(Takeaways from article by Tom Springer, January 2020 Shoreline Living)
Rather than turf grass that runs right down to the water's edge and a suburban approach to a lawn, opt for a non-fertilized native shoreline filled with beautiful plants that will draw butterflies, frogs and turtles. Being a shoreland steward to protect our lakes, can add much enjoyment to an already satisfying lifestyle. There is no need to replace all non-native plants with natives, you can have a mixture of both to create a landscape you love.
There are many choices for shore line plants. Some options to consider are:
Plant coneflowers, lead plant, brown-eyed Susans and pale Indian plantain on the high ground. If you want a taller plant, consider Joe Pye. By the shore, there are moisture-loving plants such as blue lobelia, Monkey flower, cardinal flower and blue flag iris. Do you like to watch hummingbirds sip nectar? How about planting purple pickerel weed flower?
On undeveloped waterfront, first, do no harm. Before you cut or remove anything, take inventory of the native plants and trees that are already there.
Look for terrain between the house and the lake that will be prone to erosion and design a walkway to protect such areas.
Clear and haul away grass clippings or vegetation that's cut along the shore. If dumped into the lake, it can fuel weed and algae growth.