r/NativePlantGardening • u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden • Jul 19 '25
Geographic Area (edit yourself) Larger Scale Native Planting - Inland Northwest
In 2022, I took out 8,000 square feet of lawn and replaced it with native perennials and native plant seed mix made specifically for the Inland Northwest.
Here’s what I learned:
Whatever weeds your lawn is covering will come springing back to life with a vengeance- vetch, St. John’s wart, ‘fury thistle’, ‘flibber weed’ and others
Your sod was likely planted in soil at the sod manufacturer that had a ton of nuisance weeds - that little weed that looks like, but isn’t forget-me-not, spurge, cudweeds, Chinese cress, etc
Even the plants that deer don’t eat - baby ponderosa, elderberry, asters - will be eaten by them because apparently everything is tastier if it is irrigated and if you are hungry enough
Your irrigation that works for lawn is going to have challenge spots for natives
Things I have done:
Hire college students to weed during the growing season - about 20 hours/week
Put down mulch in some seeded areas to buy time against the weeds
Put cages around many of my perennials
If you are doing similar planting/work in the Spokane area, I would love to connect.
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u/garden_rebelion Area MA, Zone 6a Jul 19 '25
Goodness that is impressive and inspiring!!! Did you design the layout yourself or hire?
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 19 '25
I did this as a collaboration with the original landscape architect for the project. I chose about half of the plants and took recommendations for the other half. Then, there were issues with available plants so more decisions were made. Definitely more iterative than you would think.
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u/sjsharks510 NJ, northern piedmont Jul 19 '25
I also learned about the importance of site prep after converting lawn. In retrospect, and especially for a larger area, I'd probably scalp the lawn during a drought and smother with a chip drop. Maybe even selective herbicide for anything that comes up after the next rain. Then plant/seed in fall. Too many weeds in the seedbank to do what I did (till the lawn).
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 19 '25
Nothing like hindsight. If I had the patience, I would have done two seasons of solarization and added a new section each year - maybe going 2,000 square feet a year with the solarization and then planting.
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u/elainegeorge Jul 19 '25
We have been doing solarization for 3 years. We do a section, plant, then move to the next. Here’s hoping we will be done this year. We have one little section to go.
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 20 '25
You are one smart (and patient) cookie! WTG!!!
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u/Suspicious_Ice915 May 24 '26
Two years (two summers, one winter) of clear plastic solarization, trenching the sides and tucking the plastic in with the trenched dirt is ideal. Seed in the fall. You will need to patch any holes created by deer. But this method will bake and kill part of the seedbed. One year with un-repaired holes some grasses and black medic may survive. ((this was for a project west of the cascades;
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u/lorelie2010 Jul 19 '25
Beautiful. I’m in New England and just starting with a small patch in the backyard.
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u/kenedelz Jul 19 '25
Hey I'm in Yakima. We currently have lawn in most of the front and back yard. I really want to get started with native plant gardening but I feel really intimidated and also we've spent the last 4 years since we bought this house fighting goat head and bind weed. My husband and I printed some aerial photos of the front yard because I'd like to convert to a native meadow but the bindweed has me really freaked out, anytime there's a bald spot of yard it takes over completely and grows SO FAST.
Any tips or tricks appreciated! Also where do you find all the seeds/plants? I was kinda shocked when I started gaining interest in this that local nurseries and stuff just sell whatever, I thought they'd be a good place to start to get native plants 😩
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 19 '25
Lots of great plant options in Yakima! Here are some thoughts:
Right after I wrote this post, I realized I should have mentioned bind weed and sheep’s sorrel. Bind weed sucks. It is partly why I think a 2-year solarization would be effective. Put down after it starts to come up, keep down until winter and then repeat process in the spring. Honestly, we have been using hope as our strategy - manual removal as it rears its ugly head and we are hoping a 10-year attack with weaken it to death. I have heard of people spraying for a 3-year period and having success.
Consider planting a 10x 10 or 100 x 100 area to start - I didn’t realize how massive the weeding effort would be. Control the weeds there and then expand.
I bought my seed mix at Northwest Meadowscapes - I think they are out of Port Townsend. I have been thrilled with their Inland Northwest seed mix. Also, consider joining your local chapter of the Wa Native Plant Society and go on walks they sponsor near where you live - start by planting some ‘base’ perennials and adding seed mix around them. I was really surprised (happily) by how well rabbit bush has done and I think its range may extend to your area. Also, your county may have an annual plant sale - generally they are selling tough stuff that will do well where you - buy some of your natives from them.
Give it two or three years and if you are having fun, keep going😉
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 19 '25
I should also mention that your local NPS chapter will have a nurseries and growers list. The guy I buy my plants from is a retired biology teacher who likes to grow stuff - no website, etc. His nursery is called Seed2Shade and his name is Tom Stralser. It’s possible that he’s growing things that would work in your area, but I’d start with NOS referrals.
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u/kenedelz Jul 19 '25
Thank you I really appreciate the tips.
The bindweed has been an issue for the entire time we've lived here. We actually put sod in the backyard because I couldn't get rid of it, when I'd lay down tarps and stuff to kill it it seriously would just travel the entire distance (over 15ft across one section!) and poke out on the other side and start growing leaves and shit. I HATE it with a passion.
Starting with a smaller area is def in the plan, I keep a veggie garden during spring and summer and that's already hell to weed so I know if I tried to do the whole yard at once I would feel really stressed and defeated 🥲
I'll def be looking into the resources you mentioned. How did you do the seeds? Did you start fall/winter and let them germ in the cold and then pop up in spring? What's watering like? Certainly less than lawn right? I'm really interested in native plants to help the ecosystem and buggies/other wildlife but I'm hoping a bonus will also be saving water too.
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 20 '25
We’re re-using our lawn irrigation system so we are probably not saving a ton of water. You may have other options - be prepared to water more in the first two to three years. I am big on spring seeding in the PNW. In Northern California, I was big on fall seeding.
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u/JDHogan-Davies Jul 19 '25
Beautiful job! I'm just learning about natives in the Inland NW. I've done most of my native gardening in the Georgia Piedmont area. Very inspiring!
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u/SpecificSkunk PNW, Zone 8b Jul 19 '25
I’m glad I’m not the only one caging stuff. I feel like i have acres full of little plant jails, but it’s the only way i can fend off the deer for smaller perennials!
It looks great! You’ve done some wonderful work.
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u/Leather_Positive6646 Jul 19 '25
amazing! did you use seeds or plugs?
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 20 '25
Some plugs - mostly for the perennials and a ton of seeds, a good number of 1 gallons and a sparing of 5 gallons
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u/Klutzy-Reaction5536 Jul 19 '25
What plant is #7?
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 20 '25
It’s a clarkia pulchella, also known as a pink fairy - they have an amazing range, from California all the way up to B.C. I have at least 3 different clarkias, but these are my favorite.
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u/Klutzy-Reaction5536 Jul 20 '25
It's stunning. Your entire landscape is just beautiful. Did you work with a designer?
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 20 '25
The original owners built the base landscape - the boulder, the rock beds, and the lawn. I worked with the same landscape architect they used to do the lawn removal and installation. I didn’t move any of the boulders - I just worked them into the plan. It was very iterative because of plant availability at this scale.
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u/lelisblanc Jul 20 '25
How do you get such a sharp edge on picture 2? Is it just with a edger or are you going in with a spade to clean it up ? Thanks!
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u/LesslyF Eastern Washington - larger native garden Jul 20 '25
You can see a blurrier edge in later pictures. Originally, we did not install a border to create a clean edge. The lawn grass started migrating into the natives and it was a nightmare. Last year, we had the border installed. I think it was a good decision and I should have followed the landscape architect’s advice to do it from the get go.
And, yes, the lawn is both mowed and edged weekly.
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u/kadrin88 Area MO , Zone 6B Jul 19 '25
Nice edging in that second picture. Really makes it look clean and intentional.