Grow Wild: Favourite native grasses and plants for the Prairie garden
Grow Wild is an excellent introduction to native plant gardening both in Canada and the Northern United States.
Ornamental grasses and hardy plants are focus of Prairie gardens
Many native plants we consider stalwarts in our gardens, such as coneflowers, black-eyed Susans and many ornamental grasses, actually have their roots in the Prairies.
Garden author Lorraine Johnson is a pioneer in the use of native plants in the garden.
These are tough plants – from the grasses of the lowlands to the flowers and plants that once filled wide open stretches of land as far as the eye can see,
Many are willing spreaders and are happy to find their own homes when given the chance. In fact, many of these native grasses, flowers and shrubs are just as at home in their prairie gardens as they are in our landscapes.
It helps, however, to gain an understanding of the roots of these plants and why we should consider incorporating at least some of them into our gardens.
In her book, Grow Wild, author Lorraine Johnson turns her focus on prairie gardens. Over the course of 42 pages in her book, Johnson weaves valuable information about the plants, growing conditions and unique characteristics of the growing zones with personal stories of gardeners and their native prairie gardens.
• If you are interested in more on Lorraine Johnson and her books on native plants, be sure to check out my earlier post here.
For prairie gardeners the information is priceless. Lorraine shares with readers her favourite clay-busting plants, winning combinations of prairie plants, favourite fall-blooming prairie plants as well as best native plants to use in moist areas.
For more Ferns & Feathers posts on prairie plants and meadow gardens please take a moment to check out the following articles:
• Little Bluestem is a big winner
• Serviceberry is perfect addition to landscape
• The Making of a meadow garden
• A little love for the black eyed Susan
And, since the Prairies are best known for the vast grasslands, here are a few favourite grasses from the book Grow Wild
Some favourite short to medium-height Prairie grasses
Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepsis) a graceful fountain-like grass that reaches a comfortable 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) and is useful as an edging plant. Its fine, green leaves turn bronze in fall. It blooms in late summer with lovely-smelling seed heads. Grows in moist to dry soil, clay to sand with good drainage.
Sideout grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) oatlike seed heads and drupe and flutter. Grows to 1-3 feet in average dry soil.
Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) this drought-tolerant grass grows 1-2 feet in average to dry soil.
Buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloids) grayish green low-growing grass 6 inches/15 cm makes a good alternative to non-native turf grass.
Some favourite Tall Prairie grasses
Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) considered the signature plant of the tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie. Grows to 6- to 10 feet (2-3 m). Bluish-green in summer, turns a reddish-purple in fall. Sun to part shade; wet to dry soil in clay to sandy soil.
Little bluestem (Andropogon scoparius) a great alternative to Big bluestem for smaller gardens. Grows 2-3 feet 60-90 cm with attractive, fluffy, silverish seedheads. Leaves turn reddish bronze in fall. Tolerates shade and prefers sandy, well-drained average to dry soil.
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) grows 3 to 6 feet (1-2 m) tallgrass prairie species features gracefu leaves that with airy clusters of flowers and seeds in late summer. Can be aggressive. Moist to dry soil.
Our front garden incorporates some prairie planting with Little Bluestem grasses on the right and a large drift of black eyed Susans combined with other grasses along a dry river bed.
A Naperville, Illinois prairie garden
The story of Pat Armstrong and her Naperville, Illinois prairie garden tells a tale about a gardener dedicated to her prairie roots – from the prairie grass profiles imprinted into the cement at the front walkway, to the myriad of native plants that fill her 1/3 acre of tallgrass prairie garden in Illinois.
She speaks about the wildlife the garden has attracted – from the Cooper’s hawk that hunts on the property, to the box turtles, fox snakes, toads, salamanders, opussums, cottontails and 16 species of birds that nest on the property.
The wildlife is all attributed to the habitat created by the native plantings.
Armstrong explains: “From a piece of property that harbored only one native plant when she bought it, there are now more than 140 species of prairie plants, 60 different woodland denizens, 20 species of trees, 20 species of trees, and 20 different native grasses and sedges.”
In this chapter of Grow Wild, Johnson explores five more Prairie gardens including a Chicago-based garden that is filled with bergamot, black-eyed Susan, butterfly weed, Canada goldenrod, Joe-Pye weed, ox-eye, purple coneflower and woodland sunflower, just to name a few.
Some favourite spring bloomers
Pasqueflower (Anemone patens) White and purple flowers bloom in early spring beofre the fernlike leaves appear. Hairy stems with feathery plumes for seeeds. 6 to 12 inches in good draining soil.
Shooting star (Dodecatheoin meadia) can be a stunning display in the wild prairies where there pink to purple star-like flowers carpet the moist earth. Grows 1 to 2 feet (30-60 cm in sun to part shade in wet to dry soil.
Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium augustifolium) grasslike leaves with deep blue star flowers with yellow centres. Grows to about 1 foot (30 cm) in sunny average to dry soil.
Three categories of Prairies
Johnson explains that there are three broad categories of Prairie: tallgrass prairie, mixed grass prairie, and shortgrass prairie. These categories cover a wide area of Canada and the United States. The tallgrass prairie in the more easterly region and even stretching into parts of southern Ontario, is mostly predominant in Manitoba stretching down to the mid-western states down through the Gulf of Mexico.
Mixed grass prairies dominate in the drier areas from Saskatchewan and the Western regions of the Dakotas to central Texas.
Shortgrass prairies dominate East of the Rockies from southeastern Saskatchewan and Alberta into Texas.
The serviceberry or Saskatoon berry shrub or small tree (in flower above) is a beautiful addition to any landscape with its spring flowers followed by a profusion of berries for birds and other wildlife.
Shrubs for the prairie gardener
Saskatoon (Amelanchier ainifolia)
False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)
New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
American hazelnut (Corylus american)
About the author: Lorraine Johnson’s other books to consider
Lorraine Johnson is a highly respected garden author with extensive expertise in the field. Her knowledge and experience in sustainable gardening practices, with a particular focus on native plants and their benefits, make her a trusted source for all things related to plants and gardening techniques. Through her books and advocacy work, she has played a crucial role in raising awareness about the importance of incorporating native plants into gardens.
Her newest book, A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee: Creating Habitat for Native Pollinators is a must read for native plant gardeners.
One of Lorraine’s key areas of expertise is in creating gardens that are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. She emphasizes the importance of using native plants in garden design, as they are well adapted to the local climate and require less maintenance. Her expertise in this area has made her a leading advocate for the use of native plants in landscaping.
Lorraine’s passion for gardening and expertise in the field is evident in the numerous books she has written on the subject. Her books cover a wide range of topics, providing valuable insights and practical advice for gardeners of all levels of experience.
• One of Lorraine's notable works is “100 Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for Canadian Gardens.” This book highlights the beauty and benefits of using native plants in Canadian gardens. Lorraine explores the unique characteristics of each plant, including their adaptability to local climates and their ability to attract pollinators. This book serves as a comprehensive guide for gardeners looking to incorporate native plants into their landscapes.
•Another popular book by Lorraine is The New Ontario Naturalized Garden. In this book, she delves into the concept of naturalized gardening and its benefits for both the environment and gardeners. Lorraine provides practical tips on creating a naturalized garden, including plant selection, maintenance, and design principles. This book is a valuable resource for those interested in creating sustainable and wildlife-friendly gardens.
• Lorraine has also written City Farmer: Adventures in Urban Food Growing, which explores the growing trend of urban agriculture. In this book, she shares stories and experiences from urban farmers across Canada, showcasing the innovative ways they are growing food in cities. Lorraine’s book inspires readers to embrace urban farming and provides practical advice for starting their own urban food gardens.
In conclusion: Perfect introduction to native plant gardening
Grow Wild is a pioneering work in the world of native plant gardening. Although many books have been written since Johnson published Grow Wild, the book remains a perfect introduction into the world of native plant gardening. When it was first published back in 20??? it was likely the first introduction to native plants for many gardeners. It remains an important source of knowledge for those of us craving for whatever knowledge we can get from experts willing to share their wealth of knowledge.
Author Profile: Vic MacBournie is a former journalist and author/owner of Ferns & Feathers. He writes about his woodland wildlife garden that he has created over the past 25 years and shares his photography with readers.