Popular Landscaping Ideas for Michigan

Michigan residents face several daunting issues when planning landscaping for their homes. With land that ranges from lakeshore to heavy forests, popular landscaping ideas vary, but a few trends have emerged and evolved to fight some of the problems most faced by those with property in this state of sandy soils and some tough environmental conditions.

Because Michigan is surrounded by water and lacking the forest fire reputation and dry winds of western states, residents may not consider conditions within the state conducive to fire; however, according to a field assistant for the MSU Firewise program, "The presence of seasonally dry beach grasses, mature evergreens, upward sloping dunes and homes in secluded lakeshore areas are a volatile combination."

The Michigan State University Extension notes that any plant can burn--even a fire-resistant plant--but selecting plants that lack resins and that feature foliage that hold onto moisture, such as maple trees and hostas, helps to reduce fire risks.

Proper spacing of plants plays a vital role in fire prevention. The extension suggests locating all plants in relation to their estimated size at maturity, as this prevents fire from jumping as readily from plant to plant. Also, homeowners should keep a 3-foot zone between landscaping and their home and other structures and incorporate stone or other non-flammable mulch.

Fire-resistant plants include the shrubs Michigan holly, shrubby cinquefoil and blackhawk viburnum, and helpful trees include the Kentucky coffee tree, the red maple (occasionally damaged by deer) and the flowering dogwood (seldom severely damaged by deer).

Deer pose a problem in many areas within the state of Michigan. If food is sparse enough, wildlife may be tempted to dine on almost any plant, so most plant lists denote a range of damage from rare to frequent. If a homeowner prefers a plant that is not resistant to wildlife, extensive intervention may be needed to keep animals from feeding on and potentially destroying the plant.

Yarrow is a flowering perennial, native to Michigan and fire resistant. Geranium, while not native, grows well in Michigan and has proven fire resistant. Switch grass and fountain grass, coneflower, sage (wildfire resistant) and paper birch trees are rarely damaged by deer. Hosta and geraniums show resistance to rabbit damage and show fire resistance.

Shelterbelt or windbreak plantings form a part of an environmentally sound method to reduce homeowner waste and expense for heating and cooling. Such plantings may be especially valuable in central parts of the state where open ground has little protection from hills or trees, or along the lakeshore, where high winds come off the water.

Larger trees reduce wind most effectively up to a distance of five to seven times their height, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. The Michigan State University Extension notes that plants installed along your home’s foundation act as a layer of insulation between the wind and your home.

Landscaping to resist the wind may extend all the way down to ground level. Ground cover fights erosion, helping keep valuable topsoil in place. Ground cover habits vary from low-growing evergreens to shrubs. Canadian ginger and the evergreen kinnikinnick are examples of good ground covers for Michigan.

Bearberry and black chokeberry shrubs, as well as black gum, Eastern sycamore and tulip trees are all native to Michigan and on the list of fire-resistant plants. Red, white and burr oak trees perform well in a range of planting zones across the state and are seldom bothered by deer. These can help form a layered windbreak to reduce heating costs for homeowners.