Native Garden Installations
Tell Zac about the space you’d like to transform. Prefer to call? 608.235.5052.
Bring a piece of Wisconsin’s native landscape home
A small pocket of lawn, an aging garden bed, or an overlooked corner of your yard can become the beginning of something different: a native planting designed for your property and your goals.
Legacy Native Plants designs and installs gardens using Wisconsin native grasses, sedges, and flowering plants. Our approach brings these plants together as a community, rather than treating each flower as an isolated feature.
Based in Waunakee, we welcome native garden installation inquiries from Waunakee, DeForest, Lodi, Dane, Sauk City, and surrounding communities north of Madison. Have a project outside this area? Contact us to discuss your location and what you have in mind.
A matrix design: grasses, sedges & flowers woven together
Our gardens use a matrix design, with an underlying layer of native grasses or sedges interspersed with native flowering plants. Think of the matrix as the planting’s foundation, with flowers woven through it rather than separated into individual islands.
The balance of grasses, sedges, and flowers is chosen for the space. We consider how the plants will fit together as they grow, how tall the planting should become, and how it will look alongside your lawn, paths, and existing garden beds.
Flowers are an important part of the design, but they are not the whole story. Grasses and sedges contribute texture, repetition, and a sense of continuity throughout the planting. The goal is a garden that feels connected, with interest beyond a single burst of bloom.
Wisconsin natives selected for your site
A sunny front yard and a shaded garden beneath trees call for different plant choices. We begin with the conditions on your property, then select Wisconsin native plants suited to that setting.
During the planning process, we consider:
- Available light: Full sun, partial sun, and shade guide the choice of both the matrix plants and the flowers.
- Soil and moisture: We discuss whether the site tends to be dry, moist, or variable and consider those conditions in the design.
- Height and placement: Plant choices should fit the space and how you use the surrounding yard.
- Seasonal interest: We consider a mix of flowering times, foliage, and plant forms rather than designing around one moment in the season.
- Your goals: A small pocket prairie, a refreshed garden bed, and a shaded native planting may each need a different approach.
We do not use one fixed plant list for every garden. The mix is guided by the site, with a focus on bringing Wisconsin native plants into the places where they belong.
Start small or rethink an existing garden
You do not need to convert your entire yard to begin. A manageable planting can be a meaningful first step toward a more native landscape.
Projects can include replacing a small pocket of lawn, refreshing an aging garden bed, or creating a native planting in a sunny or shaded part of your property. We help you think through the space and do the installation work.
Our purpose is to create gardens with more than appearance in mind. We design with native habitat, pollinators, birds, and local biodiversity as goals, while keeping the planting connected to the way you use and enjoy your yard.
From consultation to planting
We start with a conversation about your property, the area you want to change, and what you hope to accomplish. Photos and a rough idea of the space are helpful, but you do not need a finished plan or a list of plants.
From there, we discuss site conditions, a suitable matrix of grasses or sedges and flowers, and the scope of the installation. We also discuss site preparation, project timing, and what the planting will need as it establishes.
A garden to establish and care for
Our aim is a manageable native planting, not a promise of a maintenance-free garden. We discuss establishment and ongoing care so you know what to expect after installation.
That conversation includes watering, weeding, and how to recognize the plants as the garden develops. The goal is to help you feel connected to the planting and confident about its next steps.
Connecting restoration and native planting
Some spaces are ready for a new garden. Others need unwanted woody growth addressed first. If invasive plants are part of the challenge, we can discuss that work alongside your planting goals.
Learn more about our ecological restoration and invasive plant removal services, including manual buckthorn removal and targeted cut-stump treatment.
Request a Free Consult
Looking for a native garden installation in Waunakee, DeForest, Lodi, Dane, or Sauk City? Contact Zac at zac@legacynativeplants.com or 608.235.5052.
Please include your location, a few photos, and a short description of the space. If you know how much sun it receives, include that too. We can start with your ideas and work toward a planting that fits your property.
Each yard may be small, but together we can help carry Wisconsin’s natural legacy forward.