After l listened to a webinar with Doug Tallamy ( 2/19/21 ) , expert in insect and plant interrelationships and source ofBringing Nature HomeandNature ’s Best Hope , I started to alter my position on setting out a newfangled garden design . My original end for refashion the mid-90s landscape painting was to use native plantings to make a low - maintenance pattern , and that ’s still my destination . I am intrigued , however , by the musical theme of working with the conception ofproductive vs. ornamental .
This article will centre on several ideas :
CURRENT LANDSCAPE
About one year ago , we moved to a property of 7 Accho , with much of that acreage still devoted to growing hay . There were only 8 tree diagram when we moved in : 3 tears willows ; a lamentable Japanese maple ; an cosmetic plum and a redbud , both removed ; a flush it weeping cherry in the centre of the circular drive ; and a crepe Vinca minor . The “ garden ” in the centre of the drive had cypress bush in accession to the weeping cherry and the property is in full Dominicus . The menage is built up on a cumulus of imported surface soil ; the south side of the attribute is low and very pie-eyed ; the east , west , and Frederick North sides are categoric and dryer , with some seasonal wetness . Our landscape painting is exchangeable to many new construction site , although the house is about 25 years old . I think many homeowners might face these same challenge to varying degrees .
Much of the soil is pathetic , because all the exposed surfaces such as the center planting area in the circular cause , base beds , and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree rings were all covered in white landscape stone . Although the stone is an effective weed deterrent , it does n’t break down and enrich the grime ; it does n’t tolerate for adding any amendments ; it compact the territory ; and it stir up up planting to a terrible academic degree in the summer . absent the landscape rocks was a precedency . We then add several specie of aboriginal tree diagram to leave some shade , to provide secrecy on the southern side , to assist soak up the moisture on that same side , and to get the clod rolling on play back a healthy ecosystem . River birch ( Betula nigra ) , boast photograph at the top of this article , was one of the species we chose for the wet area .
SOIL TESTING , pH , AND work WITH SITE CONDITIONS
One of the first things we did was to get asoil test through the Virginia Cooperative Extension function . We tested three areas : the front of the theater , the back , and the rotary “ garden ” in the private road . The front and the circular garden had acidic grime with a pH of 6.0 . The back yard was even more acidic with a pH of 5.5 .
Now let ’s consider what these pH numbers imply for constitute on the property . As the soil test argue , our property is very acid , peculiarly in the back orbit . I recently re - listened to a webinar by Larry Weaner ( 2020 ) from New Directions in American Landscaping ( NDAL ) . His presentation addressedhow acidulent filth could work in our favour to help make a scurvy - maintenance , aboriginal plant landscape painting . Grass require a inert to canonical grime . Grass needs more nutrients to thrive , and canonical soil more readily publish nutrient . A pH of about 6.0 - 7.2 is considered optimal for nerveless - season grasses . Kentucky bluegrass , one of the most wide used nerveless - time of year turfgrasses , grows best when soil pH is between 6.5 and 7.2 . To encourage Gunter Wilhelm Grass in our acidulent soil , we would need to add up limestone to bring up the pH.A bank note on pH : although the differences observe above may not seem significant , there is a ten - fold increase in acidity for every decrement by one whole pH unit . For example , a territory with a pH of 5.5 is ten times more acidic than a soil with a pH of 6.5 , and a soil with pH of 4.5 is 100 times more acid than the soil with a pH of 6.5 .
Many native hayfield perennial , on the other hand , can fly high in acid , dispirited - nutrient territory ; they are also drought resistive . aboriginal hayfield perennials are suited to our full - sun belongings . To encourage native perennial over sod , I should tot up sulfur if the stain is alkaline . But I do n’t involve to add S because our filth is already acid . I do n’t need to add plant food , because in oecumenical , native hayfield perennial do n’t call for fat soil . Unlike sod , they also do n’t necessitate supplementary watering , except while getting established . aboriginal flora have evolve an evolutionary account with aboriginal insects . This host - plant differentiation create a healthy food web where natural insect marauder will reduce the motivation for insecticides . condition of course favor what I would like to do , which means that sustainment will be lower . I ’ll be workingwithour conditions , rather than attempt to fake them into something else .
PLANT CHARACTERISTICS AND LOW MAINTENANCE
Larry Weaner also addressed how to utilise works characteristics in the design of low - upkeep landscape . Before I look at specific plants , I ’ll debate how towork with , rather than against , the born behavior of plant groups .
Root Systemsin Maintenance Planning
Plants have either spreading root systems ( often shallow , unchewable root systems ) , or clop root scheme ( more succinct , spring up down more than out , with a tap root ) . Rhizomatic systems are slurred , fleshyunderground stemsthat pass around outward from the plant like spreading source systems . Rhizomes may be either spreading or clop .
When considering plant option for a particular field , it is authoritative toconsider whether plants have a clop ontogeny habit , or a spreading growth habit . In general , maintenance may be minimized in a smaller , well - define garden by using plants that are clumpers , rather than spreaders . Of course , some plants spread slowly , and some scatter more aggressively . For big spaces that you want to fill up , spreader fit the bank bill .
From Central to Perimeter Garden Locations
You may want to reckon works withspreading versus clunking root systems in visible radiation of law of proximity to the business firm . It direct time and effort to fight against aggressive open when that feature is not become to the situation . As you move away from the business firm , large drifts of spread perennials orsuckering woody plantsmay be just what you want . This will reduce upkeep by reducing the demand to weed . It is also a neat way to elaborate the plant al-Qaida without buying fresh plant for large areas . Therefore , for our orbitual garden , I would lean towards perennials with clumping tooth root systems . For areas that will be naturalized away from the household , I would lean heavily toward plants with circulate base systems .
In the photo above , the suckering shrubs on the right hand admit Sweet Pepperbush ( Clethra alnifolia‘Ruby Spice ‘ ) and Sweetspire‘Little Henry ‘ ( Itea virginica ) , both aboriginal to coastal Virginia . Itea virginicaislarval hostfor theSpring Azurebutterfly . bee , butterflies , and hummingbird utilize the flowers ofClethra alnifolia . These shrubs are implant in a wet area of our landscape .
Using Competition for Selection and Maintenance
Plan a competitive piece of plants so that there will be little open quad to allow weed to thrive . Plant taller plant with go around roots that will crowd out weeds that want sunlight for seed sprouting . Plants that go around sharply will “ acquire ” over clopping plants , but this competition necessitate time to recreate out . If you are garden close to the house , you may not want to wait for the winners to take control . For these areas , you may desire to weed out undesirables . The further you move away from the firm , the more patient you may become with allowing competitor to develop winners .
Weeding and kerfuffle
Weeding is a two - butt against blade : we desire to avoid herbicides , and so we overstretch green goddess manually . attract , however , disturb the land . noise creates empty quad which allows seeds to spud . Rather than pulling smoke , Larry Weaner favour cut weeds below the canopy of surrounding plant ; this will reduce available sun and prevent weeds from germinating . He also advises cutting and apply an weed killer , if necessary , with a paint applicator . Over time , the ejaculate bank will change from sens seed to the native plant seeds .
It study Time
Weaner point out that low upkeep landscapes are not low upkeep when they ’re being established . It takes sentence for flora to work out their natural dominance . It fill meter to modify the seed bank . You ca n’t just take it prosperous in the start .
ORNAMENTAL VS . PRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES
Beauty is in the Eye of the Caterpillar
When we view our landscape as a place where we can go under up the right condition for nature to flourish , our focus shifts from designing ornamental landscape todesigning productive landscapes . Doug Tallamy punctuate that or else of focusing on native flora , we should be focusing onproductive native plants . How is “ productive ” defined?Plants that provide food for Caterpillar are productive plants . Surprisingly,5 % of aboriginal plants provide 75 % of food for thought for caterpillars . The most significant change we can accomplish as gardener is to develop landscape painting that support caterpillars . Recent research by Doug Tallamy demonstrates that for a place to digest a multifariousness of lifespan , native flora species must symbolize at least 70 % of the biomass in the landscape . Below this critical verge , food web flop and habitats unravel . When designing new areas in our landscape , or tot up to existing gardens , 70 % is an important guideline . But recall , within this 70 % , some plants are much more efficient than others in brook caterpillars .
Using Keystone Plants
Tallamy describes the most productive native plants as keystone plants . These speciesattract the most cat to our gardens , which means these plants will give the most to our ecosystems . Oaks ( Quercusspp . ) are the purple family of keystone plant . Tallamy has pointed out that there are over 90 coinage of oaks , let in shrub - similar oaks and low - grow oak . Other examples ofkeystone generainclude : Prunus(cherry),Salix(willow),Betula(birch),Acer(maple , boxelder ) andMalus(crabapple , apple ) . He advises us to be “ fussy ” when selecting flora because insect herbivores are specialiser . These insects can develop and reproduce only on those plants with whom they have an evolutionary history . This is why usinglocally - nativeplants is crucial . The Native Plant Finder ( By Zipcode),described below , lists plantsin parliamentary procedure of their productivity , i.e. , their value as keystone plant .
USING DATABASES TO SELECT NATIVES
Selecting the right plant postulate a committal of meter and effort , but once the planting are in place , maintenance will be reduced , and the natural machinery of rebuilding ecosystems will start to whir . There are many websites that provide database for native plants , but we ’ll look at these four :
Native Plant Finder ( By Zip Code)is a database that mother down to the local degree when searching for plants native to your region . industrial plant can be research based on category such as tree and shrubs , wildflower , etc . It does not give plant requirement such as moisture or sunlight . This resource range aboriginal plantsby the telephone number of butterfly stroke and moth coinage that apply them . Doug Tallamy is a enquiry partner in this database .
Piedmont Natives Plant Databaselets you search by categories such as Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and shrubs , wildflowers , etc . , and providesinformation on plant needs , industrial plant feature , and total issue of plants that meet your hunting criteria . You ca n’t filter out your search based on flora needs or machine characteristic . It also provides a link to the USDA Database .
The DCR - Department of Conservation and Recreationdatabase listsplants native to Virginia according to 3 part : Mountains , Piedmont , and Coastal . It also allows you to specify industrial plant type , and requirements of light and moisture , works altitude , and attractive force to bees , monarchs , butterfly stroke , and hummingbirds .
Audubon Native Plants Database By Zip Code , allows you to search forbirds that are often attracted to aboriginal plant life in your local country . you may enter shrubs , tree , perennial , grass , etc . As an example , a hunt on bush in zilch codification 22901 produced 34 full bush leave out of a sum of 450 total results . The hoot attracted to each bush are also listed . ForSouthern Arrowwood ( Viburnum dentanum ) , for example , 18 raspberry species are listed .
AN EXAMPLE OF USING database FOR PLANT SELECTION
wild flower
I had identified meadow perennial as in force candidates for our sunny website . Let ’s depend at thePiedmont Native Plant Databaseand see if purple cone blossom ( Echinacea ) is native to Albemarle County . It is not ; that perennial is native to central to southeastern United States , with some specie native to Illinois and the Chicago region . This database does list 178 wildflowers that are aboriginal to Albemarle . Let ’s check theNative Plant Finder(By Zip Code)for wildflowers native to zip computer code 22901 . In this database , native plants are ranked in order ofthe routine of butterfly and moth specie that apply them as host plants for caterpillars . The top 4 species are especially productive : goldenrod ( Solidago ) ; aster ; strawberry ; and helianthus ( Helianthus ) , and so I add these to my list . Would I also includeEchinaceaamong my hayfield plant selections ? I certainly would as it is one of my favorites , and the seeds are attractive to birds , particularly goldfinches , in the wintertime . I will proceed to use this database to check on the attraction of plants to caterpillars . By emphasizing local wildflowers , I will be sure to cater food for caterpillars that have evolved with aboriginal plants local to our country .
Shrubs
get local shrubs that meet our site conditions was less successful . ThePiedmont Native Plant Databaseprovides a chart of aboriginal plants with a verbal description of plant needs . A total of 62 bush are identified as native to Albemarle County . I search the list for shrubs that ask full Dominicus , and average / high moisture . I did this by plane the list;there is n’t a search subroutine based on sun and wet prerequisite . One plant life run into these criteria : Swamp rebel ( Rosa pallustris ) . This shrub likes boggy - to - wet land in full sun , but it also prefers acid , organically rich ground . Our soil is not organically rich . There has been no foliage litter enriching the soil in our treeless landscape painting . I will still investigate swampland arise . Although it ’s aboriginal to Albemarle , it ’s not aboriginal to our local zip codification of 22901 .
It is difficult to discover native bush that like both high-pitched wet and full Lord’s Day , so I decided to be less restrictive , and habituate a database that definesVirginia by region , rather than by county . I searchedThe DCR - Department of Conservation and Recreationfor Virginia using thePiedmont region as the venue , and I sieve for plantconditions of full sunshine and high wet . This database has easy - to - use hunt tools . I found 8 shrubs . Our holding has a lot of cervid pressure because of the hay fields . Therefore , I decide at this head to eliminate 7 out of 8 shrubs . Ninebark ( Physocarpus opulifolius ) seems to stay a good prospect . It ’s described as being kind of juiceless - to - tight shape .
I am confused , however , because although this shrub is list as anAlbemarle County indigene , it did not rise up in my original search based on in high spirits - wet needs or allowance . When I went back to check , I recognize that , although the database shows industrial plant feature in ecumenical , it did n’t supply that information for ninebark , and so I had missed bring the bush to my high - moisture inclination . Ninebark is listed in theNative Plant Finderbased on zip code22901 . That land site does n’t include moisture indigence or sunlight requirements . It is used as an initial covert for identifying local aboriginal , and as a source for caterpillar productivity . Ninebark is place issue 15 in trees and shrubs because it is a host shrub for 31 metal money of caterpillars . voice well . I plan to give it a endeavour , but I ’ll look for thestraight speciesandavoid the many ninebark cultivars that offer pretty foliation other than green . Although I might like the jazzier colors , cat do not . They seem to wish greens . One last check at the Audubon database shows thatninebark is attractive to many bird metal money .
When I searched on theNative Plant Finder by Zip codification 22901,four viburnum bush issue forth up , including Southern Arrowwood ( Viburnum dentanum ) and Blackhaw ( Viburnum prunifolium ) . Both are list on theVirginia DCRdatabase for the Piedmont region as growing inmoderate wet , and they are in moderate wet spot in our landscape . I also bang from experience that although these shrub are often listed as cervid immune , they need trade protection when young or the deer will defoliate them . Also , be aware that Blackhaw can reach up to 30′ improbable at maturity , another characteristic to evaluate in choice and placement .
This bush search presentment is n’t a nice , smashing lesson ; in fact , it ’s cumbersome . However , I think it ’s agood illustration of how to use the different databases for specific entropy . It also demonstrates how sensitive the hunting are to standard such as dry , medium moisture , or high moisture . Or , full sunlight vs. part shade . dissimilar databases also sort out plant as having slightly dissimilar industrial plant requirements . It takes a moment of experiment !
work TOGETHER
Homegrown National Parkis an organization founded by Doug Tallamy and Michelle Alfandari . This fascinatingly simple conception call on people to make modest changes in their landscapes that , over time , together with the efforts of their neighbors , will make a huge change in the wellness of our ecosystem . It ’s a way for the little guy rope to become a hero — who does n’t want to be a part of that ! As Doug Tallamy points out :
83 % of land in the U.S. is privately owned . If we implant native on 50 % of private land , we would reestablish biodiversity … and we can do it starting NOW .
SeeHomegrown National Parkfor selective information — and inhalation !
SUMMARY
The bionomic benefit of planting with aboriginal are well - recognized . This article exploreshow to use plant characteristic in designing low - maintenance , aboriginal landscape painting . Selectproductivenativeplants that put up food for caterpillars and attract pollinator . As Tallamy advises , be crabbed when take plants : 5 % of native plant supply 75 % of caterpillar food . Rebuilding a healthy ecosystem starts with theselection of backbone plants that are aboriginal to your areaand suited to your growing condition . Choosing well - suited plants intend lower care . Become familiar with using native plant databasesthat will serve you choose the right-hand plant . Remember that you ’re not alone in your efforts . consider of your landscape as one fleck in the larger ecosystem of other home gardens .
SOURCES
“ divvy up with weed , Deer , and Other Garden Hurdles , ” Larry Weaner , New Directions in American Landscapes ( NDAL),https://ndal.org/
“ Nature ’s Best Hope : A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard , ” Douglas W. Tallamy , GreenScapes Symposium , 2/19/21 .
Natures ’s Best Hope , Douglas W. Tallamy , Timber Press , 2019
“ Keystone Plants , ” Pennsylvania Native Plant Society , http://www.panativeplantsociety.org / uploads/1/7/8/2/17829397 / notes_nps_sept19.pdf
“ Rewilding,”https://www.ecolandscaping.org/02 / designing - ecologic - landscapes / eatable - landscaping / what - is - rewilding/
“ Liming Turfgrass Areas , ” PennState Extension , https://extension.psu.edu / liming - turfgrass - areas
“ Low Maintenance Landscaping , ” University of Missouri Extension , https://extension.missouri.edu / publications / g6902
“ How to get going a Native Plant Garden : slow , Beautiful Home Gardens that Support the Local Ecology , ” Virginia Native Plant Society , https://vnps.org / how - to - start - a - native - plant - garden/
“ Native Plants for the Small Yard , ” Ecological Landscape Alliance , https://www.ecolandscaping.org/11 / develop - healthy - landscapes / ecological - landscaping-101 / native - plants - for - the - belittled - yard - slow - beautiful - home - gardens - that - support - the - local - ecology/
“ Dividing Perennials , ” Clemson Cooperative Extension , https://hgic.clemson.edu / factsheet / dividing - perennials/(discusses spread vs. clumping tooth root and lean plant in each class )
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center , https://www.wildflower.org / plants/
Piedmont Natives Plant Database , http://webapps.albemarle.org / NativePlants / default.aspx
Native Plant Finder ( by Zip Code , ranked by the issue of butterfly and moth mintage that use them as host plants for their caterpillars),https://www.nwf.org / nativePlantFinder / plants
Audubon Native Plant List By Zip Code , https://www.audubon.org / native - plants / search?zipcode=22901&active_tab = best_results&attribute=&attribute_tier1=&resource=&resource_tier1=&bird_type=&bird_type_tier1=&page=1&page_tier1=1
DCR - Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation , https://www.dcr.virginia.gov / natural - heritage / native - plants - discoverer
Feature Photo : River Birch ( Betula nigra),larval host plant for 321 moths and butterfliesPhoto : John Ruter , University of Georgia , Bugwood.org
