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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Testimonials

Working with Arborvine was great and we really could not be happier. All of the work was completed in the time estimated and the same workers were here each day from morning until evening focused on the job. The work itself exceeded our expectations. We knew we wanted a paved area outside for a patio, but really had no idea beyond that and were expecting something plain. They laid beautiful stone, redid the garden area, and made a retaining wall that is the perfect place for a fire pit. It was all designed by them. We have gotten so many compliments and even other contractors have been impressed. Would definitely work with them again and highly recommend!

Steve Hague

Wilmington, DE
Greg and his team were a pleasure to work with. They were always extremely responsive and though weather and supply issues prolonged the overall project timeline, there was constant communication and they were committed to ensuring everything was installed properly and efficiently.

Nathan & Kelly Bachman

Newark, DE
Greg was very patient with our many questions and ideas for our front walkway landscaping. The workers were polite, prompt, and accomplished the work in the time stated. We have received many compliments from our neighbors!

Julia Rominger

Wilmington, DE
We have used Arborvine for several years and they have a great team. We have one of the best yards and outdoor spaces in the neighborhood thanks to them. Erica is very responsive and helpful, and Greg, the owner, is attentive and always willing to discuss whatever comes up. Special shout out to Angel and Nathan who put down our mulch and did our landscaping bed clean up recently – they paid much attention to detail and did an amazing job!

Cynthia Marshall

Wilmington, DE
These guys are great and really know their stuff. First off the provided a very detailed proposal with a clear plan that was easy to understand and showed they knew exactly what the project needed in concrete terms… including a list of itemized supplies needed. They were able to come sooner than anticipated even having their schedule pushed back with all the recent rain. Their employees were all super friendly and knowledgeable and worked very hard under very hot conditions to knock out the job correctly and in a timely fashion. They also provided detailed maintenance instructions for watering (sod and plant) and drainage system. Correspondence and communication top notch with personal emails sent with updates on progress. Highly recommend and will be using them again for future projects.

Geoffry Giordano

Wilmington, DE
We are so pleased with the outcome of our project, particularly the hardscaping. It is so much better than I ever envisioned. I let them know what I was thinking and from that, they were able to make this happen. We get compliments all the time from neighbors and people just passing through. I can’t say enough good things about the men who were here doing the work. They were respectful, hard-working & took the time to get the wall just right even though it was during a heat wave. Greg has put together a great team! He was also incredibly kind & patient, more so than we could have hoped for.

Angela Hopkins

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
Arborvine just completed a hardscaping project at my home that involved the installation of a new brick walkway and lighted pillars. The owner, Greg, was very responsive and easy to work with. His crew was excellent — hardworking, detailed and collaborative. Everyone at Arborvine wanted to make sure we were happy. We are thrilled with the result and have received so many compliments from our neighbors.

Kate Sullivan

Greenville, DE
Great to work with and really captured the look we wanted. Reliable and always available for questions. Along with landscaping they installed pathway lighting and they did a great job.

Carol Aruffo

Chadds Ford, PA