“Naturally Kiawah” Demonstration
Garden at Night Heron Park
T
he Conservancy’s
Demonstration Garden
serves as a living showcase
area for its “Naturally
Kiawah” recognition program, displaying
a variety of plants that together build an
inviting habitat for wildlife. In addition
to providing a beautiful environment for
relaxation and reflection, the garden serves
as an important reference point for those
planning a new or updated landscape.
Visitors to the garden will see:
The importance of the understory
A variety of understory plants thrive there,
including medium to small shrubs and
groundcovers. These plants provide necessary
cover for much of Kiawah’s wildlife—from
songbirds to bobcats.
Property owners are encouraged to create
understory habitat within their landscapes,
and the garden shows several groupings
of plants that provide cover all the way to
the ground. This “layering” is an important
characteristic for providing habitat for as
many species as possible.
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Rather than open areas of turf, understory
plants can be used to create natural areas
and boost the quality of vegetated buffers in
property owners’ yards.
Plants
The garden displays a variety of material that
grows well in the various conditions found
on Kiawah.
Native plants, indigenous species that
grow naturally on Kiawah and throughout
the southeast coastal plain, are labeled
throughout the garden. These plants play an
invaluable role in Kiawah’s ecology.
Wildlife
The garden showcases not only the many
opportunities for cover and nesting, but
also several other important plant functions
impacting our wildlife, such as:
•• Passionflower—used as the larval host
plant by several butterflies
•• Sweetgrass—which provides a seed source
for small birds
•• Yaupon holly berries—a food source for a
host of migratory and resident songbirds,
and
•• Coral honeysuckle—which provides nectar
for hummingbirds
In the fall of 2014, a new section was
added to the Garden, highlighting a diverse
selection of shade-tolerant plants. These
plants, ranging from ground covers to shrubs
and small trees, include fern varieties, hollies
and other unique plants, several of which are
native to coastal South Carolina. Creating
habitat within shaded areas of the landscape
is often a challenge for property owners. This
new section will provide ideas on how to
best utilize plants conditioned to shade. The
installation of this section of the garden was
made possible by a grant from the Town of
Kiawah Island.
Several naming opportunities within the
garden are available for donors. You could
place a brick on the garden walk celebrating
a particular person or choose to dedicate a
bench or other garden feature. Please contact
the Conservancy office if you are interested
in making a donation.