Mary Ann's Michigan Trees and Shrubs

Welcome to Mary Ann's Michigan Trees and Shrubs!

I am Mary Ann Menck, owner, seed gatherer, pot cleaner, pot filler, planter, waterier, and all around handy person. I was an Elementary School Counselor and the advisor for the Elementary Landscaping Club. We were looking for native trees and shrubs to attract natives to our landscape. We could not find native trees and shrubs at our local nurseries. We had to drive to the Lansing area to get what we wanted. I decided that I could grow native trees and shrubs when I retired.

So when I retired from being an elementary school counselor, I started growing Michigan trees and shrubs. If you are interested in attracting our native Michigan butterflies, moths, birds, and mammals, you are also interested in promoting native Michigan trees and shrubs. Native butterflies, moths, birds, and mammals can live because of native trees and shrubs. They feed on the leaves or bark, or new branches of natives. They take cover and make their homes in native shrubs and trees. Many nonnative shrubs have weak branches, so predators can get to a bird's nest. Non native trees and shrubs do not attract, feed, or house, native butterflies, moths, birds, and mammals safely. You can promote natives by growing them in your yard, garden, hedgerow, field or woods. Do you have a sunny corner in your yard? You can plant several native shrubs that attract butterflies. Add native flowers and sit back and watch. Want to attract native birds to your yard? Plant native shrubs that have berries the native birds can benefit from eating. Those same native shrubs can benefit birds for cover and nesting sites. Add a native tree or shrub to your landscape to add interest with the blossoms, fruit, leaves, or the shape. Have woods that need sprucing up in spring? Plant a flowering small native tree or shrub on the edge of the woods. It can be especially attractive if you can see it from the house! Landscaping with natives is similar to landscaping with non natives. Look at the area you wish to landscape. What do you want to accomplish with the landscaping? What do you want to keep in that area? What needs to be added? Do you need something tall, small or medium in height? Do you need some contrast to what you have? Maybe, some native grasses? Do you need some color? You could add some wildflowers. They are not weeds. Many fit right in to a formal border, but all do well in a drift through prairie grasses with other wildflowers. Have questions? Want some help? Just let me know.

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