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Environmentally-Friendly Landscaping
There are many ways that yards and neighborhoods can benefit water quality, provide resources for wildlife, use native plants, and reduce resource-use. This page offers resources for people who would like to incorporate new approaches to their landscaping. The City of Burnsville also offers numerous workshops for an in-person learning experience.
What type of project is right for you?
A meadow lawn (or native planting) is great for larger areas and having a high wildlife and water quality impact. A pollinator lawn is a way to keep the lawn aesthetic and usability, while providing flowers for bees. A native garden provides great resources for birds and pollinators even in small ’pocket plantings.’
It is important to follow City ordinances when installing a project. Follow the links to learn about the ordinances related to your project during the planning process.
| Native garden | Pollinator lawn | Meadow lawn/Native planting | |
|---|---|---|---|
Planted native plants create a traditional garden look. | Mix of grass and low-growing flowers create a usable and beneficial lawn. | Native grass and wildflower seeds create a small meadow or prairie. | |
| Installation Cost (per 100 sq. ft.) | ~$100-$200 | ~$50-$175 | ~$200 |
| Installation | Remove sod, plant, and mulch | Remove sod and seed -OR- Overseed into grass | Remove sod and seed |
| Maintenance | Weeding, spot mulching every few years | Weeding, mowing (raise mower height), periodic overseeding | Weeding, mowing every other year |
| Benefits | Moderate environmental value, easy to maintain | Moderate pollinator value, less maintenance than traditional lawn | Highest environmental value, low maintenance long term |
| Other | Best for small areas | Best where turf is still desired | Best for large areas |
| Ordinance | No specific ordinance. | See related ordinance | See related ordinance |
Interested in installing a rain garden? Visit our page dedicated to rain gardens for more information.
Plant selection
Choosing which plants to incorporate into your landscape can be a challenging task, as there are so many options! Here are some considerations when deciding plants:
- Choose native and local (within 100-200 miles) plants and seed.
- Choose plants that bloom at different times, so that from early spring to late fall there is always a floral resource for pollinators.
- Choose plants that benefit certain species, like birds, monarch butterflies or the endangered rusty-patched bumble bee.
Resources
Project installation
- Going Native - A Prairie Restoration Handbook for Minnesota Landowners (MN DNR)
- Board of Water and Soil Resources provides detailed information about different project types and the Lawns to Legumes cost-share program
- Landscaping with Native Plants (DNR)
- University of Minnesota Bee Lawn Resources
Plant selection
- Blue Thumb Plant Finder creates a plant list after the user enters a set of conditions (light exposure, plant type, bloom time)
- Scott County SWCD Tree, Shrub and Native Seed Sale
- Minnesota Wildflowers is a plant identification tool with many different search functions
- List of Native Plant Suppliers & Landscapers (MN DNR)
Other
Learn more about planting for pollinators in the Wildlife section.