year-round, which can be exhausting, especially when you’re boiling in the blaring Birmingham sun. So, many homeowners choose low-maintenance landscaping ideas for Birmingham, including native plants, succulents, and grass alternatives.
\n\n\n\nSpending a lot of time working on the yard is a shame when you could be dining at Saw’s BBQ or hiking at Red Mountain Park. So we break down the best ways to achieve a low-maintenance yard, including prices and examples.
\n\n\n\nIn this article:
\n\n\n\n![\"Purple](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Plant-Perennials.jpg\")
Photo Credit: PxHere
\n\n\n\nAll flowering plants go through similar life stages, but perennials repeat their life cycle, living for at least three years. In contrast, annual plants only live one year, so you must continuously replant your garden. Furthermore, many perennials can thrive even when only given well-drained soil and sunshine.
\n\n\n\nHowever, because perennials live for years, proper planning is crucial. Dividing a single plant into multiples controls the size of the plant, so its roots spread out and take in more water and nutrition. Smaller plants also provide greater flexibility with plant placement and garden design. The best time to divide your perennials is in the fall, about six weeks before the first frost.
\n\n\n\nExamples of low-maintenance perennials that thrive in Birmingham’s climate include the following:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of perennials:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Perennial plants tend to cost more than annuals, typically costing $10 to $100 per plant. However, many perennials can grow from seeds, and a package of single plant seeds is usually less than $2. To start a wildflower garden, you can buy a bag of mixed perennial wildflower seeds for $10 to $25.
\n\n\n\nAlabama is home to some of North America’s most magnificent trees, flowers, and vines. Native plants require less maintenance than foreign species because they naturally thrive in Birmingham’s environment. As a result, flower beds filled with native perennials require minimal watering, fertilization, and soil amendments.
\n\n\n\nNative plants are also fantastic for Birmingham’s ecosystem because they support local wildlife and don’t disturb their habitat. Pollinators like butterflies and bumble bees prefer native nectar, while birds feast on native seeds. Birmingham’s native herbivores, such as white-tailed deer and eastern cottontail rabbits, enjoy native leaves, nuts, and fruit.
\n\n\n\nExamples of Birmingham’s best native plants include the following:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of native plants:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Most native Birmingham plants cost $20 to $150, but the cost depends on the type of plant, its stage of maturity, rarity, and desirability. For example, immature native trees typically cost $35 to $200, but a mature tree can cost as much as $1,850. In contrast, vines and shrubs are usually less than $50 each. Many native plants also grow well from seeds, which can be taken from existing plants for free.
\n\n\n\n![\"Brown](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Pine-straw.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pxhere
\n\n\n\nMulch can save you time in the yard while dramatically improving the curb appeal of your Alabama landscape. Because mulch shades the soil, less water evaporates, allowing you to water less often. Additionally, mulch prevents weeds from sprouting by barricading the earth.
\n\n\n\nThere are organic and inorganic mulch options, but in most cases, organic mulch is superior. As organic mulch decomposes, it adds nutrients to the soil. On the other hand, some inorganic mulches, such as rubber mulch, deteriorate the soil’s quality. Although both types block weeds and look pretty, organic mulch is better at retaining soil moisture.
\n\n\n\nExamples of organic mulch include:
\n\n\n\nExamples of inorganic mulch include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of mulch:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Most mulch costs $45 to $130 per cubic yard or $3 to $7 per bag. Organic mulch typically costs $50 to $150 per cubic yard, while inorganic is usually $20 to $400 per cubic yard. Straw, pine bark, gravel, and plastic are some of the most affordable mulches, while rubber mulch, crushed sea shells, and pine needles are among the most expensive.
\n\n\n\nHardscape includes all the non-living, man-made structures in your yard, so adding more reduces yard work and improves your outdoor living experience. For example, some Brummies enjoy sipping sweet tea beneath the partial shade of a pergola, while others prefer gathering around a fire pit on a cool November night.
\n\n\n\nExamples of hardscaping include the following:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of hardscape:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: The cost of hardscape varies depending on the structure. For example, most fire pits cost $250 to $2,200, while you can expect to pay $2,100 to $6,000 for a pergola. A typical walkway ranges from $335 to $2,840, and a composite deck usually costs about $8,850.
\n\n\n\nDerived from the Greek word “xeros”, which means dry, xeriscaping is a style of landscaping that requires little to no water. Examples include replacing a portion of the lawn with a rock garden and selecting native plants and succulents that require minimal irrigation.
\n\n\n\nBy reducing water usage, xeriscaping saves you money and time watering the yard. Furthermore, xeriscaping typically requires no fertilization and very little pruning
\n\n\n\nExamples of xeriscaping include the following:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of xeriscaping:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Including labor and materials, most xeriscaping costs $5 to $20 per square foot. Expect xeric plants to cost $9 to $70 and ground cover to cost $10 to $25. The average drought-tolerant tree costs about $300, and rocks typically cost $40 to $140 per cubic yard. Most landscape architects charge $60 to $175 per hour.
\n\n\n\nEven Birmingham’s best grass types require a lot of maintenance, but groundcover is a low-maintenance alternative to traditional lawns. Groundcovers, like creeping thyme, add beauty, color, and fragrance to your landscape. Best of all, the groundcover doesn’t have to be mowed and rarely requires fertilization.
\n\n\n\nExamples of groundcover include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of groundcover:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Groundcover typically costs $10 to $25 per plant.
\n\n\n\nIs caring for the grass bogging you down? Natural grass requires regular mowing, fertilization, sunshine, well-drained soil, and much TLC. In contrast, artificial grass just needs occasional cleaning, allowing you to have a beautiful lawn that requires next to no work.
\n\n\n\nHowever, artificial grass isn’t an exact match, and some homeowners prefer the feeling of natural grass between their toes. Although replacing your existing turf with artificial grass requires a hefty upfront investment, you’ll save time and money on maintenance.
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of artificial grass:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Expect to pay about $3,000 to $7,000 to replace your lawn with artificial turf, which is about $5.50 to $20 per square foot.
\n\n\n\nSucculents are fleshy plants (e.g., cacti) that store water in their leaves or stem. Because they stockpile water, they are drought tolerant and require minimal care. They can thrive indoors or outdoors and are standard features in xeriscaping.
\n\n\n\nSucculents are also very forgiving, making them great for new gardeners. I grew my first succulent in the second grade, took it home, put it on the window sill, then forgot about it for months. Finally, I came back to a sickly brown plant, added a little water, and it flourished. That plant survived to see me graduate high school, even with inconsistent care.
\n\n\n\nExamples of succulents for your Birmingham landscape include:
\n\n\n\nAdvantages of succulents:
\n\n\n\nEstimated cost: Most succulents cost $10 to $75 per plant, but prices vary depending on the size and species. For example, most aloe vera plants cost $10 to $20 per plant, but large aloe plants can cost $30 to $150.
\n\n\n\nCreeping phlox is an attractive yet inexpensive ground cover that thrives in Birmingham’s soil.
Planting perennials and native plants from seeds is the cheapest way to start a garden. Most seed packs cost under $2, and gardening groups often have seed exchanges. You can save more money by using DIY fertilizers made from existing organic material, such as grass clippings or a compost pile.
However, if growing it from seed isn’t an option, save money by buying less mature plants. For example, purchasing a small tree that won’t produce fruit for years is much more affordable than buying a mature fruit tree.
Butterflies are attracted to the colorful petals of Birmingham’s native Azaleas, such as pink azaleas (Rhododendron periclymenoides). In fact, nearly 20 species of azaleas are native to Alabama, and these plants don’t require a lot of care. However, they attract swallowtails, grey commas, and several other butterflies.
If you want to eliminate yard work, hire a landscaper to do it for you. Experienced professionals know how to maintain a lush lawn and gorgeous garden beds. However, even low-maintenance landscaping requires heavy lifting upfront, so contact a Birmingham lawn care pro to take that weight off your shoulders.
\n\n\n\nMain Photo by: PxFuel
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\n","content":"\nIf you’re looking for new plants to put in your outdoor space, your state’s native flora are often the best candidates. Not only are they beautiful and hardy, but they’re also very beneficial for your local environment. Here are some of the best native plants for Kentucky to help you decide which blooms to add to your landscape.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll cover:
\n\n\n\n![\"Turk’s-cap](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Turks-cap-Lily.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Shenandoah National Park / Flickr / Public Domain Mark 1.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Turk’s Cap Lily is a beautiful and unique wildflower native to a select few counties across Kentucky. Its stunning red-orange flowers face downward and are a great attractor for pollinators, especially hummingbirds and butterflies. At 6 to 9 feet tall fully grown, it can be either an accent plant or a centerpiece for your garden.
\n\n\n\nTurk’s Cap Lily can tolerate either full or partial sun. It has somewhat high water needs, but is low-maintenance and can handle a few different soil types. If you do choose this plant for your landscape, keep in mind that it, like all true lilies, is deathly poisonous to cats.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 7
\n\n\n\nSun: Full to partial sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Moist but well-drained, acidic or neutral sandy or loam soils
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Sweet
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Early to mid summer
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Moderate to high
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 6 to 9 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: Toxic to cats
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Lonicera_sempervirens_-_Coral_honeysuckle_02.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Zeynel Cebeci / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCoral honeysuckle is a flowering vine native to Western and Central Kentucky, one with beautiful red tube-shaped flowers that are beloved by hummingbirds. It can handle either full or partial sun and has fairly low water needs. This honeysuckle can tolerate just about any soil type so long as it’s well drained.
\n\n\n\nSince it’s a climbing plant that needs support to grow, the best way to use coral honeysuckle in your landscape is with a trellis or similar structure. Alternatively, you can let it grow around the pillars of an outdoor structure such as a gazebo in order to give it a nice accent. If you do plant it in your landscape, however, remember that its berries are toxic to humans and that the entire plant is poisonous to pets.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Flowering vine
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full to partial sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Moist but well-drained, all soil types
\n\n\n\nDuration: Semi-evergreen, evergreen in warm climates
\n\n\n\nFragrance: None
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Spring, early summer, and autumn
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Low to moderate
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 8 to 15 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: Berries are toxic to humans, all parts are toxic to pets
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: PumpkinSky / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPurple coneflower is a Central Kentucky native wildflower with, as its name suggests, gorgeous purple petals. It can tolerate either full or partial sun along with a variety of soil types, and its water needs are relatively low. This flower makes a great addition to a flowerbed or container, and since purple coneflower is a favorite of many bee and butterfly species, it’s an especially good choice for a pollinator garden.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Well-drained chalk, loam, or sandy soils
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Sweet, honey
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Mid spring to summer
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Low to moderate
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 2 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None; has medicinal properties
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Yellow](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/8634828149_21c0f182e9_o-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: NatureServe / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSpicebush is a deciduous shrub native to most of Kentucky, one that can tolerate a variety of different soil types and partial shade. Its water needs are higher than most, but not unreasonably so. Its beautiful yellow flowers attract many pollinating insects, making it a great choice for a pollinator garden. If you’re growing a food garden instead, you’ll be happy to know that spicebush is also edible.
\n\n\n\nRegardless of what kind of garden you’re growing, spicebush is a versatile plant to grow in a landscape. It can be used as either a hedge for the border of your property or an accent piece in the landscape itself, though it’s not quite eye-catching enough to be a centerpiece.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun to partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Moist but well-drained clay, loam, or sandy soils
\n\n\n\nDuration: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Allspice
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Spring and autumn
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Moderate to high
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 6 to 12 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None; all parts of the plant except the roots and stems are edible and female plants have edible berries.
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Eastern](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Eastern-Redbud.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Famartin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Eastern Redbud is a deciduous tree native to Kentucky, with gorgeous pink leaves that can add a touch of color to your landscape. It’s also a hardy low-maintenance plant that can handle some shade and practically any soil type, and has reasonable water needs. The best way to use it in your landscape is as a centerpiece or, in the case of smaller individuals, an accent plant.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full to partial sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Must but well-drained, all soil types
\n\n\n\nDuration: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Sweet
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Spring and autumn
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Low to moderate
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 20 to 30 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Swamp](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Swamp-Milkweed.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Fritzflohrreynolds / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSwamp milkweed is another Kentucky native wildflower, one with clusters of tiny pink-and-white flowers that are highly attractive to many species of pollinators, especially the monarch butterfly. It prefers full sun and has higher water needs than most plants, but it’s well worth the effort, as it looks gorgeous in flower beds or containers. Just keep in mind that this plant can be poisonous if too much is ingested, so keep it away from children and small animals.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 11
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Moist but well-drained clay or loam soils
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Vanilla
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Mid to late summer
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Moderate to high
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 4 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: Poisonous in large quantities
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Red](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Red-Columbine.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Jason Hollinger / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRed columbine is a beautiful and hardy wildflower native to Kentucky. It can handle any soil type so long as it’s well drained, and tolerates either full or partial sunlight. This columbine has gorgeous red flowers that face downward and are very attractive to hummingbirds. It makes a great addition to flower beds and looks amazing in pots or other containers.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full to partial sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Moist but well-drained, all soil types
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: None
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Late spring to early summer
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Low to moderate
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 2 to 3 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None; other columbine varieties can be mildly toxic to humans, however
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Giant](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Giant-Goldenrod-Solidago-gigantea.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Syrio / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you need a new native plant for your Kentucky landscape, there’s no better candidate than Kentucky’s state flower. The giant goldenrod is a perennial wildflower that prefers full sun, can handle a variety of soil types, and has above-average water needs. It has gorgeous clusters of tiny yellow flowers that pollinators love.
\n\n\n\nThe best way to grow giant goldenrod depends on the size of the plant. At 3 feet tall on the low end, it makes for a good addition to your flower beds or containers or can be a small accent plant. Ones closer to the 7 feet tall higher end can be bigger accent plants or even a centerpiece or foundation plant.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Acidic or neutral, moist but well-drained clay, loam, or sandy soils
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Floral
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Late summer to autumn
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Moderate to high
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 3 to 7 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None; this plant is edible and has medicinal properties
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Smooth](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Smooth-Blue-Aster.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Joshua Mayer / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSmooth blue aster is a perennial wildflower native to Northern and Southern Kentucky, one that has gorgeous purple-blue flowers with yellow centers. It’s low-maintenance, likes full sun, handles just about any soil type as long as it’s well drained, and doesn’t need a lot of water, making it a great candidate for a low-maintenance landscape.
\n\n\n\nSince smooth blue aster blooms later in the year when many other pollinator plants have closed up shop, it makes a fantastic addition to a pollinator garden to keep them coming in during the later seasons. Regardless of the type of garden you have, this flower is a wonderful addition to your flower beds and looks amazing in containers.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Moist but well-drained, all soil types
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: None
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Late summer to autumn
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Low to moderate
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 2 to 4 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Tulip](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Tulip-Poplar.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Katja Schulz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAs Kentucky’s state tree, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better native tree for your Kentucky landscape than the tulip poplar. This deciduous tree likes full sun, handles a variety of soil types, and has moderate water needs. It’s low-maintenance and has gorgeous yellow flowers that attract pollinators. The best way to use it is as a centerpiece, as at 60 to 80 feet on average, it tends to dominate a landscape.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Tree
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Acidic or neutral, moist but well-drained clay, loam, or sandy soils
\n\n\n\nDuration: Deciduous
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Spicy, magnolia
\n\n\n\nBloom Time/Season of Interest: Mid spring to autumn
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Moderate
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 60 to 80 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\nWhen trying to decide which native plants to install in your Kentucky landscape, the first thing you need to look at is the conditions it has to offer. Every plant has its own individual needs, and if your outdoor space is ill-equipped to support a certain one, you may find yourself struggling to support it. For example, if your landscape gets a lot of sunlight, you need plants that thrive in full sun.
\n\n\n\nYou also need to look at the soil you have. Its pH balance, composition, and drainage are all very important for your plants, native or not. If you don’t know these things yet, find out and choose plants that match your soil’s qualities.
\n\n\n\nAnother good criterion is your area’s hardiness zone. The USDA hardiness zones indicate the average minimum temperature of your area. Most of Kentucky is in 6a to 6b, while a small portion is in 7a. This means that the average minimum temperature is 0 to -10 degrees Fahrenheit for most areas, while that small part is 0 to 10.
\n\n\n\nEvery plant on this list aside from Turk’s Cap Lily is native to the northern areas of Kentucky. However, some plants are only native to a few counties in the area and not the region as a whole. Some of the less-prolific plants on this list are Purple Coneflower, Coral Honeysuckle, Giant Goldenrod, and Smooth Blue Aster.
\n\n\n\nEvery plant on this list is native to Southern Kentucky. However, the majority of them are only native to a few counties and are not prolific throughout the region. These plants are Turk’s Cap Lily, Coral Honeysuckle, Purple Coneflower, Red Columbine, Giant Goldenrod, and Smooth Blue Aster.
\n\n\n\nAll of the plants on this list aside from Purple Coneflower, Red Columbine, and Smooth Blue Aster are native to the western counties in Kentucky. Three, however, are not as prolific as the others and are only native to a few scattered counties; Turk’s Cap Lily, Coral Honeysuckle, and Giant Goldenrod.
\n\n\n\nLouisville’s native plants include, but are not limited to:
\n\n\n\nIf you want to find new native species for your backyard, there’s no better inspiration than Kentucky’s natural places. Take a walk through places like Raven Run Red Trail and look for native plants that you’d like in your landscape. If you do, however, ensure that you never take plants directly from the wild to avoid upsetting a delicate ecosystem.
\n\n\n\nTo ethically and safely procure native plants, look for retailers endorsed by the Kentucky Native Plant Society.
\n\n\n\nIf you’re having trouble maintaining your new landscape, a Kentucky lawn care pro near you can help. Connect with trusted pros in Louisville, Lexington, and many other cities throughout the state.
\n\n\n\nMain Photo Credit: Cryptosporella / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
\n","title":"10 Best Native Plants for Kentucky","featured_media":{"localFile":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/1789c/Tulip-Poplar-1.jpg","srcSet":"/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/107df/Tulip-Poplar-1.jpg 320w,\n/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/293e9/Tulip-Poplar-1.jpg 500w,\n/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/f2cbb/Tulip-Poplar-1.jpg 800w,\n/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/1789c/Tulip-Poplar-1.jpg 960w,\n/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/c26c2/Tulip-Poplar-1.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/1dd6e/Tulip-Poplar-1.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/67b76/Tulip-Poplar-1.webp 320w,\n/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/8df11/Tulip-Poplar-1.webp 500w,\n/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/98a65/Tulip-Poplar-1.webp 800w,\n/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/1dd6e/Tulip-Poplar-1.webp 960w,\n/static/f8ecd54efc20cc4b1dce599e2750472c/3cc96/Tulip-Poplar-1.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"}}}},"yoast_meta":{"yoast_wpseo_title":"Best Native Plants for Kentucky","yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Native plants are an important part of your local ecosystem. Read here to discover some of Kentucky’s best native flora."}}},{"node":{"id":"b14cd4fe-4f86-5be2-a13e-469d23684933","slug":"best-native-plants-milwaukee","path":"/lawn-care/wi/milwaukee/best-native-plants-milwaukee/","status":"publish","template":"","format":"standard","author":{"description":"LaShonda Tucker is a freelance writer, poet, and spoken word artist in Atlanta. She earned her masters from the University of Georgia and enjoys playing her violin.","name":"LaShonda Tucker","id":"f7fdb6d3-a89a-5295-963a-aac47afa7cee","path":"/author/lashonda-tucker/","avatar_urls":{"wordpress_96":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ce61747b62dbfb82f56a8611f2835988?s=96&d=mm&r=g"}},"categories":[{"id":"5bb57152-2e9b-5822-a133-bc84c122adab","name":"Landscaping","count":42,"path":"/category/blog/landscaping/"},{"id":"b1cda10d-ab68-5c45-b93c-b382b813fb0e","name":"Milwaukee","count":2,"path":"/category/lawn-care/wi/milwaukee/"},{"id":"9503671f-e071-545d-b382-450feba6b3a6","name":"Wisconsin","count":7,"path":"/category/lawn-care/wi/"}],"date":"April 7th, 2023","excerpt":"After visiting the art galleries in The Historic Third Ward, you may want to bring some of Milwaukee’s historic charm home with you. While you can’t grab a stage from one of the Third Ward’s theaters, you can set up your yard to reflect the city’s outdoor landscape and the Wisconsin native plants. We’ve found […]
\n","content":"\nAfter visiting the art galleries in The Historic Third Ward, you may want to bring some of Milwaukee’s historic charm home with you. While you can’t grab a stage from one of the Third Ward’s theaters, you can set up your yard to reflect the city’s outdoor landscape and the Wisconsin native plants. We’ve found 9 native plants that thrive in Milwaukee’s short, mild summers and cold winters.
\n\n\n\nIn this article, we’ll cover:
\n\n\n\n![\"a](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/9518319219_495c9ab151_o-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Joshua Mayer / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nNew England aster is a Milwaukee favorite because it blooms for at least 6 weeks, starting from late summer to late fall. It’s built to withstand the cooler temperatures of southeastern Wisconsin.
\n\n\n\nThis flower will stop you in your tracks with its bright pink-reddish daisy-looking petals. As they droop and close at night or when it’s cloudy, they appear to fall asleep. They awaken by reopening to show off their yellow center when the sun returns.
\n\n\n\nNew England aster can tower to heights of 6 feet, easily signaling to butterflies to come and have some of its nectar. If grown in the right conditions, this plant saves you money by reseeding if not cut back after it flowers.
\n\n\n\nNew England aster thrives well in yards with a lot of sun or just a little shade. It’s usually found growing as a prairie plant. Use this daisy look-alike in butterfly gardens and borders.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Flower
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 4 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Sandy, loamy, clay
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nBloom time: Late summer, autumn
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 3 to 6 feet
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Medium. May require staking or other support if it grows tall. Pinch back stems before midsummer to control the plant height and produce more flowers.
\n\n\n\n![\"Bee](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Coneflower-Echinacea.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Wallpaper Flare
\n\n\n\nPurple coneflower’s trademark is its double-flower. A bushier, smaller array of smaller petals resembling pom-poms sit atop longer petals.
\n\n\n\nIt’s a contest between which is more striking, the purple coneflower or the New England aster. Both are rich in color. Also called pink double delight because of its pink-purplish double flowers, the purple coneflower is well-adapted to Milwaukee winters. The flower blooms until the first frost.
\n\n\n\nYou’ll see these flowers generously decorating meadows and prairies. They add wonderful excitement to pollinator gardens, wildflower gardens, and borders. If pink is not your favorite color, no worries. The purple coneflower has cultivars that come in many colors and sizes.
\n\n\n\nPurple coneflower is great for homeowners that don’t want to replant every season. Like the New England Aster, the purple coneflower reseeds if the seed heads are not removed.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Flower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Sandy
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Light, sweet, honey-like
\n\n\n\nBloom time: April to September
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 2 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: None
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\nPhoto Credit: Eric Hunt / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nIf you like bright flowers, the stunning orange petals sprouting from butterfly milkweed’s wide green leaves will be an asset to your garden. On the other hand, if you have children, you may want to stay clear of this plant or use it with caution. This perennial herb, which also goes by the name butterfly weed, is not an herb you want to cook with. It has low poison severity, and all parts are considered poison. It can cause vomiting or spasms if ingested and skin or eye irritation when touched.
\n\n\n\nButterflies, bees, and hummingbirds flock to butterfly milkweed for the nectar. Monarch butterflies depend on milkweed plants for their existence, so you’ll give back to the ecosystem by planting this nonedible herb in your butterfly garden.
\n\n\n\nButterfly milkweed likes to be left alone once planted, so make sure you’re certain when you give it a home. It doesn’t transplant well. Fortunately, it’s pest and disease tolerant and requires little maintenance. It’s a great addition to borders and cottage gardens in yards where small children and pets do not wander into the vegetation.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Perennial herb
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Clay, loam, sand
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Vanilla
\n\n\n\nBloom time: May to September
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low
\n\n\n\nMature height: 1 to 2 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Poisonous to animals and humans if ingested. Possible skin and eye irritant if touched.
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"Red](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Red_Columbine_3630187830-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Jason Hollinger / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nYou can see why red columbine is also called little lanterns. The red and yellow tubular flowers droop. Sometimes the petals can be found flaring out a little, exposing their yellow stamens. This flower may not be ideal if people tend to discard lit cigarettes on your property. Red columbine is moderately flammable.
\n\n\n\nRed columbine is most at home in soils that remain moist and on properties that get a lot of sun. But it will adapt to partial shade. The flowers come in early spring and only last about a month. But the bright green leaves stay through the summer and make a wonderful groundcover.
\n\n\n\nPlanting these little lanterns allows you to give hummingbirds and other birds a reason to visit. Touching the sap could irritate the skin, so be careful. This plant is easy to grow and a great way to complement a city garden or add some flavor to underplantings for roses and shrubs.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Flower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun or partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Clay, silt, or sandy soil that’s well-drained, moist, dry-ish
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nBloom Time: Spring and summer
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Weekly or whenever the soil is completely dry
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 1 to 3 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: Moderately flammable/risk of fire
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low; deadhead blooms as needed, cut back in late summer
\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Showy-Goldenrod.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Dseiver / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nShowy goldenrod’s bright yellow cluster of small petals looks optimistically toward the sky. The flower has medium flammability, so it’s best planted away from areas where the barbeque grill is fired up. It works well with other wildflowers and adds sunshine to wildlife gardens, borders, or flower beds.
\n\n\n\nIt’s well-adapted to most soils, so if you have dry or poor soil, showy goldenrod will not let you down. It even self-seeds. The butterflies and birds coming for a nibble are a nice treat for homeowners, but get ready for the bees and beetles it also attracts.
\n\n\n\nPlant type: Flower
\n\n\n\nHardiness zones: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun, partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Rocky, clay
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Mild
\n\n\n\nBloom Time: July to September
\n\n\n\nWater needs: Low to medium
\n\n\n\nMature height: 1 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential hazards: Medium flammability
\n\n\n\nMaintenance: Low to Medium; May have to divide it every 2 years for size management.
\n\n\n\n![\"beautiful](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/5992418976_afc9bf5fe7_o-1-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
\n\n\n\nMake sure no one uses this flower as an ashtray, as it’s moderately flammable. Flammability appears to be a theme with many of these native Milwaukee plants. But don’t let that scare you away. This flower makes up for its fire rating with other desirable qualities, like being tolerable to multiple soil types, including poor soil, which is not uncommon in Milwaukee.
\n\n\n\nThe wild bergamot’s essential oil is a natural repellent to certain mosquito species, which is another benefit of this native plant. The lavender tubular flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. If Bambi and Bugs Bunny like to visit your yard, you’ll appreciate the deer- and rabbit-resistant qualities of wild bergamot.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Flower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun or partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Shallow, rocky soil or clay that’s moist, well-drained, or dry-ish
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Yes; of mint and oregano emitted from foliage
\n\n\n\nBloom Time: Summer
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Natural rainfall should be sufficient; withstands dry soil for a while
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 2 to 4 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: Moderately flammable/risk of fire
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low; drought-tolerant, resistant to deer and rabbits
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Prairie_Blazing_Star_Liatris_pycnostachya_-_9395264385-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: wackybadger / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0
\n\n\n\nThis flower blooms from the top down. For four weeks or more, these purple, white, or pink fuzzy flowers sit atop tall multi-pronged grass-like leaves. Milwaukee bird lovers love to send these stars blazing in their gardens because they’re easy to grow and maintain, and they feed birds in the winter.
\n\n\n\nBlazing stars are cold, heat, and drought tolerant. Use them as perennial borders or in native gardens. If you’re trying to impress someone who appreciates nature, put some in a dried flower arrangement as a gift. They’ll stand out like a captured shooting star.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Flower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun or partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Moist clay, silt, or sandy soil that’s well-drained
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: None
\n\n\n\nBloom Time: Summer
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Low, does not need additional watering once established
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 1 to 5 feet, depending on species
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: N/A
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low once established; They require deadheading regularly, which is pruning away seed heads and old growth to allow re-flowering and new growth.
\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Rattlesnakemaster-1-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Crazytwoknobs / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0
\n\n\n\nRattlesnake Master has a q-tip looking, ball-shaped appearance at its tip. The white parts stick out like porcupine needles. This perennial forb tends to clump together in clusters when growing.
\n\n\n\nIt’s forgiving of soil type, as it thrives in many types, but it prefers well-drained soil. Rattlesnake master is drought-tolerant, so it should work well in a xeriscape design. It has no known toxic hazards to humans, but it has sharp, spiky leaves, so you may not want to touch it.
\n\n\n\nPlant this evergreen in city gardens, or use it as a border or in your flower garden. This plant gets floppy if grown in too much shade. Unless you want wilted-looking plants, make sure this rattlesnake is placed somewhere with lots of sun.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Evergreen wildflower
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun
\n\n\n\nSoil: Prefers loamy, dry sand and well-drained soil; Adapts well to most soil, including clay and shallow rocky soils
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Honey
\n\n\n\nBloom Time: Mid-summer
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Low once established
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 3 to 5 feet
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: None known
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low
\n\n\n\n![\"dark](\"https://wp.wikilawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/American_elderberry_Sambucus_canadensis1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Rison Thumboor / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
\n\n\n\nYou may already be familiar with the health benefits many attribute to elderberry. Elderberry is an eye-opener with its bright green leaves. It also encourages you to take a deep breath to inhale its lemon-scented white flowers that bloom in the summer.
\n\n\n\nBirds flock to the dark berries. If the birds aren’t stingy, they leave a little of the fruit to be made into jellies and jams. The best part is the elderberry wine that is made from this deciduous shrub. But you must be careful to prepare the plant properly. If ingested uncooked, it can make you sick. This plant is great for hedges and, of course, edible gardens.
\n\n\n\nPlant Type: Deciduous Shrub
\n\n\n\nUSDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
\n\n\n\nSun: Full sun or partial shade
\n\n\n\nSoil: Prefers moist, well-drained soils rich in organic matter. Tolerates a wide range of soil types, including sandy and clay soils.
\n\n\n\nDuration: Perennial
\n\n\n\nFragrance: Lemon
\n\n\n\nBloom Time: Summer, typically between June and July
\n\n\n\nWater Needs: Prefers moist soils but once established, tolerates periods of drought
\n\n\n\nMature Height: 12 feet tall, 10 feet wide/
\n\n\n\nPotential Hazards: Uncooked berries and other plant parts contain a chemical that can cause nausea and vomiting
\n\n\n\nMaintenance Needs: Low. Prune in late winter or early spring to maintain its shape.
\n\n\n\nWhile native plants are adapted to the local environment, each plant has its own unique characteristics and needs. Choose plants that thrive best on your property’s conditions and your maintenance schedule. For example, if a plant needs a lot of water and you have no irrigation system and don’t plan on watering it regularly, it’s not the best choice.
\n\n\n\nBe familiar with your property’s soil type. You don’t want to buy plants that thrive best in well-drained soil if your soil tends to retain water. You also want to be mindful of plants that may be harmful to pets or children, if you have any.
\n\n\n\nThe bottom line is that it’s best to choose plants that are well-suited for your yard’s conditions, your availability for upkeep and maintenance, and your family’s composition and lifestyle.
\n\n\n\nThe best time to plant is about six weeks before the hard frost, which is when the temperature is consistently below 28 degrees Fahrenheit. This is usually in September and October.
Native plants help maintain the Milwaukee ecosystem and create a natural habitat and food source for local butterflies, pollinators, insects, birds, and wildlife. Native species are adapted to the city’s climate, so they take less work to maintain and require less water and fertilizer.
Knowing your area’s hardiness zone helps you pick plants that thrive best in that climate. Milwaukee is in southeastern Wisconsin, zone 5. Zones 3 and 4 also make up Wisconsin.
If you’ve been to Lake Park, you’ve seen native plants. Look around you as you’re driving or walking, and you’ll notice the beautiful native greenery and the birds, butterflies, and other wildlife they attract.
\n\n\n\nCheck out these local native plant nurseries in the Milwaukee area recommended by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources:
\n\n\n\nPlant native greenery and watch your yard come alive with color, butterflies, and birds. You don’t have to stop there. Bring even more excitement to your property with other low-maintenance landscaping designs.
\n\n\n\nAnother secret to a low-maintenance yard? Leaving it to the pros. Connect with a local lawn care pro who can mow, trim, edge, and tend to the yard.
\n\n\n\nMain Image Credit: Purple coneflowers / James St. John / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
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