Going Native Doesn’t Mean a Jungle in Your Front Yard
Not mowing your lawn and just calling it native is not exactly the idea behind the native plants movement. If you don’t believe it ask your neighbors and city authorities! There’s a misconception that native means a jungle-like area navigated only by an explorer wearing a pith helmet. Dr. Livingstone I presume? There are many beautiful plants native to Kansas and Missouri that can be incorporated into home landscaping and compliment virtually any garden or larger areas.
As we know, our Missouri and Kansas weather is variable at best and maddening at worst. How many gardens have been laid waste by a late spring frost or mid-summer drought? Native plants are better suited to the vagaries of a mid-western climate. Their roots reach deep into the soil and aren’t disturbed as much by drought or flood. They use and need less water or perfect soil. This also means they’re excellent for use in erosion control. Fertilizer use can be minimized and reduce run-off that can end up in ground water or lakes and streams.
For the amateur bird or animal watcher native plants attract a large variety of birds with food and cover and will give you and your family year-round viewing enjoyment. Varieties such as Western Sunflower, Prairie Blazing Star, Butterfly Weed or Purple Coneflower are excellent garden plants that attract birds and butterflies and provide food and cover for wildlife. Smaller plants like Prairie Dropseed have interesting foliage and seed heads and provide cover for smaller animals such as toads.
Rain gardens allow for 30% more rainwater absorption than a comparable size area of turf and allows for the slow absorption of water into the ground instead of run-off into a storm drain. Plants such as Culver’s Root, Cardinal Flower or Lobelia add color and interest to these gardens.
If you live in an outlying area but still have neighbors, encourage them to plant hedgerows of native trees and shrubs to create wildlife corridors so they can travel freely and increase your viewing pleasure. You’ll be amazed as you see deer, ground hogs, owls or maybe even coyote take a stroll.
If you’d like to see how native plants can improve your yard, reduce your gardening time and help conserve our Missouri and Kansas landscape give us a call at Prestige One. You can reach Roye at 816-796-7548.