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WindStar Wildlife Institute
emphasizes the use of “native"
plants because they have
evolved to satisfy the needs of
local wildlife, as well as generally
being hardier and less
susceptible to disease.
However, there are many
valuable non-native species and
cultivars, and you should make
your final choices based on
what is pleasing to you.
Evaluate Surroundings
No matter what size property
you are landscaping, it’s
important to do some
homework before you begin.
Take the time to become
familiar with the type of soil you
have, how much sunlight
reaches the yard, what amount
of rainfall is typical for the area,
and what climate zone you live
in (maps are available in plant
catalogues, at nurseries, or
from your local Cooperative
Extension Service).
Always remember to think
about the mature size of
whatever plants you are
considering, and whether or not
they will block a view or crowd an
existing structure as they grow.
Although it can be daunting
to read the scientific names of
plants, we are including them to
avoid confusion when you go
shopping. “Common" names can
vary from region to region, so
relying on them can mean
coming home with something
that you never intended to buy.
Latin names are also useful
when you are researching a
particular plant to see if it’s
suited to your locale.
Scale For Space
Trees are the largest
element in most landscape
designs. In our plan, the trees
have been chosen for their
smaller size, as well as their
value for wildlife.
This keeps the scale of the
design appropriate for the
space, and means that the
trees won’t shade out other
plantings.
An exception to the smaller
size is the black gum (Nyssa
sylvatica). This tree is large,
growing 30' to 60', but its
berries are popular with birds
and squirrels. In addition, its
red fall color starts early and
lasts a long time.
Try Grouping Trees
The American arborvitae, or
northern white cedar (Thuja
occidentalis), can also reach
40', but it is very slow-growing.
Grouped evergreens provide
privacy and a windbreak for
you, as well as food and cover
for wildlife.
Dogwood (Cornus) offers
spring flowers and fall berries,
while sourwood (Oxydendrum
arboreum) has flowers and
fruit in summer, color in the
fall, and interesting bark
through the winter.
The dwarf cherry (Prunus)
can be any one of the many
ornamental varieties available,
all of which have lovely spring
blooms and attractive fruit.
A variety of shrubs form the
backbone of this landscape
design, providing benefits for
wildlife as well as seasonal
interest for you.
In spring the garden will be
filled with the color and scent
of lilac (Syringa)
accompanying the dogwood
and cherry blossoms and
other early flowers.
Moving into summer, you’ll
enjoy the blooms of coralberry
(Symphoricarpos orbiculatus),
hibiscus (Malvaceae), sweet
pepper bush (Clethra alnifolia),
and abelia (Abelia grandiflora),
a special favorite of
butterflies.
Autumn is the time for
berries, and you can watch the
birds coming to feast on
coralberry, yew (Taxus),
pyracantha (Pyracantha
coccinea), inkberry (Ilex
glabra), red twig dogwood
(Cornus siberica), and holly
(Ilex).
Winter doesn’t have to be a
dull time in the garden. Some
of the berries will persist into
the colder months, providing
valuable winter food for wildlife,
and the red twig dogwoods will
supply a bright spot of color.
Many of the plants are
evergreen, including the yew,
arborvitae, holly, and inkberry.
They will give the yard interest
and structure while offering
cover for wildlife.
Instead of traditional lawn,
which requires effort to
maintain and is costly to keep
healthy, consider using ground
covers like ivy or vinca to fill
some areas.
Those spots in the yard that
are shaded can benefit from
plantings of ferns and hostas,
or other shade-tolerant
perennials.
