Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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Tuesday - December 24, 2013
From: Lakewood, OH
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Plant Lists, Shrubs, Wildflowers
Title: Native Backyard for Lakewood OH
Answered by: Brigid and Larry Larson
QUESTION:
I would like to do away with the lawn in my backyard in favor of native plants that would require minimal maintenance, including flowering plants that would encourage pollinators.ANSWER:
After that though – Your statement is a really broad question, so I’m going to point you to a bunch of resources that will be a good starting point for your project.
The Wildflower Center has at least three different areas where you can find appropriate information. For specific parts of your project, there is a good list of “How-to” articles with directions. Mr Smarty Plants has also answered a few questions from Ohio and/or on establishing a native garden. Here is a sample discussion on Plants for a windbreak on a slope in OH. You can find even more by searching Mr Smarty Plants archives for either Ohio, or a topic of interest [I often just read this for enjoyment!]. Finally – The Official best way to locate good Ohio natives and/or wildflowers that will prosper in your garden is the Wildflower Centers list of Recommended Species for Ohio.
Of course, you don’t need to just use our resources. For more local advice and help, you may want to contact the Native Plant Society of NE Ohio, and possibly the Ohio State University Extension office. I also found a list of Wildflowers in the US Wildflowers Database of Wildflowers in Ohio.
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