Several blooming perennials and ornamental grasses indigenous to North America star in this prairie garden plan. Besides their beauty and ecological benefits, native plants are also easy to care for. That's because they're already adapted to local growing conditions so they usually can tolerate drought, heat, and cold better than non-native garden plants. Plus they attract beauty. Their flowers and nutritious seeds draw pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.
Find the complete plant list and a free printable garden plan below, including planting instructions.
Plants for Creating the Prairie Garden Plan
Like they would need in a true prairie setting, the plants in this garden plan need full sun. And while the plants will require extra water for the first year to help establish themselves, they'll usually survive on what nature provides after that.
- 8 Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis), Zones 3-7
- 3 Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), Zones 4-8
- 1 Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), Zones 4-7
- 5 Pale purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida), Zones 4-7
- 5 Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya), Zones 4-7
- 5 Downy phlox (Phlox pilosa), Zones 4-7
- 6 Wild petunia (Ruellia humilis), Zones 4-7
- 1 False blue indigo (Baptisia australis), Zone 4-8
While several of the plants in this prairie garden plan come in different varieties, the plain species is often the best choice if you want to support wildlife. Sometimes plant varieties with modified bloom times, flower shapes, or colors aren't as attractive or beneficial to pollinators and other creatures.
Download the Free Prairie Garden Plan
This garden design includes an illustrated version of the planted prairie garden, a detailed diagram of the layout, a list of plants for the garden as shown, and complete instructions for installing the garden.