Chris & Ray’s Naturescape – SAMPLE Listing

  • IMPORTANT: This is a SAMPLE listing only. It is intended to provide prospective site hosts an example of what a listing can look like.
  • LOCATION: East Grand Rapids
  • A cottage style house with a mostly perennial native front and backyard.
  • Using Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees as a guide to replace the non-natives with their native counterparts.
  • The pin oaks are slowly being replaced by hardier but still native oaks.
  • SILVER certified in Audubon’s Bring Conservation Home program.
  • Small water feature to support birds and amphibians.

Shortly after moving into their house six years ago, Ray and Chris started improving their backyard. Chris’s science teacher background meant she was very committed to converting to native plants. They contacted Native Landscape Solutions for ideas and help with the install. Budget constraints meant starting with smaller plants than they would have liked, and fending off the deer and bunnies felt like a full time job in the first year.

Once the backyard was established, they turned their attention to the front. After contacting city officials to be sure there was no minimum lawn coverage requirement, the front yard was converted to fully native. Various paths wind around allowing the viewer to take in the stands of Geranium, Penstemon, Lobelia, Amsonia, Zizia, Iris, and Helenium among the more than 40 species of grasses, sedges and perennial flowers.