Spring Showers, Meet Your Match: 5 Native Plants for Wet Yards

April Showers are upon us, and while they do bring May flowers, they can also bring wet yards! However, there are some plants that can help keep your landscape dry during those April showers. Check out our list of the top 5 native plants that will keep your yard dry this April!

Spring is a common time for Arborvine’s professional consultants to get called out to properties for drainage concerns. If you are seeing water pooling in your yard, getting into your home or causing erosion, you may need a professional site visit from our team to engineer a plan & solution. However, if you are simply looking for a way to help dry your yard up quicker, this list is for you! Arborvine installs a lot of engineered rain gardens, which are retention areas for water that are planted with carefully curated species & cultivars that don’t mind wet feet. These native plants are tried & tested to tolerate these conditions & may be a great addition to your home’s landscape!

1. Button Bush

A beautiful Delaware native shrub that has fragrant, white flowers during the summer months. This shrub is sure to attract your favorite pollinators! Buttonbush thrives in damp areas & can even handle mild pooling of water! A great choice as a foundation shrub or specimen feature!

2. Cardinal Flower

A naive perennial that tolerates full sun to partial shade. Use this perennial in a damp area and watch the vibrant flowers that produce stunning red spikes. The best part, these flowers are guaranteed to attract hummingbirds! A must have in a Delaware native landscape!

3. Winterberry

One of Arborvine’s favorite native shrubs to incorporate into our designs! A member of the holly family, this plant has smooth green leaves that shimmer in the summer sun. With cultivars maturing at multiple different sizes, this versatile plant can find a home in almost any landscape! The best part, in the winter, this plant stays true to its name offering one of a kind winter interest! Stunning red berries will remain vibrant all winter long. The perfect pop of color in a serene, snow covered winter landscape! Plus you may find one of your favorite birds snacking on the berries!

4. Joe Pye Weed

A unique perennial that can be used for meadows & perennial gardens. In late summer you can expect large, dusky pink flower heads which are butterfly magnets! Place this plant in a damp area and the roots will thrive! You may find this perennial lining one of Arborvines exquisite rock swales or dry creek beds throughout Delaware & Pennsylvania.

5. Swamp Rose Mallow

A true stunner to add color, texture & movement to your landscape! A mid to late summer bloomer with large, showy pink & white flowers. If you love color, this is a great naive perennial for you. Rose Mallow is not phased by damp soil conditions & will use this excess moisture to grow & thrive!

As April showers continue, the right plant choices can make a meaningful difference in how your landscape handles excess water. Incorporating native, moisture-tolerant plants is a simple and effective way to support better drainage while enhancing the beauty and ecological value of your yard. If you’re dealing with persistent pooling, erosion, or water making its way toward your home, Arborvine’s team is here to help. From thoughtfully designed rain gardens to fully engineered drainage solutions, we work with you every step of the way to create a landscape that performs as well as it looks.

Reach out today to schedule a consultation and get your property ready for the seasons ahead.

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Greg and crew were great. Very thorough and detail oriented, hard working, efficient, and constant communication. The family is excited to use the new patio for years to come. Highly recommended.

Brad Jones

Wilmington, DE
Restored our backyard space after having several trees removed and a small addition put on the house. Worked with them to create some natural privacy to our home.

Brian Parent

Talleyville, DE
We moved into a home that had not been upgraded outside and was in need of new landscaping. We
wanted to add an outdoor kitchen as well for our anniversary. The work in the front of the house and also the outdoor patio and kitchen were higher than our expectations. Arborvine has turned our backyard into an Oasis! Love the work that was done. We are keeping them for our maintenance. People are stopping us and praising the front of the house upgrade. Highly Recommend.

Laura Keller

Wilmington, DE
Greg is a great communicator and makes sure everything you ask for is done. His team were perfectionists, and super efficient. Our yard looks beautiful. Definitely using them again in the future.

Phillip Marinelli

Newark, DE
We contracted with Greg and his team to replace about 200′ of backyard drainage piping. His pricing was competitive and they didn’t try to upsell us, or redesign the project parameters, as some of his competitors did. He installed exactly what we requested and the resultant project was a success. We no longer have a lake in our backyard and water is being diverted away from our foundation. I found Arborvine Landscaping to be very professional in the way they operated and will definitely have no issues working with them in the future. Thanks Greg.

Rick Fraatz

Wilmington, DE
We had a wonderful experience working with Arborvine Landscaping, and I can’t say enough good things about their team. Kathy, Angel, and Angel were absolutely wonderful, each professional, kind, and knowledgeable.

Kathy was very responsive and thoughtful, helping navigate design choices with ease and always keeping our vision and budget in mind. Angel and Angel (yes, two Angels—and they truly lived up to the name!) were meticulous, hardworking, and respectful of our space.

Our yard has been completely transformed, and we couldn’t be happier.

Brooke Wiley

Wilmington, DE
Greg and his team are a fantastic group. They do fantastic work, are responsive, courteous and take pride in their work. Our paver sidewalks were aging and coming apart on the sides. After Greg and the team cleaned them, reset the bricks and added a much needed edge, they look brand new again. I cannot thank him enough and for being great to work with. Not many companies out there today take the time to talk to the customer and listen to what they say. I would recommend him for any landscaping work you might need. Thanks again Greg.

Todd Hecker

Middletown, DE
Arborvine Landscaping does great work. This fall Angel came to aerate and over-seed my property. He hand seeded around my gardens and made sure to hit every inch of the yard. It really boosted my lawn!

Gregory Vigloitta

Wilmington, DE
Punctual, professional, quick and thorough. Greg was great to work with and Angel and crew did a fantastic job. Would recommend Arborvine for any landscaping project!

Abby Hughes

Wilmington, DE
I recently had the pleasure of working with Greg and the Arborvine Landscaping team, and I couldn’t be more impressed with their knowledge, service and the results. From start to finish, the team demonstrated professionalism, dedication, and a genuine passion for their work.

The staff at Arborvine Landscaping worked tirelessly to transform our front and back yard into a beautiful and serene outdoor space.

I highly recommend Arborvine Landscaping to anyone looking for top-notch and creative landscaping services. Their team’s dedication to excellence and their ability to deliver stunning results make them the best choice for any landscaping needs. Thank you, Greg and team!

Whitney Aerenson

Wilmington, DE