By Nora Saintz, CNLP

Native plants enhance both beauty and ecological function, turning ordinary landscapes into resilient designs that connect with their surroundings. These regional treasures create gardens that are both wild and intentional. The following are things to consider when using native plants to enhance your yard.

Consider design fundamentals.

Add visual interest with layers: Use groundcovers like wild ginger and sedges for living mulch, mid-height perennials like coneflower and bee balm for color, native shrubs like serviceberry and ninebark for structure, and trees to frame it all.

Utilize the inherent growth patterns of native plants instead of opposing them.

Arrange plants with similar requirements in groups or clusters that resemble natural groupings. This method results in a unified visual effect while enabling plants to interact as they do in their natural environment.

Natural color palettes emerge with seasonal natives.

Spring’s woodland phlox brings pastels, summer’s prairie flowers offer bold oranges and purples, and autumn’s asters add rich blues and mauves. Winter interest comes from seedheads and ornamental grasses with subtle tans and russets.

Include hardscape elements that work well with native plants.

Use stone pathways, wooden benches, and water features to improve the design, and provide access and focal points. Surround more vigorous plantings with neat borders to indicate a planned design.

When positioning taller native plants and grasses, take into consideration the views from within your home.

These dynamic elements can introduce motion and light, enhancing windows that might otherwise offer static vistas.

Using native plants in landscape design allows gardens to reflect their local environments and change naturally over the seasons.

Nora Saintz is a Certified Nursery Landscape Professional and Owner of Gardenette. Learn more at www.mygardenette.com, or call 716-508-0852.