Native Plants
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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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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.
From the Image Gallery
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Native evergreen shrub for Dallas
May 03, 2007 - Mr. Smarty Plants,
I live in Dallas and I am trying to look for a native evergreen shrub that blooms and works well in full to partial sun. I thought about "lantana" and/or a "firecracker", but...
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Is a Texas Mountain Laurel too messy for swimming pool area?
November 24, 2008 - Our landscaper has recommended a Texas Mountain Laurel to plant beside our swimming pool. We recently removed Cherry Laurels from the same location because of the mess they made in the pool (especiall...
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Plants to filter dust from a road in MD
June 01, 2011 - I live in MD next to a dirt/gravel access road. I would like to plant something along my property line to block the clouds of dust we regularly get from cars and dirt bikes. Is there something fast ...
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Yaupon sprouts from Bennettsville SC
May 29, 2013 - I have Yaupons in a flower bed and they have too many
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Deer resistant plants for area under grand fir (Abies grandis) in Idaho
July 08, 2010 - What can I plant on a slope under Grand Fir trees in North Idaho, zone 4 - anything deer resistant?
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