Landscaping with native plants makes sense for small and large landscapes. Whether you have 40 acres in the country, a yard in town, or several containers on your patio, you can turn to the prairies and woodlands around you for inspiration.
Native plant gardens celebrate regional differences, giving you a deep sense of the land upon which you live. You rediscover the exotically beautiful indigenous plants that were here before our landscapes were homogenized. Through close contact, you experience the natural processes through four seasons of changing color and texture.
Native plants of the Great Plains are adapted to the soil, climate and natural water supply of the region. Once established, they thrive without large inputs of water, herbicides and pesticides. They grow in colonies, reminding us to landscape by grouping plants with the same cultural needs.
By providing a home for species which are losing more of their wild habitat, biodiversity is enhanced and local gene pools are perpetuated. Planting a variety of natives provides food and shelter for many beneficial insects, which pollinate flowers and bring the garden to life.
Landscape Design Ideas
Here are a few design ideas for small and large spaces. They offer the trademark beauty of a prairie garden — changing colors and textures throughout spring, summer and fall. In the winter, seedheads are a pleasant reminder of what was, and contain the promise of what will be.
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