Unpacking Native Landscaping
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Compared to non-native ornamentals, native plants are hardier, less expensive, easier to maintain, and supply more resources to wildlife. They’ve adapted over millennia to the unique habitats of northern Illinois.
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Eileen Davis, Environmental Educator
It can sometimes feel daunting, though, to start native landscaping if you have limited experience working with local species. Take some tips and tricks from Davis, who’s cultivated them in her yard for 18 years.
start with the basics
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the plants you your neighbors use native F Identify F Do already have in your yard. plants in their yard? What do you like about them? native plants found F Research What would you do differently? in your area. Take a walk Might they share seeds or in the preserves and observe what’s growing. Do any plants catch your eye? Where are they found—in an open, sunny field, or in shady woods? What time of year are they blooming?
delve into design your property. Use F Study graph paper to make a map
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to scale. Do any areas hold water after a heavy rain? What parts get full sun (six hours or more per day) for most of the growing season? Which portions are shadier (four hours or fewer of sun per day)? Decide if you want to use native plants in a traditional, manicured way or in a naturalized form like you would see in the preserves.
plant some roots
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divide plants? Remove all non-native invasive species. Test your soil conditions. This will help you identify which plants will do best.
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around existing structures. F Plan Install paths, stone walls
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and pavers before plants. Design for blooms throughout the growing season. Remember to add fall bloomers such as asters and goldenrods, which are great sources of fuel for migrating butterflies. Advertise and humanize. Make your garden look intentional with pathways, bird baths, benches or a sign reading Garden” or “Butterfly “Native Garden.”
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taller plants in back, hesitate to move plants F Place F Don’t shorter plants in front. around. You will know if a location suits them F Plant in odd-numbered groups. particular by how well they grow. Listen to them. plants space to grow. F Give Check maximum height and your garden in spring F Plant width for each species. or fall. Avoid summer heat. Native plants Shown on pageS 4‑5: A. Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum), B. Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii), C. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), D. Compass Plant (Silphium Laciniatum), E. Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis), F. Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
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LAK E COUNTY FOR E ST PRE S E RVES
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