A sphinx moth caterpillar in Susan Damon’s boulevard, which is filled with native plants, Wednesday, June 11, 2014 in St. Paul. Jennifer Simonson/MPR News
LISTEN Story audio http://www.mprnews.org/story/2014/06/23/minnesota-native-plant-garden
When Susan Damon and her husband bought their St. Paul home a couple decades ago, invasive plants had a stranglehold. Now their yard is home to more than 100 species of native plants and a food source for an array of critters.
It’s proof that even city dwellers can create a welcoming habitat for butterflies, bees and songbirds.
Susan Damon Jennifer Simonson/MPR News
They replanted with prairie grasses, high bush cranberry and hazelnut, among other species. There’s almost no weeding — the natives crowd out the dandelions — and hardly any watering since some of the plants have roots sunk up to 10 feet deep into the soil.
Damon estimates she and her husband have spent maybe $2,000 on native plants but adds that the yard takes care of itself with just a bit of cleanup and some thinning of plants in spring.
She recommends six plants to get started — see the gallery below for more details. And click on the play button above to hear her talk about the joys of ditching the lawn and how to do it.
Milkweed grows three to six feet tall and the stem’s milky sap is toxic, though parts of the plant are edible. Monarch butterflies need milkweed plants to grow – its eggs are laid on its leaves and larvae will feed on them. In this photo, a swamp milkweed beetle sits on a milkweed plant in gardener Susan Damon’s yard. Jennifer Simonson/MPR NewsGolden Alexander, photographed in Susan Damon’s boulevard, will bloom as early as late-April and as late as mid-June. It’s a very attractive plant to butterflies. Jennifer Simonson/MPR NewsConeflowers, like the ones pictured here, grow two to five feet tall. Only the narrow-leaved purple coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) is native to Minnesota. The coneflowers of the Echinacea genus have a medicinal history and is still used in herbal supplements today. Jennifer Simonson/MPR NewsWild bergamot is beloved by long-tongue bees and butterflies and blooms between late-summer and early-autumn. Courtesy of Karl Foord/University of Minnesota ExtensionGoldenrod can grow from eight to 60 inches tall and blooms in the fall. The plant is very attractive to bees. Courtesy of Karl Foord/University of Minnesota ExtensionNew England aster (aka Michelmas daisy) blooms in the fall and can grow up to six feet tall. The plant is very attractive to monarchs and bees. Courtesy of Minneapolis Park and Recreation BoardA wood chip path winds through gardener Susan Damon’s yard, which is filled with native plants. Jennifer Simonson/MPR NewsSolomon’s Seal, which attracts bumble bees, in native plant enthusiast Susan Damon’s yard. Jennifer Simonson/MPR NewsCanadian white violet in Susan Damon’s yard. Jennifer Simonson/MPR NewsSusan Damon’s St. Paul home is surrounded by native plants that attract and feed a variety of bugs and birds. Jennifer Simonson/MPR NewsBlue wild indigo growing in native plant gardener Susan Damon’s front yard. Jennifer Simonson/MPR
Dan Olson
Health4earth 