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Green Shorelines

For help with the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed website, please contact Jason Mulvihill-Kuntz.

Related Information

King County Native Plant Guide This website provides several tools from developing your own customized plant list to viewing example landscape plans.

Selected Native Wetland and Aquatic Plants fact sheet: Organized by type and habitat. It also includes reference literature, web sites, and warns which plants to avoid.

But won't vegetation along the shoreline block my view?

No, because there are many different native shoreline plants to choose from, including:

Low growing plants, like hardstem bullrush, that actually grow in the water.
Ground covers, like ferns, oxalis, coastal strawberry, kinnikinnick, or twinberry, that make nice alternatives to lawn.
Native ornamental grasses whose form and texture add interest to any garden.
Shrubs, like red-osier dogwood, that can be trained to arch out horizontally over the water instead of growing up vertically.
Trees that are lacey and lightly branched, such as Paper Bark Birch, or conifers that are interesting, attractive and enhance the view.

Why Shoreline Planting?

Natural vegetation along the lakeshore provides several benefits to the landowner and native fish and wildlife.

Native vegetation adds visual appeal and frames lakeshore views.
Since native plants are adapted to live in the Pacific Northwest, they generally require less maintenance than a lawn or ornamental plants.
Vegetation hanging over the lakeshore provides cover for juvenile Chinook salmon.
Insects feed on native vegetation, and then they become food for juvenile Chinook salmon when they fall onto the surface of the water.
Dense vegetation filters out pollutants, so vegetated buffer areas also help keep our lake water clean.

For a list of native plants, and to create your own custom plant list, see the King County Native Plant Guide.


Bullrush	Twinberry	Dogwood
Photos: www.kingcounty.gov/gonative

Which Plants to Use

Wider buffers provide the greatest functions, but any natural vegetation along the lakeshore provides some habitat value.

Large trees and woody shrubs overhanging the lakeshore provide a source of shade, organic material, and cover for juvenile Chinook salmon.
Emergent plants (partially underwater) along the lakeshore dampen wave action and can reduce erosion potential. These plants create a visual barrier that deters Canada Geese from visiting your yard and leaving their messes behind. Emergent plants can thrive in Lake Sammamish, but the water regime in Lake Washington is less conducive to their survival.
Learn more about lakeshore yard care tips.

Designing Your Lakeshore Planting

While there are no one-size-fits-all planting plans, many options exist for lakeshore friendly landscaping. The key to successful lakeside landscape design is to:

Work with your site in terms of slope, solar exposure, soils and the site lines from your house.
Do your planning from your kitchen, dining room, bedroom, deck – the places from where you like to view the lake.
Think about how shoreline vegetation can offer interest or color to your yard and help frame your views.


Photo: J. Buehler	Photo: D. Natelson

Who Can Help?

The following organizations may be able to help you plan your lakeshore planting design.

Updated: April 15, 2015