Front Yard Makeover — Native Plant Edition: How to Plant Perennials so They Can Thrive

In this article you’ll learn pro-tips for getting your long-lived perennial plants off to a good start. AND I’m sharing with you the my native plant list along with the most important details.

Project Progress:

1. Our retaining wall is up. 
2. Rain garden and river (trench) dug. 
3. Mulch applied (i.e. mess hidden). 
4. Vine maple tree planting time.
5. Now lets get the rest of the plants off to a good start!

Rules of Thumb for Planting Perennials

• Consider soil pH.
• Remove potting soil.  (In general, the smaller the plant the less of a concern this is.)
• Ensure roots don’t circle.
• Native soil only. 
• Top dress with mulch or organic matter. 
• Keep it watered that first year, even if it is drought tolerant. 

For the longer lived, massive plants like trees, these rules are critical for establishing a good root system for sturdy anchorage and vigorous growth. For bunching grasses, little flowers and they like, they are helpful, but not as critical. 

Soil pH 

The pH of the soil affects how well plants can uptake nutrients. Matching the pH to the plant is important for overall health. Willamette Valley, Oregon native plants generally prefer slightly acidic soil, about 5.5 pH. This is primarily due to the average 38” of rain we receive annually that leaches the soil of many water soluble minerals and our conifer dominated forests. Meadow plants and rocky plants are more tolerant of pH that range into neutral.

Since our full-sun natives are pH tolerant, I decided not to lower the pH with amendments. (I would for shady, understory natives.) Instead, I added conifer mulch and will let the rain do its thing. In a year or two it should be at our natural pH. If you need to increase your pH (to be more alkaline) add lime. If you need to decrease the pH (to be more acidic) add ammonium sulfate. More information on pH and adjusting.

Steps for Planting your Perennials

1. Remove Potting Soil

Perennials should be planted in native soil. (Get them bare root if you can.) If organic matter like compost is blended in, (or potting soil) it will create a soil horizon that will either hold in water or keep water out. Having soil that is homogeneous with the soil around it is key for water movement and drainage, and root growth. Also, organic matter will eventually decompose creating a sinkhole around the crown of your plant. This is critical for trees, but less so as the plants get smaller. More about planting a tree.

To remove the potting soil, soak the roots in a bucket of water and gently massage and wash the potting soil away. I will sometimes use a hand cultivator to gently comb the roots out. It feels harsh, but reassure yourself that it will give your plant an overall better chance for survival. (Not so with annual crops: e.g. a cucumber start would never recover from such an insult.) Native Foods Nursery delivered my tiger lily bulbs and hooker‘s onion in a moist sawdust material. So easy and free mulch. All packaging was compostable. It makes my heart sing to not a pile of plastic to throw away.

2. Ensure Roots Don’t Circle

Also by removing the potting soil, you can ensure the roots are not circling and instead radiate away from the plant. 

3. Dig a hole about twice as wide as the roots (trim off any extra long roots) and create a small mound of soil in the middle. 
4. Place your plant on the hill with the crown (where the roots meet stem or leaves) just above the soil line. 
   • For bulbs, no hill needed, just pop in at depth indicated on planting instructions. If there were no instructions, go down double the distance of the bulb’s height.

3. Arrange the roots so they radiate away from the crown. Trim any long roots that have a strong bend, are circling, or are pointing upwards. (It’s OK, really.)
4. Backfill the soil and press to remove any air pockets.
5. Water in to settle the soil and activate the roots.
6. Top dress with a little organic fertilizer, (if needed) and/or organic matter such as mulch or the potting soil itself. Keep mulch from contacting the crown so it won’t cause rot or smother the plant.
   • For bulbs, if planting in fall or winter, consider covering planting area with a piece of thin cardboard, paper bag, or newspaper to hide the disturbed soil and yummy smells from squirrels. By spring the material should be rotted away or soft enough for the shoots to push through. Consider sprinkling a little something spicy (cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes) to hide the scent of the bulbs and deter foraging. Squirrels love tiger lily bulbs, but not alliums like onions and garlic.
7. Send your little plant love 💚 and feel the love in return for your eco-restoration efforts. 

Nature doesn’t hold grudges. She will accept even the smallest of tokens with gratitude and return full grace. Enjoy your gardens of fruits and vegetables, and consider giving nature any little pockets not being cultivated. In return she will provide a balancing effect for our garden ecosystem as well as enhanced beauty and vitality.

Plants I chose for this project with the vital details.

Mulched Area Between Swale and Sidewalk

A few pretty alliums that will add floral color and foliage texture without encroaching or overhanging onto the public sidewalk. I won’t likely water here, but full sun and lots of heat.

Common Name	Size at Maturity	Notes	Vendor
Hooker’s Onion	1 x 1′	Full sun. Dry to moist soil. Moderate difficulty. Edible and very pretty.	Native Foods Nursery
Nodding Onion	1.5 x 1.5′	Very easy to grow. Full Sun. Dry to wet soil. Edible and very pretty.	Native Foods Nursery

Dry, Rain Garden Plants – Rocky shelf, above swale.

Less water but still subject to flooding occasionally and wicking from wetter swale. Sunny, with slight shading from berm.

Common Name	Size at Maturity	Notes	Vendor
Oregon Stone Crop	3” – 6” tall Lateral Creeper	Full sun succulent with yellow flowers. Spreads laterally via rhizome and creeping.	Sparrowhawk
Blue Eyed Grass	8 – 12″ tall 6 – 12″ wide	Full sun. Moist to wet soil. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.	Sparrowhawk
Hooker’s Onion	1 x 1′	Full sun. Dry to moist soil. Moderate difficulty. Edible and very pretty.	Native Foods Nursery
Nodding Onion	1.5 x 1.5′	Very easy to grow. Full Sun. Dry to wet soil. Edible and very pretty.	Native Foods Nursery

Rain Garden Plants – Deep area that will having standing water at times.

Common Name	Size at Maturity	Notes	Vendor
Douglas Spirea	2 – 6’ tall 2 – 4’ wide	Flowering shrub. Tolerates very wet and drought. Full Sun.	TSWCD Native Plant Giveaway to Backyard Habitat participants.
Spreading Rush	1 – 2′ tall 1 – 3′ wide	Full sun. Moist to wet. Do not trim back leaves and flowers for more eco-benefit. Caterpillar host.	Sparrowhawk
Common Rush	1 – 2’ tall 1 – 2’ wide	Moist to wet soil. Flowers Caterpillar host	Sparrowhawk
Dense Sedge	1 – 2’ tall 18 – 28” wide	Moist to wet soil. Tolerates flooding. Tolerates drought.	Sparrowhawk
Elegant Calicoflower	Up to 12 x 12″	Annual. Moist to wet soil. Easy to grow. Food source for endangered Fender’s Blue Butterfly.	Sparrowhawk
Lupine	4’ tall 2 – 3’ wide	Prefers wet soil, but somewhat drought tolerant. Full sun. Gorgeous, fragrant, flower spikes. (Like sweet pea.)	Scavenged from work while weeding.

Below Retaining Wall Plants – For soil retention on slope and to soften wall edges.

Common Name	Size at Maturity	Notes	Vendor
Red Flowering Currant	4-12′ tall 6-10′ wide	Full sun to part shade. Dry to moist soil. Easy to grow. Early nectar source for pollinators, notably queen bumblebees. Attracts migrating Rufous hummingbirds. Host plant for several moth and butterfly species. Cedar waxwings and robins enjoy the berries. So very pretty. I will try to keep the plants under 7′ tall, without butchering their natural form too much.	Sparrowhawk
Indian Paintbrush + Yarrow	8 – 32″ tall	Full shade to part shade. Moist to dry. Difficult to grow. This is a parasitic plant that needs an appropriate host. I intermingled the roots with a yarrow, a vigorous grower with lots of eco-benefits of its own. Attracts hummingbirds. Host plant for several species of butterfly and moth. Very striking.	Sparrowhawk (Salvaged the yarrow.)
Douglas Meadowfoam	6-12″ tall Groundcover	Annual. Self-seeding. Full sun to part sun. Moist to wet soil. Benefits bees and other pollinators. Want to try some? My packet has 1,000 seeds. Happy to share!	Sparrowhawk

Retaining Wall Area Plants – Level area for a shade tree and understory plants.

A deciduous tree has the extra benefits of summer shade for our front south-facing windows and full winter sun exposure. The area is small, so the tree needs to stay small too. Our native vine maple seemed like a perfect fit. The fall foliage has the full range of golds, oranges, and even purple. Under the tree is perfect for texture plants and added eco-benefits.

Common Name	Size at Maturity	Notes	Vendor
Vine Maple	20-25′ tall 15-20′ wide	Full sun to part shade. Dry to moist soil. Fairly tolerant of wet and drought. Easy to grow. Early nectar source for pollinators. Host plant for caterpillars and beneficial insects.	Sparrowhawk
Sword Fern	2 – 4′ tall 1 – 3′ wide	Full shade to part shade. Moist to dry. East to grow in conifer understory. It will be challenged by sun exposure until vine maple provides summer shade.	Salvaged from work, where it was crowding an annual bed.
Oxalis	8″ tall Spreads laterally via rhizome.	Moist soil. Part shade to full shade. Easy to grow in a conifer forest understory, here it will be challenged by sun exposure and dry heat. Tucked them into the north side of the sword ferns.	Sparrowhawk
Cascade Oregon Grape	2′ tall 2′ wide	Part shade to full shade. Dry to moist soil. Easy to grow in conifer understory. Early nectar for pollinators and hummingbirds. Supports beneficial insects. Berries enjoyed by birds.	Sparrowhawk

Front of House Plants – Simple elegance. Soften house edges.

Framing our front windows will be tall and beautiful mallow flowers. In between is perfect for some lower growing flowers for pollinator support and beauty. There is easy access to drip irrigation here.

Common Name	Size at Maturity	Notes	Vendor
Red Columbine	3′ tall 1-2′ wide	Full sun to part shade. Moist soil. (Summer irrigation.) Easy to grow. Attracts hummingbirds. (So pretty!) Host plant for caterpillars and beneficial insects.	Sparrowhawk
Meadow Checker Mallow	2-6′ tall 8″-2′ wide	Endemic to Willamette Valley! Full shade to part shade. Moist to dry. Drought tolerant. Hummingbird and butterfly nectar source as well as other insect pollinators. Host plant for endangered Fender’s blue butterfly as well as many other butterflies.🦋🦋🦋	Sparrowhawk
Checker Lily	36″ tall 12″ wide	Full sun, part sun. Moist soil. Moderate difficulty. Attracts native pollinators and support beneficial insects. Oh so pretty.	Sparrowhawk
Fawn lily	12″ tall 26 -8″ wide	Full sun to part shade. Moist soil. Moderate difficulty. Attracts insect pollinators. So very pretty. One of my favorites to find on hikes.	Sparrowhawk
Tiger Lily	Up to 5′ tall 1′ wide	Full sun to part shade. Moist to wet, yet drought tolerant. (Will water in summer.) Moderately easy to grow. A favorite of hummingbirds. Attracts insect pollinators. A favorite of swallowtail butterflies. Host plant for many moth and butterfly species. Bulb is edible and packed with nutrition. They are so pretty that I doubt I’ll be able to bring myself to eat any. Bulbs came packed in moist sawdust. Easy to plant. Covered planting area with paper to hide from foraging squirrels.	Native Foods Nursery
Oregon Iris	10 – 20″ tall 1 – 2′ wide	So very pretty. Full sun. Dry to moist soil. Drought tolerant.	Sparrowhawk

Dry Rock Riverbed/Rain-barrel Overflow

Add a little soft green to break up the monotony of the river rock.

Common Name	Size at Maturity	Notes	Vendor
Foothill Sedge	8″ tall 18″ wide	Full sun to part sun. Dry to moist soil. Easy to grow. Drought tolerant. Such a cute plant that stays smallish but adds softness and texture.	Sparrowhawk
Slim-Leafed Onion	Itty, but up to 1′ x 1′	Full Sun. Wet in winter, dry in summer. Easy to grow. Support for pollinators. Looks like chives to me. I enjoy seeing these in rocky mountaintops during hikes. Sweet onion fragrance.	Sparrowhawk

Between Rain Barrel and Behind Wine Barrel Pot

This little fern is probably doomed, but I tucked into the west side of the house between a wine barrel planter and the rain barrel for shade. My neighbor usually has his pick-up parked in afternoons providing shade from setting sun. The drip system is close by so I should be able to keep it moist and the pH should be low due to the nearby blueberries. Here’s to hoping!

Common Name	Size at Maturity	Notes	Vendor
Deer Fern	1 – 3′ tall 2′ wide	Full shade. Moist soil. Difficult.	Sparrowhawk

Resources

• Guide for Planting Trees & Other Perennials
• OSU Extension: Native Plant Gardening
• Backyard Habitat Program
• Metro: Native Plants for Willamette Valley Yards booklet. (.pdf)
• Sparrowhawk Native Plant Nursery Vine Maple
• East Multnomah Soil & Water Cons. – Vine Maple
• NRCS: Soil pH Guide for Educators
• The Spruce: How to Prevent Squirrels From Digging up Your Bulbs

Front Yard Native Plant Makeover Article Series

1. Retaining Wall Complete 
2. Digging for Me, Lots of Rain Garden Resources for You
3. Moving Mountains of Mulch 
4. Nine Steps to Planting A Tree (Vine Maple)
5. How to Plant Perennials so They Can Thrive