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Create A Meditation Garden With Plants Like These

Create A Meditation Garden With Plants Like These

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com

February 22, 2020

Bob Stefko

You can meditate in any outdoor space—even your backyard. Learn more about plants that stimulate your senses through color, scent and texture.

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Showy Milkweed

Credit: Bob Stefko

Native Americans used the fibers of Asclepias speciose to make ropes and nets; in the garden, it attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.

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Blood Grass

Credit: Bob Stefko

The flame-like red tips on this drought-tolerant grass (Imperata cylindrica) intensify in hue through the growing season.

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Red Beebalm

Credit: Bob Stefko

Hummingbirds are drawn to these red-flowering natives (Monarda didyma), and their leaves offer a minty fragrance.

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'Karl Foerster Reed Gras'

Credit: Bob Stefko

In a sensory garden, feathery grasses tempt visitors to touch and engage with the plants.

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Blazing Star

Credit: Bob Stefko

This prairie native (Liatris spicata) brings vertical interest to a garden. Plus, its purple spikes draw bumblebees and butterflies.

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Pale Purple Coneflower

Credit: Bob Stefko

Plant purple or yellow varieties of this prairie icon (Echinacea). The dainty pale purple coneflower (E. pallida) blooms in June while its deeper purple cousin (E. purpea) blooms in July. For yellow blooms, try gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) and cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniate).

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Sunflowers

Credit: Bob Stefko

These taller flowers (Helianthus) create vertical interest at eye level. Try both annual and perennial varieties.

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Swamp Milkweed

Credit: Bob Stefko

Pink clustered blooms draw a plethora of pollinators to this Monarch host plant (Asclepias incarnata).

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Garden Phlox

Credit: Bob Stefko

These large purple flowering clusters (Phlox paniculata) attract butterflies and hummingbirds and offer a spicy vanilla-clove perfume.

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Ohio Spiderwort

Credit: Bob Stefko

The blue-violet flower clusters (Tradescantia ohiensis) open in the morning and close by afternoon.

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Sedum

Credit: Bob Stefko

These succulents, aka stonecrops, take heat well and add low-growing texture to rock gardens and borders.

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Sea Holly

Credit: Bob Stefko

The silvery leaves and blue blooms of Eryngium stand out in perennial borders and add striking texture to arrangements.

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Butterfly Weed

Credit: Bob Stefko

Asclepias tuberosa lures legions of monarchs and queen butterflies.

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Little Bluestem

Credit: Bob Stefko

This textural blue-green grass (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation) turns a striking crimson in fall and is an important food source for wildlife.

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Spike Speedwell

Credit: Bob Stefko

The deep blue-purple flowers of 'Royal Candles' attract both hummingbirds and butterflies.

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Labyrinth mindfulness garden

Heady herbs, dewy leaves and whirring bees wind through Annamarie Fernyak's meditation labyrinth in Ohio, created with the plants featured in this slideshow and others. Read more about Annamarie and her garden.

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By The editors of MidwestLiving.com

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Create A Meditation Garden With Plants Like These

1 of 16

Showy Milkweed

1 of 16

2 of 16

Blood Grass

2 of 16

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Red Beebalm

3 of 16

4 of 16

'Karl Foerster Reed Gras'

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Blazing Star

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Pale Purple Coneflower

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Sunflowers

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Swamp Milkweed

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Garden Phlox

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Ohio Spiderwort

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Sedum

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Sea Holly

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Butterfly Weed

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Little Bluestem

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Spike Speedwell

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Labyrinth mindfulness garden

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