Create stunning gardens and yards by grouping and layering plants. Not only does this look fantastic, but it also minimizes time spent on garden care, provides blooms throughout the growing season and attracts more birds and pollinators to your yard.
Plant Several of Each Species
A mix of trees, shrubs and flowers is best. A minimum of five of the same species planted in a cluster is usually recommended, but with trees and shrubs, this will often be fewer. Larger clusters of the same plant make it easier for birds or pollinators to find them. Large groupings of one species will also look stunning blooming together when they’re at their peak.
Choose Plants of Different Heights
Layering plants of different heights is key to a full, lush grouping. For a woodland planting, add shrubs and plants below an existing tree. Don’t have trees? Consider planting one to three trees to anchor your grouping.
For example, grow Freeman’s maple with smooth serviceberry and alternate-leaved dogwood. Shrubs such as ninebark, purple-flowering raspberry or meadowsweet provide some middle-height. Plants like wild columbine, wild geranium or black-eyed Susans add some colour and groundcovers such as wild ginger and heart-leaved asters help keep your soil cool.
Choose Plants With Different Bloom Times
Create a colourful medley of plants to help feed pollinators through the seasons by choosing plants that bloom at different times.
For a sunny, dry pollinator garden try: prairie smoke or wild strawberry for spring blooms, butterfly milkweed, foxglove beardtongue and dense blazing-star for mid-season blooms, and calico aster, sky-blue aster and gray goldenrod for late-season blooms. Include grasses such as little bluestem and shrubs such as St. John’s-wort or white meadowsweet behind the shorter plants. Native groundcovers such as Pennsylvania sedge and blue-eyed grass can help fill in any gaps.
Choose Plants With Similar Growing Conditions
Grow plants that prefer the same amount of light and soil moisture together. They should have similar tolerances, like withstanding drought or road salt. Use CVC’s native plant lists for further information on growing conditions and more.