Garden 2 - Naturally Natives - 211 Southwest Marsh Wren Street Lee’s Summit, MO 64082

Beginning with an interest in natives, this garden developed  into a showcase of natives thriving in harmony with traditional plantings in a neighborhood setting. Using the “right plant in the right place” philosophy, research, and experimentation, this garden has become both a beautiful and beneficial space for people and pollinators alike.

The garden owner began with transplants from her daughter’s garden. After attending webinars, viewing catalogs, doing online research, and visiting native growers, the garden began to really bloom. The key to the yearlong beauty of this garden is careful  planning. From Virginia bluebells in the spring to New England aster in the fall, this garden blooms nonstop.

Native plants can grow exceptionally tall and be unruly. Using cultivars that do not grow as large is one way to successfully integrate natives in the suburban garden setting. To help support the taller natives, the garden owner uses whimsical pieces like art poles, welded animals, and fairy/gnome houses.

Beauty was not the only goal with this garden. Native plants support insects, birds, and pollinators. This garden owner has mixed natives with traditional garden plants to create the best of both worlds, beauty for the eyes and benefits for nature.

Garden Highlights