2. Planting too close will create a landscape that is crowded. This is a perceptual problem that will cause many of the visitors to the garden to regard the plants as weeds. Space the plants far enough apart so most sides of the plant and the area around it can be seen.
3. Mixing tall and short plants will create a rough appearance, resulting in the perceptual problem mentioned above. Strive for proper balance by gradually increasing plant height from front to the back of the planting.
4. Not taking the time to eliminate weeds such as foxtail, lamb's quarters, or other weeds will really diminish acceptance of the planting.
5. Poor species selection could result in a planting that has very little color or color for only a short time. Such plantings are not interesting to visitors.
The use of prairie plants in landscape design is, at present, a little used concept. Although some prairie plants such as butterfly weed, purple coneflower, and some blazing stars are sold as ornamentals, they are planted with non-native plants in the garden. Perhaps there is a belief that plants from other countries are better than our native species. Perhaps prairie plants disappeared so quickly and completely that few people are not familiar with them. However, there is an increasing interest in the use of these plants. Those that do use these plants find their use to be a very rewarding experience.