Backyard Conversation
Connecting Community + Conservation
| | Welcome to Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District's Backyard Conversation newsletter! Each month, we will share a conservation topic from a more personal viewpoint for our readers and residents. Thanks for reading! | | |
Plant Native Plants
Support Pollinators and Improve Water Quality
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Happy Native Plant Month! This is a month to celebrate our beautiful flora of Ohio.
Native Plants: Local Indigenous Plants
Native plants are plants that are indigenous to our area. These plants were already here in Ohio, naturally occurring, before European Settlers arrived and disrupted the ecosystem with imported plants.
Ohio native plants have been here for many, many years and have adapted to our climate and environment over time. As a result, they are very resilient and easy-going once established.
In addition to resiliency, native plants are incredibly beneficial for water quality. They have deep, extensive root systems that work to capture water for the plant's growth. Non-native plants and annuals do not compare to native plant roots. See the graphic below!
They also have incredible ecological benefits for our native wildlife and pollinators including bees, butterflies, moths, and birds. Again, because they are adapted to our environment, wildlife have adapted to depend on these plants for food, shelter, or even reproduction. Many wildlife species are dependent on a select one or few species in order to survive.
The classic example of this is the monarch butterfly and milkweed. The Monarch has to lay eggs on milkweed for the larvae to eat. Without milkweed, the Monarch cannot complete it's life cycle and survive. In particular, Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, and Butterfly Weed are all native to Ohio and commonly available. Please keep in mind that Common Milkweed can be aggressive and want to spread in a garden setting, so plant with caution.
In fact, there are lots of native plants that are considered "keystone species" that are critical to many different species - not just one. For example, just one native oak tree can support 436 caterpillars! Learn more about keystone species in our region from the National Wildlife Federation here.
| | Native Perennials for Home Gardens | | Here is a list of native plants that are usually easy to find for sale, and they are great for a home garden. This is NOT an exhaustive list - just a short list. | | |
Black Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
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Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
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New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
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Bee Balm/Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa, M. didyma, M. punctata
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Joe Pye Weed
Eutrochium pupureum, maculata, fistulosum
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Phlox
Phlox divaricata, glaberrima, maculata, paniculata, subulata
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Turtlehead
Chelone lyonii, glabra, obliqua
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Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
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Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
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Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
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Native Grasses
Ditch the non-native, invasive grasses like Chinese silver grass and fountain grass for native grasses!
Blue grama grass, little bluestem, northern sea oats, switchgrass, prairie dropseed, big bluestem, Indiangrass... to name a few.
Bouteloua gracilis, Schizachrium scoparium, Chasmanthium latifolium, Panicum virgatum, Sporbolus heterolepis, Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans
| | Native Trees & Shrubs for Home Gardens | | |
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
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Common Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
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Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
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Dogwood (Flowering, Gray, Red Twig, Silky)
Cornus florida, racemosa, sericea, amomum)
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Viburnum (Arrowood, Nannyberry, Blackhaw)*
Viburnum dentatum, lentago, prunifolium
| *Watch the species names! Some viburnums are invasive. | | |
Chokeberry (Black, Red)
Aronia arbutifolia, melanocarpa
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Birch (River, Yellow, Sweet)
Betula nigra, lenta, alleghaniensis
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Maple (Red, Sugar, Black)
Acer rubrum, saccharum, nigrum
| | | For more resources, check out our Community Backyards native plant resources. | | |
Upcoming Events
This Earth Month, check out these events from us and our partners. You might find us at these events! We hope you can join us.
Thursday April 17 - Community Backyards Workshop (Worthington)
Join us at the Griswold Center at 6:30pm for the Worthington Community Backyards workshop presented by FLOW and hosted by the Worthington Partnership Green Team. Learn about rain barrels, rain gardens, composting, and native plants. Plus, you can receive a voucher for attending.
Saturday April 19
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Grove City Eco Fest - From 9am-1pm, bring the family to Grove City Eco Fest at Town Center Park to learn the many ways to live a healthy lifestyle and make a positive impact on the environment. Lots of hands-on activities, games, farmers market, and more.
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Seeds of Caring - Register for free for one of the two sessions, 10am-12pm or 12pm-2pm, and head to the Grange Insurance Audubon Center for activities geared towards kids ages 2-12 all about the environment, plants, and wildlife.
Thursday April 24 - Community Backyards Workshop (Linden)
Join us at 6pm at the Linden Community Center for a Community Backyards workshop presented by Sunny Glen Garden. Learn about rain barrels, rain gardens, composting, and native plants from a local pro! Plus, you can receive a Community Backyards rebate voucher for attending.
Saturday April 26
Sunday April 27 - Green Columbus Earth Day
Head to Scioto Audubon Metro Park and celebrate making a difference in the environment in Central Ohio at the Earth Day Columbus Celebration presented by Green Columbus. This free, family-friendly event is zero-waste and brings together fun and opportunities to learn more about and support a green Central Ohio community. Booths/vendors/kid's activities are 11am-4pm, and bands/food trucks/beverages are 11am-7pm.
Interested in a monthly digest of volunteer events around the county? Sign up for our Monthly Volunteer Newsletter.
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April Yardening Tips from Lonnie the Garden Gnome
- Welcome to spring! Add some native plants to provide pollinator habitat and capture stormwater runoff.
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In addition to planting native plants, check out our resources at CommunityBackyards.org to learn and plan your yard work with conservation in mind.
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Spring flooding is quite common in our area. The good news is that most spring flooding tends to recede within 24-48 hours of a big rain event. If you notice it tends to stay longer than 24-48 hours in one particular part of your yard, you might have poorly draining soil or a low spot. If you need help with drainage concerns, reach out to us via phone 614-486-9613 or send us an email, and one of our drainage experts will get back to you within 48-72 hours. Take some pictures during the flood events to help us see what's going on!
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| Will you be adding any new native plants to your yard this year? | | | | |
Mikaela Mohr
Outreach Program Coordinator
Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District
1404 Goodale Blvd. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43212
p: 614-486-9613 | e: mmohr@franklinswcd.org
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