Landscaping
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.
If you’re considering a design-build outdoor project and want clarity on scope, timeline, budget, and next steps:
- Property evaluation and design possibilities discussion
- Preliminary budget guidance
- Timeline and process overview
- Next steps if we're a mutual fit!

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Testimonials
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I am very pleased the backyard patio, walkway, stairs and landscaping Arborvine recently finished at my home. Greg worked with me throughout the entire process listening to my ideas, answering my questions and making suggestions. He met with me multiple times to make sure all of my questions were answered. Once the work began I was kept up to date with progress reports and any delays caused by weather. The 2 person crew very professional and easy to work with. I had one concern during the construction that was handled immediately.
Karen BarnetWilmington, DE -
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 HagueWilmington, DE -
My property had a serious drainage problem and Arborvine Landscaping created a beautiful swale that is sure to solve the issue. Additionally they planted some gorgeous native plants in a freshly created bed. The transformation is amazing!! Crew members Alex, Pedro and Angel were very professional and hardworking. I fully recommend Arborvine. Everyone was very easy to work with.
Valerie MartinWilmington, DE -
Best landscaper I’ve ever used. Excellent and creative design work; began the project on time; finished on schedule. Was responsive throughout and accommodated last-minute change requests. Very professional, with high standards of excellence.
Dan KingGarnet Valley, PA -
Arborvine designed and constructed a new front stoop with two steps and a walkway from the driveway. They gave excellent advice and helped us select materials that would look nice and function well. They have a good aesthetic sense — the new hardscaping is pleasing to the eye. They were careful with existing plantings and repaired or replaced them as needed. They are very friendly and professional.
Steven ZimmermanWilmington, DE -
I have nothing but good things to say about my experience with Arborvine! Everything went better than I could have asked for from the quote to the final touches. Kathy was so easy to work with, and the choices she made were exactly what I was looking for without really being able to fully explain what types of shrubs I wanted. She got it perfect on the first try! Even better was the fact that the crew that came out to work on our yard were such great people. They were so friendly at every interaction, and honestly, working with the team again, I’d be interested in specifically requesting that they be the ones to do the next phase!
We got quotes on three separate projects from Kathy, prices fit our budget nicely and it didn’t feel like we were skipping anything to save on cost. Overall, I’m feeling pretty excited for when we move on to the next project!
Kyle HicksHockessin, 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 MarshallWilmington, DE -
Very flexible and hard working company. Reasonably priced and were able to transform our entire landscaping, front and back, in just a couple of days. Highly recommend!
James HoffmanWilmington, 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 HopkinsWilmington, 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 FraatzWilmington, DE