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Monarchs need milkweed, swallowtails relish dill, parsley, and fennel, and many hairstreaks depend on oaks. Plant for the entire life cycle, not just flowers. Accept a few chewed leaves as a badge of success, and you will witness miraculous transformations unfold on stems you walk past daily.

Native bunchgrasses hold soil, offer winter texture, and cradle overwintering insects. Flowering shrubs like buttonbush, ninebark, and ceanothus feed a crowd, while serviceberry and redbud bridge spring hunger. Small trees add shade for people, perches for birds, and layered structure that makes the whole yard feel cohesive and calm.

Smother grass using cardboard overlapped generously, then top with compost and shredded leaves. Water well and wait while roots decay. Plant plugs through slits, add a temporary annual mix for quick color, and watch soil biology rebound as weeds fade and pollinators arrive long before complex installations finish.

Clear competition carefully, then seed in late fall or very early spring so freezing and thawing settle seed. Choose a regional mix heavy on perennials, and add nurse annuals. Lightly press, do not bury. Water to establish, then step back as grasses and flowers knit resiliently together.
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