My wildflower garden

[Ross]

My sideyard is completely landscaped using Michigan native plants. I have 4 ecosystems - Upland shrub, prairie, wetland, pond. Here is how everything looks now:



There are a few inevitable non-natives like Persian Lilac bushes, Japanese decorative grasses, and Burning Bush, but they serve the purpose of roost branches for the birds and hiding spots for neighborhood cats . This yard has been designated a "Natural Backyard Wildlife Habitat" by National Wildlife Federation.

Thanks for looking

[Chubidubi]

THAT IS SO COOL!!! You're a very smart man Ross

[Becca]

Ross...you have one of those yards that I would stop and drool over if I was walking by!

[Royal]

Very impressive Ross! My gardening interests trend toward the natives as well. Grow any native orchids in there? A Cypripedium popping up out of there would be sooo cool!

How did you go about that NWF designation?

[Ross]

Register Your Yard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat - National Wildlife Federation

I've been trying to find my page on NWF site, but they've changed the web site and I am pretty much lost. When I finally find it, I'll post a link here.

Here's link to application:
http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifeh...pplication.pdf

Here's another Link for Royal:
National Wildlife Federation: Calling All Texas Wildlife Gardeners!

[kiki-do]

Oh Ross, I love it! It's a place to sit and read or meditate. So beautiful! The orange plant in the first picture, is that Lantana? I can't quite make that out. I am not the right zone to grow that as a perennial, so don't bother trying that one, but it is very pretty.
Joe Pye Weed in the second, right? Very very pretty place, a little heaven on earth.

[kavanaru]

Ross, your garden is lovely! I really like the idea of local wild plants in the garden... I think there are 1000s of local plants everywhere, which are great looking and have a better performance than most of the "fashion" plants that are normally found at the standard nurseries..

[Ross]

Originally Posted by kiki-do

Oh Ross, I love it! It's a place to sit and read or meditate. So beautiful! The orange plant in the first picture, is that Lantana? I can't quite make that out. I am not the right zone to grow that as a perennial, so don't bother trying that one, but it is very pretty.
Joe Pye Weed in the second, right? Very very pretty place, a little heaven on earth.

Kiki: Front to back in first one - Butterflyweed (Orange Milkweed), Wildbergamot, Sky Blue Aster (not in bloom yet), Joe-Pye Weed, Blue False Indigo, you can just see the heads of Indian Grass to the right of pond. In the back of the first picture is more Joe-Pye and Lead Plant and the yellow is Oxeye Sunflower.

In the second picture, Joe-Pye at left and wild iris below it (this is a constructed wetland area bordering the pond). The pond has miniature cattails and white waterlilies. Behind the pond is Ox-eye Daisy, the Blue False Indigo again, Indian Grass. The hole in the vegetation is white shooting stars that have dormant for summer.

Hope this helps.

[quiltingwacko]

Thanks for posting that Ross. Very cool. I love that natural look.

[snow]

very well done ross.