Lakeshore Yard Maintenance

Adding native plants to your shoreline provides many benefits including:

Year-round lush vegetation, including ornamentals and edible plants, that require minimal watering
Protection from shoreline erosion & wakes from boats
A privacy buffer while maintaining views and access to the water
Decrease in algal blooms
Increase in property value
A visual buffer to discourage geese from grazing
Food and refuge for songbirds, pollinators, and salmon

But how do you know what plant is beneficial? Or what plant will thrive along your shoreline? Or how to remove invasive species that have taken over the shoreline, like milfoil or knotweed?

Soil Texture Test

Knowing the soil conditions, along with assessing how much sun or shade your shoreline is exposed to, will help you determine what kind of plants will thrive. Mature and established landscaping is easier to care for over time, and allows for complex root structures to hold soil in place, preventing erosion.

Doing a quick ribbon test will help you better determine the texture of your soil, or how much water and nutrients your soil can hold. Soil that is more sandy drains quickly, while soil with more clay holds more water. If you have planted shade-loving plants in the shade, but they are still showing signs of stress or die prematurely, this could be that the soil texture may not match the needs of your plant.

Shorelines are divided into zones, with each zone consisting of different soil conditions. Snohomish County’s LakeWise Shoreline Plant Guide is a helpful place to start if you plan to plant in all three zones.**

**Depending on where you live, some municipalities have specific guidelines for how close you can plant to the water’s edge, and may require a permit.

Native Plants Love Shorelines

The big takeaway here is “Right Plant, Right Place” - once you’ve determined the sun and shade conditions of your shoreline, and the soil texture, it’s time to choose some plants. Or maybe you already have plants in your yard but you’re not sure what they are, or if they are native or invasive. There are several resources for you to explore from a free plant ID app to King County’s Native Plant Guide.

Seek Phone App

King County Native Plant Guide

Lawn Alternatives

Aquatic Plant ID

Planting Plans & Tutorials

Now that you know Right Plant, Right Place, here are some free planting plans to help get you started, as well as a guide on when and how to plant for a thriving yard. In Western Washington, plant in the fall to give plants shady, cool, and wet conditions to become healthy and established for summertime droughts.

How to Garden with Native Plants

Plant Right Guide

King County Planting Plans

LakeWise Planting Guide

Invasive Plant ID

You may already have encountered invasive plants in your yard, along the shoreline, and in the water. In Western Washington, there are several particularly aggressive species that were introduced in the 20th century. Some of these plants, like English Ivy, contribute to shoreline erosion due to their shallow roots and ability to blanket an area so fully that no other plants are able to grow. Other plants, like Japanese Knotweed, have roots strong enough to damage bulkheads and house foundations, and will shade out other plants that are beneficial to the lakeshore.

When swimming or wading along the shoreline, chances are you’ve been tangled up in Eurasian Milfoil, or have been inundated by Elodea. This is not a sign of poor water quality, but of a species that was accidentally introduced to the lakes via aquariums or bilge pumps, and do not have any natural predators to keep them from spreading rapidly and outcompeting native aquatic plants.

King County Noxious Weed Guide

King County Aquatic Weed Guide

Guía de malas hierbas nocivas e invasoras

This for That: Replacing Invasive Plants with Non-Invasive Plants

If your shoreline is covered with ivy, what’s a good alternative?
King County’s Garden Wise booklet has a wide range of eye-catching alternatives. If you are replacing invasive plants along a steep slope, try to replace areas in small sections to allow non-invasive plants to become established. This will prevent unwanted erosion and will help build slope stability. If you are able, intersperse ground cover with shrubs and trees to create a healthy root matrix, stabilizing your shoreline and combating unwanted sloughing or property damage.

Garden Wise Guide

What is This Plant?

Need help figuring out a plant species, or how to manage a plant? Are you looking for resources for removing noxious weeds? Fill out the form to get help from King County’s Noxious Weed experts.