Natural Garden Plans

A natural garden is an area of low maintenance landscaping that replaces an area of lawn. A natural garden can be cultivated in any climate. Some examples of natural gardens to include in a yard are a prairie garden, a rock garden and a rain garden.

Prairie Garden

One type of natural garden is a prairie garden. When planting a prairie garden, all the grass and weeds from the previous lawn area has to be removed. A prairie garden should be located in an area that receives full sun and drains well. A prairie garden contains wildflowers and grasses that are commonly found on the prairie. Some flowers and grass to include in a prairie garden are meadow blazing star, butterfly weed, big bluestem and Indian grass.

Rock Garden

A rock garden is another type of natural garden that can take the place of a regular lawn area. Rock gardens are commonly placed on a slope or a terrace that is able to drain water easily. A rock garden contains alpine plants and rocks of the same type but in various shapes and sizes. When using large rocks, bury 1/3 of the height of the rock in the dirt. Space the position of the rocks to allow for the alpine plants to grow between the rocks. Use small pieces of rock as mulch to anchor the plants and to allow water to drain. Some common plants to use in rock gardens include atropurpurea, Burgundy Glow, Snowcap rockcress and a mixture of campanula.

Rain Garden

A rain garden is another type of natural garden. A rain garden consists of a shallow depression that is lined with small rocks and surrounded with plants that need high levels of moisture to grow. The rain garden is situated to capture rain water and allow it to slowly seep into the ground. Some plants to include in a rain garden are mountain mint, New York fern, aster and black chokeberry.