14 May 1, 2015 Spring Home Improvement LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com
gardener. The important part of raising
them successfully is to get them in the sun
if that is what they love or the shade if that
is where they thrive.
Plants that love the sun include Pale
Purple Coneflower, Aromatic Aster, and
Prairie Phlox, just to name a few. Shade
lovers include a variety of natural ferns,
Columbine, and Fire Pinks.
Another great part about Natives is that by
and large these will be perennial plants.
Perennials come back each season on their
own. Once they are established in the lawn,
a lot of the work is done. When budget is
a concern, this means you can buy a few
plants each year and over time create the
landscape you love.
Snyder says the best thing to do is study
and plan before you buy that first native
plant. Check out your lawn at various times
of day to see where the sun is. If a spot
gets six or more hours of direct sunlight per
day, that is considered “full sun.” Four to
six hours per day is partial sun, Two to four
hours of sunlight per day is partial shade,
and less than two hours per day of direct
sunlight is considered full shade.
Also, you should know your lawn’s water
habits. Study your lawn for high and low
spots. When it rains, look and see if there
are areas that don’t drain well and water
pools, and then plan around those areas,
or purchase plants that don’t mind having
“wet feet.”
Before you buy, do your homework on the
plants themselves. The internet offers a
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