Otsego Conservation District

Otsego Conservation District

“Your gateway to natural resource management”

Planting a Native Garden

Before You Start
There are a number of things to consider when planting a native garden.

Sun vs. Shade
How much sun will your garden get? Although some native wildflowers, such as the woodland sunflower, are shade tolerant, many need at least a couple of hours of sun each day. Others, such as the swamp milkweed, cannot tolerate the shade at all.

Credit: Dr. Thomas Barnes/USFWS
Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica Needs some sun to survive	Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata Shade Intolerant

Wet vs. Dry
Are you planting in a wetland or a dry area?

Credit: Dr. Thomas Barnes/USFWS
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis Found in wetlands 99% of the time in Michigan.	Culver’s Root Veronicastrum virginicum Equally likely to be found in wetlands or non-wetlands in Michigan

Riparian Gardens
Are you planting a buffer strip on a lakeshore or stream bank? There are many advantages to abandoning a mown lawn at water’s edge. Native plants provide wildlife habitat and help filter contaminants from water leaving your property and entering a stream or lake. In addition their deep root systems minimize erosion. Plus, you’ll never have to mow again!

Attracting Insects
Do you want to attract butterflies, pollinators, or natural enemies of garden pests?
Aesthetics
When will your flowers bloom and what colors will they be?

Spring Native Species Catalog 2012
A catalog of the species to be started in the greenhouse, plus quick plant information such as which are shade tolerant, drought tolerant, and wetland species.
Types of Native Gardens
These garden plans help you find which species will do well where. Follow the above link and click on each for a list of species and bloom periods.