Check out the Biosphere Nursery website. They have information on lakefront planting. We also have a lakefront property and have never used chemicals on it but I am now considering planting a buffer zone for environmental reasons, especially for the birds and wildlife. I found the Biosphere site informative.

Here is a link that might be useful: Biosphere Nursery

That close to the lake, huh? Crinum lily is the first thing that comes to mind. It's low enough that it won't block your view, likes the water, needs no fertilizer or maintenance. Walking Iris is another plant that would work there in combination as well.

Alright, I'll put my two bits in here. If it were me, I'd start with two or three lasagna beds using cardboard to cover grass starting at the lake's edge about 12-15 feet each, and the six feet deep. However, I would make large, soft curves on the proximal edge. As time, money and materials become available, you can continue to extend the shoreline. To these beds I would add ornamental grasses like fakahatchee grass (the regular gets quite big, and there's a dwarf type also). Use these in clumps of 3 or 5 as space allows. Maybe a nearby wax myrtle for the birds. I would then add things that give color and look good on slopes like rusellia equisetiformis and plumbago. Again in odd numbers. These look great on slopes and require nothing. Other things to consider are species canna near the water (less likely to get rust or leaf rollers) such as flaccida, or warcsewiczi (/sp?). You can grow the latter from seeds easily and I would plant as many as you can to cover ground. The foliage is pretty. However, these do require maintenance of cutting the old stalks. A foot or so from the proximal edge, a carefree groundcover like acalypha repens or maybe perennial peanut (?), which can be edged, would tie the look of the whole bed/s together. Lastly, use the lake to extend your beds by planting pickerel weed or alligator flag in large clumps. By the way, your yard is beautiful. I can see why you love the yard!

Anna

I would contact your local county extension office for help including a list of plants, and since this is a community issue you might invite your neighbors to get involved too.

If you are in an HOA perhaps a professional landscaper with an emphasis on water/natives could be hired.

The suggestions you've gotten here so far are really good and you could really transform your water's edge into a native habitat.

denise

Thanks for all of the suggestions! Sis, the Biosphere Nursery information is great!

love the yard I am so glad the information is useful. I have to credit fagopher and tom123 for my knowledge of Biosphere. I had never heard of it until about 2 weeks ago when they answered my plea on this site for good places to buy plants.

(Since I began that thread I have visited almost all the suggested nurseries and avidly read the websites, including all the newsletters etc. on the Biosphere site.) Good luck with your lakefront planting. I hope you post a follow up, I would love to know what you decide to plant.