Regardless of the size of the area you have available, you can have a native planting. This garden is along the south property line of the homeowner. The family had installed some plants, but didn’t have the time to complete the project. We at Nature’s Way were able to pick up where they had left off. First, we edged the garden and cleared the area, leaving the native plants that were already installed (picture 1). Because the area is rather small we decided the best option was to install small plants, called plugs. (picture 2). Installing plugs has several advantages in a small planting. You can control where the plants will go (you don’t want a 7’ Indian Plantain growing in the front), the “showier” plants can be placed so they can easily be seen from the house or outdoor living area, and lastly, you will have a planting much quicker. In a season or two you have a beautiful prairie (picture 3)

This prairie is not large but provides food and cover for many pollinators, including bees, butterflies and birds. It also brings hours of enjoyment to the homeowners. Located not far from the patio, they are able to watch the antics of the birds and other critters, as they bounce from one plant to the next.

Several years later the planting has continued to thrive, filling in all the open space. Now, instead of intense weeding every year, just minimal maintenance is required. Because the space is filled with native plants, the weeds are unable to find a foothold in the planting.

People often struggle with shaded, wet areas. While this can be a challenging environment, there are many native plants that thrive in these conditions. In the first picture at right, you can see the grass struggling to survive. It was too wet, and not getting enough light for turf grass. We decided to take advantage of the wonderful trees growing along the west border of the property by installing a path. It gives the feeling of strolling through the woods, even though in reality it’s simply a wooded area, not a forest. Next we installed native plants that love these conditions. There actually are many plants that will do well in this environment, Cardinal Flower, Great Blue Lobelia, ferns and sedges, to name a few. In just two years this area went from a muddy patch to a beautiful planting.

As time has gone on, the area has continued to fill in with native plants. Prior to this planting, water would accumulate in this area every spring. Since the planting, there has no longer been any standing water. The last two pictures at right show the exploding growth of ferns, Starry Solomon’s Seal, Common Solomon’s Seal, Jacobs Ladder, Wild Ginger, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Pennsylvania Sedge. It shows that the right plant can make all the difference in your garden.

Due to a very wet spring this Black Cherry fell, trapping small trees and shrubs under the trunk. Initially, it seemed the only thing that could be done was get out the chain saw and remove the tree. This would free the trapped shrubs and clean up the area. As we looked closer it was became clear that the Black Cherry root system was not damaged and it could survive. We decided instead of killing the tree we would prune off the large, reaching branches, leaving smaller branches that will eventually grow upwards. This left us with a very interesting, crab like, structure. The trunk was supported with stumps so it wouldn’t fall further. This allowed us the opportunity to install native woodland and other native shade loving plants all around the fallen tree. It created an interesting focal point and a beautiful planting.

Located in Southeastern Wisconsin, this remnant prairie is a very special place. Acres of undisturbed native plants, a rare sight indeed. A prairie that has never been farmed is an uncommon occurrence. With a stream on one side, and railroad tracks on the other, it was inaccessible to the plow. While it survived the farmer, it is now under threat from invasive species. We at Nature’s Way work diligently to remove these invasives. Buckthorn, Garlic Mustard, Sweet Clover, Phragmites are among the many threats to this beautiful place.

This hill was originally a barn, built in the 1860’s. As so often happens in today’s world, the farmland was sold to make way for homes and condos. With development, the barn had to go. Thankfully the Amish took the main structure, but the stone walls, large rocks, and other debris, were left behind. The developer decided to bury everything that remained, and make a berm. Because of the debris it became a difficult spot for the new homeowners. Lawn was impracticable because of the tree trunks, boulders and a kitchen sink protruding (literally, a sink was buried). The homeowner called Nature’s Way for consultation, and we decided on a pollinator garden. The first picture at right shows the condition of the hill before clearing. Once we cleared the area, we began adding plugs. This project took longer then some because of a severe weed problem. It had been neglected for many years, allowing the weeds to grow out of control. Canada Thistle, Garlic Mustard, Dames Rocket, Burdock, were just some of the weeds that filled the “garden”. Eventually we were able to conquer the weeds, and the plants began to grow and spread. This is an area where a mix of native and non-native were used. Notably, the red Bee Balm is not native. While it isn’t native, it still has many benefits, particularly for hummingbirds. They are really attracted to this plant. The native lavender Bee Balm is mixed with the non-native red. The result is a beautiful pollinator garden.

With a little clean up, your wooded area can become a relaxing path to stroll along after a hard day. This area is not a forest, but rather a wooded area right next to the driveway. We cleared an area and put in a path to make it accessible for walking. Along the path are many native woodland plants, making the stroll all the more beautiful.

The reason we do this is to preserve our environment, not only for the humans to enjoy, but to provide food and shelter for the critters around us. These are just a few examples of the animals we help