Why Naturalized Landscaping Matters
A naturalized prairie landscape is a sustainable, low-maintenance approach that mimics native plant communities to create thriving ecosystems. In the Great Plains, High Plains, and Midwest, grassland restoration plays a key role in developing drought-tolerant landscapes. These naturalized ecosystems support wildlife habitat conservation and promote soil health.
By using native prairie plants, you can establish a resilient landscape that supports biodiversity, reduces water usage, and prevents soil erosion. This approach not only benefits native species but also helps landowners and conservationists create long-lasting, self-sustaining landscapes.
Exploring Grasslands: The First Step to a Thriving Landscape
Two weeks ago, we introduced the fundamentals of naturalized landscaping and plant communities in our bi-weekly newsletter. Today, we take a deeper dive into one of the most essential concepts: Grasslands.
Grassland ecosystems serve as the foundation for restoring native plant communities across the Midwest and Great Plains. But how exactly do they function? The key lies in understanding the four essential layers that make up a self-sustaining prairie landscape.
The Four Essential Layers of a Thriving Prairie Landscape
A naturalized prairie landscape consists of four essential, interconnected components that work both above and below ground to create a balanced and resilient ecosystem. As defined in Thomas Rainer and Claudia West’s “Planting in a Post Wild World”, these components, known as layers, are:
Structural – Provides stability and deep-rooted support.
Seasonal – Creates vibrant color through pollinator-friendly perennials.
Ground Cover – Suppresses weeds and prevents erosion.
Filler – Regenerates landscapes with fast-growing native plants.
Each layer plays a unique role in supporting plant diversity, improving soil health, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
The Structural Layer: The Backbone of a Prairie
The structural layer consists of deep-rooted native grasses that provide essential support to a naturalized prairie landscape. Plants like Big Bluestem and Switchgrass have a strong, bunch-like habit. This feature prevents wildflowers and perennials from flopping over, keeping the landscape structured. Additionally, these plants develop deep root systems that interweave with fibrous prairie roots. As a result, they create a strong soil structure, improve erosion control, and enhance water retention.
👉 Why It Matters: Without the structural layer, a prairie landscape would lack stability. These plants act as anchors, holding the ecosystem together and promoting healthy soil development.
The Seasonal Layer: Bringing Year-Round Beauty
The seasonal layer introduces sweeps of color throughout the year with pollinator-friendly perennials that support native bees, butterflies, and birds. This layer consists of pollinator-friendly perennials such as:
Little Bluestem
Stiff Goldenrod
Mexican Red Hat
Yarrow
Aromatic Aster
These plants make great companions to structural prairie grasses, adding both biodiversity and aesthetic appeal to drought-tolerant landscaping.
👉 Why It Matters: Without the seasonal layer, prairies would be less inviting for pollinators. These plants ensure continuous blooms, providing essential nectar and habitat for beneficial insects.
The Ground Cover Layer: The Hidden Workhorse
The ground cover layer is the foundation of a self-sustaining prairie ecosystem, filling in spaces between taller species to prevent soil erosion and suppress weeds. Ground cover species include plants such as:
Prairie Dropseed
Heath Aster
Blue Grama
Sedges
👉 Why It Matters: Native ground cover plants act as the “glue” of the plant community. They may be hidden from the taller plants, but without them it would leave gaps at the surface of the soil to allow for weeds to penetrate through and soil erosion to occur.
The Filler Layer: Nature’s Regenerators
The filler layer is composed of fast-growing native wildflowers that tend to have shorter life cycles but typically grow quicker while other plants are getting established. These are plants that produce large amounts of seed that easily regenerate. Good examples of these plants include:
Plains Coreopsis
Purple Coneflower
Penstemon
👉 Why It Matters: Without filler plants, prairie landscapes would take much longer to establish. These species speed up the restoration process and enhance biodiversity.
Next Up: Discovering Grassland Plant Communities of Nebraska
By understanding the four essential layers of a naturalized prairie landscape, you can create a thriving, drought-tolerant ecosystem that:
✔ Supports pollinators
✔ Prevents soil erosion
✔ Enhances biodiversity
However, selecting the right native plants goes beyond layering. It’s also about recognizing which plant communities naturally grow together in our region.
Coming next week: We’ll take a closer look at the grasslands of Nebraska and explore which native species thrive in Tallgrass, Mixed-Grass, and Sandhills Prairie ecosystems. Stay tuned to learn how these plant communities shape our landscapes—and how you can incorporate them into your own conservation efforts!
