Raised Garden Beds Offer Numerous Benefits

Wild Ginger

Wild Ginger is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial plant with heart-shaped leaves and unique, reddish-brown, tubular flowers often hidden beneath the foliage, typically found in shaded woodlands. It is a beautiful, versatile groundcover perennial that can be a valuable addition to landscaping. Here are some of its attributes and benefits when used in landscaping. Wild ginger is a plant that many may need to be made aware of. An ideal addition to a lawn that needs some variety in terms of the types and sizes of plants, there are plenty of reasons to start growing this plant where you live. Let's take a look at what it has to offer and how it might benefit your space. Wild Ginger Acts As a Larger Groundcover This plant is the perfect groundcover for those who want something that's a bit larger and can blend in seamlessly with their much smaller and much larger plants. Its heart-shaped leaves can extend up to eight inches tall, helping it seamlessly blend in throughout areas where smaller flowers feel disjointed in contrast with their much taller counterparts. If you have an area where you're having trouble growing grass or want something different, this plant will do! Wild Ginger Attracts Unique Pollinators This plant's flowers do not bloom toward the top. Instead, the jug-like flowers grow near the bottom of the plant. As a result, this attracts pollinators like ants and flies that you wouldn't usually think of as benefitting your garden. If you have other forms of ground cover or smaller plants that may need extra support, this plant could be an excellent addition to attract the pollinators your other plants aren't bringing in. Groundcover is a great way to reduce the number of weeds in your garden or yard. Because ground cover takes up the bulk of the planted space, it's much harder for weeds to take root and begin spreading. Should some weeds manage to start growing, they're much easier to pluck out. This plant is perfect if you want to reduce weeds and have something intentionally growing in your space. Reduces Soil Erosion With Wild Ginger Wild Ginger root systems spread across the space and keep soil in place, reducing soil erosion and ensuring that your soil retains its beneficial qualities. It also protects the roots of nearby plants, which is essential if you're looking to create a robust, beautiful garden.

Lyreleaf Sage

Lyreleaf Sage is a perennial wildflower characterized by its delicate, lyre-shaped leaves and spikes of tubular, purple-to-blue flowers. It is often found in dry, open woodlands and meadows. When thoughtfully integrated into landscaping designs, it presents a range of benefits. Its distinctive appearance, adaptability, contributions to biodiversity, and potential for enhancing outdoor spaces' visual and ecological aspects make it a valuable addition to gardens and landscapes. Lyreleaf Sage Produces Flowers Annually  Lyreleaf sage, also known as Salvia lyrata, is an herbaceous perennial. This means that its stems usually do not consist of any woodsy parts. It produces flowers annually before losing them every winter and usually lives for over two years.  Also, being described as "sage" means that it is a hardy, vigorous plant that can withstand being walked on much more than is the case for many other types of greenery. It is also known for its ability to resist, especially wet or dry conditions. This plant is the only one with this specific description native to North America. It should not be confused with the nightshade, an East Asian flowering plant. Lyreleaf Sage Has A Long Stem With Blooms This hairy perennial grows a rosette of leaves at its base, and those leaves, which have irregular margins, can extend up to 8 inches. Its stem usually reaches 1-2 feet long, and leaves typically grow higher, although those located there are much simpler. Its leaves are dark green for much of the year, usually changing to dark purple in the winter. Flowering tends to happen more extensively in April, May, and June, although it can occur sporadically throughout the year, with fall commonly being another significant time. These blue or violet flowers reach an inch long and attract butterflies and hummingbirds, while bees are their predominant pollinators. This plant can transition from being a seed to flowering in just a few months. Where Lyreleaf Sage Is Found The natural settings for most of these flowering plants include open areas and along forest edges. It is also commonly found in clearings, meadows, and sand. Many use it in gardens and lawns. Lyreleaf Sage's native area is spread throughout much of the eastern half of the United States, specifically from Connecticut south to Florida and west to Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Mayapple

Mayapple is a woodland perennial plant with distinctive, umbrella-like leaves and a single nodding white flower beneath its foliage. When pollinated, it produces small, edible fruit commonly found in shady forest environments. It is a fascinating native plant in North America with various landscaping benefits. Its unique appearance and adaptability can contribute to outdoor spaces' aesthetic and ecological aspects. Mayapple Has Stunning Drooping Blooms Mayapples yield drooping blooms ranging from white to rose throughout spring. Their leaves are broad and umbrella-shaped, with only one blossom per leaf axil. The flowers grow up to three inches wide. Each flower boasts white filaments, anywhere from six to nine waxy petals, double the number of stamens, six green petals, and yellow anthers. Because they are transient spring plants, they are only in bloom temporarily. Upon opening, the flower releases its petals. These plants can rise to a foot and a half tall. They produce a golden-colored fruit in late May. The fruit ripens in August. Provide a Haven for Pollinators With Mayapple It is easy to spot for pollinators because of its large, prominent blossoms. Its display of six to nine perfectly arranged petals adds to its attractiveness. This, combined with their abundance of pollen, makes them a haven for pollinators like bees and beetles. Their early spring blooming schedule coincides nicely with the pollinating needs of many early-emerging pollinators. Make Your Yard Healthier With Mayapple As a perennial, they improve the yard's health and biodiversity yearly. These plants have a natural look that adds shade and moisture to your yard or garden. Their roots can draw water up from deeper soil levels, which helps keep the topsoil from drying out too much. Their leaves unfold and swell when the weather gets warmer, transforming into pleated spirals adorned with delicate hair around their edges. These leaves transform into intricately lobed structures resembling umbrellas, functioning as efficient machines for photosynthesis.  Mayapple grows fast and in dense clusters, helping them outcompete many weed species by limiting their access to sunlight, water, and nutrients. Their extensively spreading roots add to their ability to restrict weed growth, and their allelopathic effects inhibit weed germination by acting as a natural herbicide. Once their leaves fall off, they decay and release vital nutrients into the soil, making it healthier and hindering weed growth.