We bought a house in Oklahoma (Comanche County), it’s in a new build area and we have no trees on our street. We have a half acre with the house placed more towards the front of our lot. We are wanting to add some native trees and plants but don’t really know where to start. Any and all advice or recommendations.
by kayla_unstable
19 Comments
Trees, gardens, goats, chickens, orchard, plant some prairie.
I would start with three oaks. space them far apart, like 30-40 feet (it looks like you have the room) then in the future shade of those oaks plant understory trees serviceberry, redbud, and American witchhazel.
https://ag.ok.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Oklahoma-Native-Species-by-County-Sheet1.pdf
edit: adding mexican plum to the list
Get a piece of paper and do a lot of sketching. First, map out where you could have a path. With my yard I made a path that follows the perimeter. You could do a brick path, but the most cost effective would be from mulch. Then just start drawing in trees and shrubs and whatever else you want to plant. Consider places for benches to sit and view the yard. Also note how the sun travels across the yard too so you’ll know where certain plants can thrive.
Having a blank slate like this is truly the best. It’s so rewarding to turn nothing into a wonderful space for yourself as well as wildlife.
Consider checking out the “Habitat Restoration” and “Know Your Plants!” sections in this YouTube playlist I’ve curated for other purposes. It’s got a lot of helpful relevant information
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO7BGdhY7jNqNXqYgFIN8169BMVBRbDKV&si=3Re9GKWKiLFDPdy9
Honestly jealous, I would love a blank canvas like that to work on. I know cottonwood trees are native to the Midwest, but they make a mess and people don’t like them and they require a lot of water. Idk too many native plants for Oklahoma as im based in New Hampshire. But your local university might have an agricultural extension service that can help you or just Google search plants native to your area and climate zone. What I can tell you is it’s best to remove the grass from around the area that you intend to plant. Grass around the base of trees will fight for water and nutrients from the tree and mowing or weed wacking around the base of a tree can damage the bark leading to an early demise for the tree. Also get your soil tested so you know what type of soil your working with so you can plant plants that will thrive in that type soil or amend the soil so your plants have a chance to thrive. Soil health is important to plant health.
https://homegrownnationalpark.org/keystone-plant-guides/
Check the above link for both flowering plants and trees/shrubs. I think you’re eco-region 9.4 on that list. See if any of those options look good to you.
Additionally you can check the Xerxes society list for your area
https://xerces.org/publications/plant-lists/native-plants-for-pollinators-and-beneficial-insects-southern-plains
I’d also try to look around for a local nursery that specializes in natives (easier said than done). At a cursory glance on the Home Grown Nat’l Park website the best I could find was a retail nursery in Norman, but there could be closer options that aren’t registered on that site.
The Oklahoma State extension may also be useful
https://extension.okstate.edu/programs/oklahoma-gardening/
Here’s some key words to do some research on!
• Native biodiversity
• Invasive Plants
• Keystone Plants
• Host Plants
• Specialist Pollinators
• The Structure of Permaculture
• The Benefits of Rain Gardens and Native Landscapes
• What natural habitat of your eco-region are you wanting to replicate?
These are a few different rabbit holes that lead to the same tunnel! I would do some research on these topics to get a better understanding of the local natural ecosystem and how you can best replicate it in a way that’s aesthetically beautiful, but also in a way that’s actively providing the most for the local native flora and fauna within the space you have!
Good luck on your journey! 💖✨🌱’
https://www.highcountrygardens.com/content/gardening/9-tips-professional-looking-garden-design?srsltid=AfmBOooTndCiaMKcLpRP9-AnwYOxyBeH11P07DynapwWUHCOXXNz5yhX
https://gaftp.epa.gov/Epadatacommons/ORD/Ecoregions/ok/ok_eco_lg.pdf
Here’s a map of [Oklahoma’s ecoregions](https://gaftp.epa.gov/Epadatacommons/ORD/Ecoregions/ok/ok_eco_lg.pdf). You can find yours and then look it up for information on what your area would’ve been like naturally.
As for what to plant in your space, you’ll want to get an idea of what your soil conditions are like first. Developments often destroy the soil layers that are already present while mixing in new soil from elsewhere, so your soil conditions are likely to be different from the land’s natural conditions. Once you know what conditions you’re working with, you can look through species native to your ecoregion that are adapted for those conditions.
If you reply with your ecoregion and growing conditions, I’d be happy to put together a list of species you could look into.
4 trees like oak or maple, preferably oaks, in like a rhombus/square shape
Inside that shade, understory shrubs, a bench/hammock.
Outer edges some sun loving prairie style plants.
Definitely trees, understory ones too. I would think about if you want symmetry or asymmetry.
Wow ! You need to do some research , don’t go just like planting here and there , you need to locate native nurseries nearby first supplies are crucial in any design , find out if there is any Wild Ones group near you , start by searching Facebook these groups are valuable they will help you give you places to purchase natives , don’t settle for cultivars or nativars . Don’t purchase anything from big boxe stores . Look if there is Audubon near you , they sell natives .
Next start watching native webinars on YouTube , it’s a must don’t rush this process if you are really wanting to create a native garden . Trust me I have created 8,000 square feet of native gardens and a pond which I am so happy I did . I would not suggest you to dig out a pond because you have a fence , pretty hard maybe for frogs to find your pond , my wildlife benefit from my pond there is no fencing . I have a created a native swap group look if there is anything close to you , we have three groups in Pittsburgh now , we are all helping each other . We do so much people get so many free plants . You want to watch webinars to give you some informations and see how wildlife benefits from the canopy to ground level . You have the chance to make this great . Good luck
I am in a similar situation and I am starting with one small plot that I will fence in bc of deer. It’s actually not that small it’s 5x10ft but small for my yard. Then I will build another next year and keep going. I had to research for a year and even so I made the mistake of buying seeds in March when they needed to over winter 🫣 so I had to wait an entire year to actually start. This is my year!! 😂Requires more patience than I expected but can’t wait until I have an awesome garden instead of a lawn 🤢
Is Oklahoma a prairie state? Native grasses with mowed paths. A few oaks if you want trees. I would focus on creating a savannah.
you are incredibly fortunate to live in the same county as the [Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge](https://www.fws.gov/refuge/wichita-mountains/visit-us/locations/wichita-mountains-wildlife-refuge) and should absolutely go there and get recommendations from them because they will know what the fuck they are talking about and you will get the best advice from them.
that’s not to say our lovely subscribers here don’t know what they are talking about, but the WMWR staff has their literal boots on the literal same ground as you lol
also just go there cuz undisturbed plains are super rare and super fucking cool
Get rid of all the Bermuda grass before it takes deep root.
People suggesting layered canopy and understory trees would be spot on for somewhere further East, but depending on where exactly in the county you are, the area may have been mostly oak savanna or open grassland. From what I’ve found, your county seems to be on the edge of or just outside the ranges of many East Coast species.
I think oaks would still be a good start, especially Post Oak and Blackjack Oak, but it might be nice to leave some areas treeless and have full-sun prairie plants there.
Lots of great suggestions. In PA there are several programs that provide homeowners with free trees for planting In addition, wildflower seeds are very inexpensive but you must prepare the ground properly.
Do you have children? IF you do then you will probably want some open space for playing ball etc. gosh I would be considering a pool, but those things aside. I see the shed. I would probably. start with envisioning a path that goes around some viburnums, chokeberry etc, and then all the way in the back maybe an oak or two and a shade garden and then o the right side more of a full sun high grass prarie section with tall sunflowers and a vegetable garden smack in the middle of it. Geez I would just go crazy with so much space.
Yayyyyy so excited for you!!! The before and after are going to be insane