Lucky Toad Restorative Gardens
Omaha’s restorative garden and native landscape experts
Our Gardens:
Haven for local wildlife and relaxing spaces for people
Interacting with nature helps us recharge and connect with our surroundings. Our mission is to create space for life to thrive.
- Our gardens and water features are designed to promote relaxation and restoration for people and wildlife, especially pollinators.
- Every little bit of restored native habitat is a huge boon for local wildlife.
- Abundance and well-being for all are among our core values; as such, we don’t use harmful pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals.
Garden Installations
- Wildlife/Pollinator Gardens
- Edible gardens for people: permaculture-style food forests, raised vegetable beds, berry patches, etc.
- We use native plants suited to the local environment, requiring much less maintenance and water than traditional nonnative landscape plants. They are also more aesthetically cohesive to their natural environment; they look and feel like they belong.
- Aesthetic appeal to the human perspective is hugely important to us; the intention behind our designs is to help people feel relaxed, inspired, and at home in the world.
Water Features
- Bubbling rock fountains
- Ponds
- Waterfalls
- Chemical-free, naturally filtered
Maintenance
- Spring cleanup
- Regular maintenance; weeding, thinning/
transplanting, general upkeep
Structures and Patios
- Patios & pergolas
- Playground equipment & playhouses/treehouses
- Small studios/workspaces
Yard Cleanup
If you don’t need a new garden but feel overwhelmed by the state of your yard, we’re happy to help spruce things up. This is especially convenient for new homeowners or people looking to sell their homes.
Inspiration
The Lore of The Lucky Toad
Amphibians are indicator species for the health and abundance of an ecosystem. If you see one in your garden, that means it’s an especially healthy and life-giving environment!
Groupings
Plants are arranged in single-species groups to create a satisfying visual impact.
Color and Texture Diversity
Colors and textures are purposefully diverse to help each species stand out and shine.
Seasonal Staggering
We design with seasonality in mind, ensuring a variety of colorful blooms and vibrant habitat throughout the growing season.
Your Garden Through the Year and Years
Installing and nurturing a restorative garden takes time and patience. Gardens need time and extra attention to become established, and the first three years of growth are critical. You’ll see exponential progress with regular watering and careful weeding during this formative time.
Starting Out
With perennials, the expression is “first they sleep, then they creep, then they leap;” meaning that the garden as a whole will mature and look bountiful by its third year. Many plants will mature faster than this depending on site conditions.
Weeding
Mitigating weed pressure is especially important during the first three years of the garden’s life. This will help deplete the soil’s weed seed bank while the intended plants become established. With proper attention, they will outcompete the weeds within a few years.
Watering
Watering is most important during the first few months after installation while root systems become established. Eventually, the plants will need little to no supplemental water to thrive.
Splitting & sharing
Once a garden is established, plants will make seedlings of their own. To keep things looking neat and diverse, excess plants may be removed and either a) used to expand into new garden space, b) composted, or c) shared with friends, neighbors, or local organizations such as the Pollinator Alliance of the Heartland.
Testimonials
A word from our clients
I had the pleasure of working with Nick & Jackie to design and implement a native pollinator garden fall of 2023. My vision was a space to house our little free library and make it an area for humans & pollinators to thrive in harmony and the results have exceeded all my expectations…What truly sets Lucky Toad Restorative Gardens apart from other landscape companies is their vast knowledge of native plants and also their commitment to sustainability. They utilized eco and environmentally friendly practices throughout the project, from sourcing materials to minimizing waste. Their dedication to stewardship of the earth is evident in every aspect of their work…
I have been working with Lucky Toad over the past four years. I can’t say enough good things. They are very knowledgeable and will make recommendations that are right for your yard. I have not torn up my whole yard and changed it to pollinator plants and natural grasses, however they have advised me where to work things in..I am swamped with all kinds of butterflies and bees and hummingbirds…I have things blooming from Spring until late fall old and new. I can’t recommend Nick and Jackie enough. You won’t be sorry.
We called Lucky Toad shortly after buying a house. Our yard was a blank slate— lots of grass and some areas with poor drainage and erosion. Jackie and Nick were collaborative, communicated well, worked with our budget, and came up with a plan to make our yard beautiful, functional, and pollinator-friendly. Nick checked back on our new plants for weeks. Highly recommend working with this great team. We already have plans for Phase 2!
If I could give above 5 stars I would. After 3 years of trying (and failing) to make our yard what we wanted we finally decided to hire someone…our yard has been transformed from a weed covered eye sore to a budding nature preserve with a food forest. Nick and Jackie are great to work with. They took all of our ideas and wants into account and made them possible. I can’t wait to continue working with them and see how amazing our yard can become.
Excellent service. Excellent work. Nick and Jackie have done work for me and my clients, and I continue to refer them to my entire network. If you want true care and advice in landscaping with native species, call them.
Get Started Today
Let’s plan your outdoor oasis
Just one plant makes a difference. Contact the Lucky Toad Restorative Gardens team to get started on your commercial or residential garden project. We can’t wait to share our knowledge and design a relaxing, restorative space for you and our environment.
Send us a message! We’ll be in touch to learn more about you, your project, and schedule a time to visit your space.
Send us a message