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This garden design showcases the many diverse ways you can bring native plants into just about any landscape. The photos show the site at the start of the process. Have a look at the design below to see the different plants and how they’re used.
For a large area, consider a seeded pollinator meadow. The majority of the garden at Bunker Hills was grown from a native seed mix This can take time, often three years or more for a seeded meadow to show a diversity of blooms and mature plants. But seeding a large area can be very cost-effective compared with purchasing and planting hundreds or even thousands of plant plugs.
For a site with existing trees or shade, consider a woodland planting. Many native woodland plants have adapted to tolerate dry to wet soil conditions, and full shade to part sunlight. Many of these plants won’t have the most showy flowers, but their leaf color and texture really stand out! The Blue Thumb Plant Finder can help you find the best native plants for even more challenging sites.
If you are lucky enough to have a sunny spot that many people walk by, you’ll never go wrong with a classic butterfly garden. Garden designer Diana Grundeen, of Trio Landscaping, took advantage of the sunny walkway to showcase some of the most popular pollinator plants in gardens across Minnesota. The design shows how smaller plants closer to high-traffic areas can prevent taller blooms from flopping into the walkway, keeping it inviting and accessible.
