A Simple Guide for Quad Cities Gardeners

Creating a native garden does not need to be complicated.

The basic process is:

Know your site → choose appropriate native plants → prepare the area → plant → manage weeds while the garden establishes.

1. Know Your Site

Before choosing plants, determine:

Sun: Full sun, part sun, or shade
Moisture: Dry, average, moist, or wet
Space: Length, width, and mature plant height
Soil: Clay, sandy, rocky, compacted, or well drained
Special conditions: Reflected heat, road salt, tree roots, flooding, pets, deer, utilities, or heavy foot traffic

Choose plants adapted to these conditions rather than trying to change the site to accommodate a particular plant.

Need help selecting plants?

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Database or The Illinois Pollinators.org Pollinator Plant Selector Tool allows you to search native plants by growing conditions and other characteristics.

Or use this prompt for an AI guided plan – Native Plant Installation Planner

2. Verify That Plants Are Native Here

“Native” is a geographic term.

A plant can be native somewhere in North America without being native to Illinois, Iowa, or the Quad Cities.

For local native-status research, use:

Illinois Natural History Survey

Illinois Plant Database

The database documents Illinois flora and plant occurrence records.

BONAP — Biota of North America Program

North American Plant Atlas

BONAP provides county-level plant distribution maps, which are especially useful for investigating regional occurrence.

For additional vetted sources, visit our Trusted Native Plant Resources page.

3. Keep the Design Simple

More species do not automatically create a better garden.

For many small and medium residential beds, start with:

1–2 grasses or sedges for structure
1–2 spring-blooming species
2–3 summer-blooming species
1–2 fall-blooming species
1 lower-growing species for edges or gaps

Then repeat plants throughout the garden rather than planting one of everything.

Think in layers

Low plants → Medium plants → Taller plants

For beds viewed from one side, taller plants generally go toward the back.

For island beds, place taller plants toward the center.

Plant in groups

Groups or drifts create a more intentional appearance and make repeated flowers easier for pollinators to locate.

A simple planting plan made before purchasing plants can prevent overcrowding and unnecessary expense.

4. Prepare the Site

Good site preparation is one of the most important steps.

Before planting, remove existing turf and control persistent weeds.

Do not simply plant native plugs or scatter native seed into established lawn and expect them to compete successfully.

Preparation methods can include:

Removing sod
Hand removal
Smothering vegetation
Other appropriate turf- and weed-control techniques

Avoid unnecessary soil disturbance. Repeated tilling can expose additional weed seeds and is not required for most native garden installations.

Detailed site-preparation guidance

University of Illinois Extension – Backyard Prairies & Pollinator Meadows provides Illinois-specific information on establishing native plantings using plugs and seed.

For larger seeded projects, the University of Northern Iowa’s Tallgrass Prairie Center Technical Publications provides detailed guidance on site preparation, seeding, and establishment management.

5. Decide: Plugs or Seed?

Both methods can create excellent native habitat, but they are managed differently.

	Plugs	Seed
Best for	Garden beds and smaller projects	Prairies and larger areas
Cost	Higher	Lower
Plant placement	Precise	Less predictable
Establishment	Faster	Slower
Weed identification	Easier	More challenging
First-year care	Water + weed	Weed management + possible mowing

Illinois Extension notes that plugs generally establish more quickly, while seeded plantings require more patience and establishment management.

Planting Plugs

Plugs are often the simplest choice for residential native gardens.

After planting:

Water thoroughly.
Keep plants from drying out while roots establish.
Weed regularly.
Provide supplemental water during prolonged hot or dry periods during the first growing season.

Properly sited native plants generally require less supplemental watering as they become established. Illinois Extension specifically recommends supplemental watering for newly planted natives when rainfall is insufficient.

Planting Seed

Seed works particularly well for larger prairie or meadow-style areas.

Native seed should be placed onto a properly prepared, weed-controlled seedbed.

Some native prairie species require exposure to cold, moist conditions before they germinate, so follow the germination and seeding instructions provided for the species or seed mix.

During the first year:

Expect weeds.

Native seedlings are often small while they establish root systems.

For larger prairie seedings, high establishment mowing can help prevent fast-growing weeds from shading native seedlings. The Tallgrass Prairie Center provides specific first-year mowing recommendations for seeded prairie establishment.

Learn about prairie establishment and management

6. Maintain the Garden

Native gardens are lower maintenance—not no maintenance.

During establishment

Focus on:

Controlling weeds
Watering new plugs when necessary
Preventing weeds from producing seed
Watching for overly aggressive plants
Filling unexpected gaps

The first year is primarily about establishment, not creating a finished-looking garden.

Once Established

Maintenance usually becomes simpler.

Weed selectively

Remove invasive plants and unwanted volunteers before they spread.

Water only when needed

Well-matched established native plants generally require less supplemental irrigation than newly planted material.

Skip routine fertilizer

Most native gardens do not need routine fertilization.

Leave some stems and leaves

Avoid treating a native garden like a conventional perennial bed that must be completely cleared every fall.

Standing stems, seed heads, leaves, and other plant material can provide overwintering and nesting habitat for insects and wildlife.

The Xerces Society provides extensive guidance for creating and maintaining pollinator habitat:

Xerces Society – Habitat Installation Guides

Xerces Society – Pollinator Gardening at Home

7. Choose Plants for the Whole Season

Try to provide something useful throughout the year.

Spring

Early flowers for emerging pollinators

Summer

A diversity of flowering plants

Fall

Late-season flowers such as asters and goldenrods

Winter

Seeds, stems, grasses, and shelter

Include a mixture of:

Flowering plants
Grasses or sedges
Low-growing plants
Shrubs or trees when space permits

For pollinator-focused plant recommendations, see the Xerces Society Pollinator-Friendly Native Plant Lists.

Before You Buy

For each plant, ask:

Is it native to our region?

Does it match my sunlight and moisture?

Will its mature size fit the space?

Is its spreading behavior appropriate for my garden?

Does it provide something my garden needs—spring flowers, summer flowers, fall flowers, groundcover, structure, or wildlife value?

Can I obtain it from a responsible native plant source?

If the answer is yes, you have a strong candidate.

Helpful Resources

Container Gardening with Native Plants

National Wildlife Federation – Container Gardening Wirth Native Plants

Keep It Simple

You do not need a huge garden or dozens of plant species to make a difference.

Choose the right plants.
Prepare the site well.
Plant several species in repeating groups.
Control weeds while the garden establishes.
Give the planting time to mature.

Even a small native garden can contribute valuable habitat to the larger landscape of the Quad Cities.

Plan, Plant & Maintain a Native Garden