Garden Habitat Guide

What habitat most closely resembles your landscape? Missouri native plants have evolved in distinct habitat types, each defined by specific combinations of sunlight, soil, and moisture. By understanding these habitats and comparing their conditions to your own yard, you can choose plants that are naturally suited to thrive in your space making your garden healthier, more resilient, and easier to maintain.

Read through the habitat descriptions below and look for the one that best matches your site’s conditions. You may even find that different areas of your property align with different habitats — a sunny, dry slope might resemble a glade, while a shaded area under trees could function as a woodland.

Glades

Glades are open, rocky areas with thin, dry soils and full sun, naturally found throughout the Missouri Ozarks. These harsh but beautiful landscapes are shaped by extreme conditions: intense summer heat, minimal rainfall, shallow or rocky soil, and strong winds. Despite — or perhaps because of — these challenges, glades support a remarkable diversity of tough, drought-tolerant plants.

If your site is hot, dry, and has poor or shallow soil, glade plants are an excellent choice. In residential landscapes, glade conditions often occur on south- and west-facing slopes, along gravel driveways, in exposed areas near sidewalks and parking lots, or anywhere grass struggles to establish. Urban development has actually created many glade-like environments throughout St. Louis, making these plants especially relevant for city gardeners.

Prairie

Prairie gardens are dominated by grasses and flowering plants adapted to open, sunny conditions — but unlike glades, prairies grow in deeper, richer soils. While both habitats experience full sun and can handle heat and wind, prairie soils retain more moisture and nutrients, allowing plants to grow taller and denser. Many prairie species have remarkably deep root systems — some reaching 10 feet or more — that improve soil structure, prevent erosion, and increase water infiltration.

Much of north St. Louis City and County was historically tallgrass prairie before being converted to agriculture and development, making these plants especially well-suited to local soils and climate. In your landscape, prairie conditions might exist in open, sunny areas with average to good soil — places where you could grow a lawn, but might prefer something more dynamic and lower-maintenance instead. Once established, prairie gardens require minimal watering and create ever-changing landscapes that shift with the seasons, offering waves of color from spring through fall and dramatic structure in winter.

Woodland

Woodland gardens feature plants adapted to shade and partial shade, where sunlight filters through tree canopies in dappled patterns throughout the day. These areas support a diverse mix of species that tolerate shifting light conditions—from bright, filtered sun to deeper shade—and moderately dry to moist soils, depending on tree density and soil type.

In your landscape, woodland conditions might exist beneath oaks, maples, or other large trees, along the edges of wooded areas, or in side yards where buildings and trees create shade. Woodland gardens are well-suited to these spaces and can serve as effective buffers for noise, wind, and summer heat while adding seasonal interest and habitat value.

Rain Garden

Rain gardens are designed to capture and absorb stormwater runoff using deep-rooted native plants that help filter pollutants, recharge groundwater, and prevent erosion. Unlike a typical garden bed, rain gardens experience dramatic fluctuations in moisture. After a heavy rain, the garden may be temporarily saturated or even flooded, but it should drain completely within 24 to 48 hours. Between storms, the soil dries out, sometimes becoming quite dry during periods without rain.

The key to a successful rain garden is selecting plants that can handle these extremes. Native species adapted to floodplains, wet meadows, and stream edges are naturally suited to these conditions, tolerating both short-term inundation and drought. Rain gardens are typically positioned on a gentle slope where they can collect runoff from impervious surfaces like roofs, driveways, and patios. When properly designed and planted, a rain garden not only manages stormwater effectively but also creates valuable pollinator habitat and adds seasonal interest to your landscape.

Butterfly Garden

While not a distinct habitat type like prairies or woodlands, butterfly gardens are a popular and rewarding way to support pollinators using native plants. Butterflies play an important role in pollination and depend on native plants not only for nectar but also as host plants where they lay eggs and caterpillars develop. Many butterfly species rely on specific native plants to complete their life cycle.

A successful butterfly garden thrives in full sun with well-drained soil, conditions similar to prairies or glades. The best plant selections include species with long blooming periods, showy flowers that provide abundant nectar, and a mix that offers blooms from spring through fall to support butterflies throughout the season. Including host plants specific to butterflies you want to attract is equally important, as these provide the food caterpillars need to survive. Many of these same plants also support bees and other pollinators, making butterfly gardens valuable for the entire pollinator community.

See it at the Demo Garden