As we approach this very endearing holiday, it is important to be thankful for all that we have and to also share the wealth. One area of life in which we can do that is to support the natural beauty of our habitat by growing native plants. This Easter, let’s give back to our environment by using some of these beautiful flowers, plants, and shrubs in our home’s landscape.
Flowers
There are two types of native Illinois flowers to choose from to accentuate your landscape this Easter: sun-loving and shade-loving species.
For sun-loving flowers, three natives come particularly to mind for their magnificent colors and natural designs. Purple prairie clovers, in particular, are a great edition to an Easter garden because of their oblong egg shape and bright purple accents. Not only are these flowers festive for the occasion, but they also attract butterflies which would be a nice touch to an Easter gathering. White false indigo is another beautiful accent flower for any landscape. These Illinois natives are drought-intolerant and are also known to attract butterflies. They grow in long stalks with clean-looking, budding white flowers. A last native flower to add to your garden this Easter are wild quinine. These unique flowers are often referred to as clouds or buttons for their interesting blooming shapes. For landscapes that attain high-levels of sunlight, any of these native flowers will add exceptional color and character to your yard and garden this Easter.
Homes that experience quite a bit more shade should consider shade-loving flowers like wild geranium, Jacob’s ladder, and wild columbine. These natives do not require as much TLC from the sun to sprout vibrantly colored flowers. Wild geranium spawns a lovely, broad-petal lilac-colored flower and provides a traditional element to any landscape, perfect for any Easter gathering. Jacob’s ladder flowers are very similar to wild geranium but grow in stalks like a ladder instead of a low bush. They have similar broad-leaf petals with a darker purple hue and enjoy the coolness of the shade. Unlike these traditional looking purple Illinois flowers, wild columbine has a very distinct design and popping reddish orange color. Some people have even called these odd flowers tiny rocket ships for their narrow tops and exploding petal bottoms. With these shade-loving native flowers in your backyard landscape design, the Easter environment of your home is sure to please.
Plants
Another way to give back to the environment this Easter is by incorporating native plants into your outdoor landscape. For more indigenous elements in your yard and garden, grasses like prairie dropseed and Pennsylvania sedge are wonderful additions. Prairie dropseeds are ideal for sunny outdoor areas and are known for the firework-like figures. On the contrary, Pennsylvania sedge is great for shady landscapes and grow tall and upward. If native grasses are not what your landscape needs, consider planting wild strawberries for everyone to enjoy this Easter. Not only are these plants amazing to watch bloom and produce berries, but they are also delicious to eat for anyone who can get their hands (or paws!) on them. Adding these native plants to your outdoor garden this Easter will not only support the Illinois environment but enhance your landscape as well.
Shrubs
There are a variety of shrubs that you can plant in your Illinois landscape, but our favorites are black chokeberry bushes and spicebushes. Black chokeberry is the smaller of the two shrubs, ranging from 3 to 6 feet in height. These unique shrubs grow best in sun and attract native birds who love to perch on its white flowering branches and eat its red berries. Spicebushes, on the other hand, are great for privacy barriers because they can grow up to 12 feet tall. They bloom beautiful greenish-yellow flowers and return the native Illinois plant-life to your backyard.
If you’re ready to give back to the environment this Easter by incorporating native plant species into your landscape, Bruss Landscaping can help. With the help of our 10-acre nursery and expert landscapers, your home can be ringing in Easter festivities with the beauty of natural Illinois plantings. Schedule a consultation today!