RESOURCE:

Planned Natural Landscaping

Native plants benefit and support local birds and wildlife. Natural landscaping creates ideal conditions for hummingbirds, honeybees, and butterflies—all of which are extremely beneficial to our ecosystem and are currently in decline nationwide. There are many benefits to planned natural landscaping. Once established, native plants require little watering and upkeep and tend to resist insects. Homeowners can expect to save on costs associated with traditional lawns—watering, fertilizing, mowing, etc. Learn about how to incorporate native landscaping into your yard.

Register Your Yard

Planned Natural Landscaping Benefits

REDUCES COST AND MAINTENANCE

Native plant landscapes are resilient and self-sufficient. Once established, native plant landscapes need little watering. As a result, these plantings can save up to 90% of the costs of conventional landscaping maintenance by requiring less labor, water, fertilizer, pesticides, and mowing. 

 

SUPPORTS WILDLIFE

Native plant landscapes provide habitats for pollinators, including butterflies, bees, and birds.  

 

MANAGES STORMWATER

Native landscapes provide better water infiltration by preventing stormwater from entering the City’s combined water system. During heavy rains, stormwater enters the system and can combine with sanitary waste, which results in combined sewer water that can overflow downstream. This contaminates the water system, resulting in health risks to residents, infrastructure, and natural habitats. Green stormwater infrastructure provides better water infiltration to help prevent this. You can improve your stormwater management by integrating a planned natural landscape, such as a bioswale or rain garden, or installing a rain barrel.
 

In addition, consider what you use on your lawn. Herbicides and fertilizers, if used improperly, can enter waterways and contaminate our drinking water. Consider organic herbicides and pesticides, or compost instead of chemical fertilizers.

 

IMPROVES THE CITY ENVIRONMENT

Native landscapes benefit the City, particularly homeowners, by improving water quality, reducing pollution, and conserving water.

Register Your Yard

Pollinator Aware Lawn Care

Best Practices

  • Don’t use chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers; when you do, use them sparingly and in very targeted spots (and wear appropriate PPE!)
  • Maintain a cut between 3 and 4 inches so grass can outcompete weeds.
  • Mow less - and don’t remove more than ⅓ of the grass when mowing
  • Reduce air and noise pollution by mowing less often

Native Planting

  • Manicured, monocultural lawns are pollinator deserts–the less lawn the better. Replace part of your lawn with densely planted native plants.
  • Spend the mowing time you’ve saved on pulling out invasive species instead.
  • Common invasives found in Ferndale can include but are not limited to: Tree of Heaven, garlic mustard, Dame's Rocket, Rose of Sharon, English ivy, Lily of the valley, Siberian elm
  • Plant a “bee lawn” - There are lots of plants that bees like, but few are adapted to lawn conditions. Not many plants besides turfgrass can tolerate being mowed short and stepped on. Here are the traits needed for bee lawn flowers:
     
    • Low-growing and adapted to being mowed.
    • Flower at low heights.
    • Tolerant of foot traffic.
    • Provide good food (nectar and pollen) for pollinators.
    • Moderately competitive, meaning they can hold their own with the turfgrasses without taking over.
    • Have a perennial life cycle (they live for more than one year), so they are maintained in the landscape with the perennial turf.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES