Native Garden

All the plants in this garden are native to the Ozark region. This garden was designed with an Ozark front porch in mind. It features native trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses all native to the Arkansas Ozarks. A small stream flows through the garden mimicking many streams in Arkansas.

Native plants are essential for our ecosystems. Not only do they support native animals through pollen and nectar, but also foliage. Without native host plants for insects, the food web starts to fall apart. We can do our part by planting native plants, specifically host plants, in our own backyards! Native plants require less water, mulch, time, and care as they are already adapted to the environment. 

In winter you usually don't see a lot of native flowering plants, but there is one shrub that blooms only in the winter, the Ozark Witch Hazel. Look for little yellow-orange flowers in January or February. According to research, these tiny flowers get pollinated by a strange little winter moth!

Another notable winter native is Mulley Grass. This grass has purplish stalks and wispy tops for a smokey look. During the winter season, many of our native insects hide in a dormant state in the stems and on the ground around plants like Mulley Grass. Many more hide in fallen leaves. This is why we do not rake and remove all the leaves in our garden. By letting them lie, we allow the beneficial native insects to survive the winter, returning year after year to beautify our garden.