landscaping
Pollinator notes. Native bees, honeybees, two species of sphinx moths, numerous butterflies and hummingbirds are all attracted to the fragrant, nectar-rich flowers of buttonbush. One of buttonbush’s best benefits is that the blooms happen all summer long, providing a source of nectar to pollinators for many months.
Botanical name: Cephalanthus occidentalis Common names: Buttonbush, buttonwood, buttonwillow, common buttonwood Origin: Wide native range in the eastern and central U.S., from Texas east to south Florida and north to Ontario and Nova Scotia; also native to a few scattered areas in Arizona, California and Mexico Where it will grow: Hardy to –20 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 4 to 10; find your zone) Water requirement: High Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade for the best flower display; tolerates shade but will flower less Soil requirement: Adaptable to limestone soils, clay and sandy loams Mature size: 6 to 12 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Tolerates water inundation up to 3 feet; great for soil erosion control; provides food for wildlife; especially useful for pollinators; very aromatic flowers Seasonal interest: White to pinkish blooms in spring and summer; ombré red fruits in autumn When to plant: Can be propagated from cuttings in the spring in cold climates; transplant nursery specimens in warm climates year-round
Wildlife value. Many forms of wildlife depend on birch trees through the seasons. Shown here is a yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) drilling sap wells in a birch tree. This bird, along with hummingbirds and early-spring-flying butterflies, such as the eastern comma (Polygonia comma) and mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), drink the tree’s sap.
Botanical name: Betula populifoliaCommon name: Gray birchOrigin: Native to the northeastern U.S., from Virginia north to southern Canada and west to IllinoisWhere it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 7; find your zone)Water requirement: No supplemental water once establishedLight requirement: Full sunSoil requirement: Grows in any acidic soil, from wet to dryMature size: 30 to 50 feet tall and 20 feet wide (in northeastern U.S.)Benefits and tolerances: Grows in just about any type of soil, including dry, lean, compacted, sandy or rocky; tolerant of road salt; useful for restoration of disturbed areas
Botanical name: Bouteloua gracilis Common name: Blue grama grass Origin: Native to west of the Mississippi river, except Oregon, Washington and Louisiana Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 10; find your zone) Water requirement: Dry to medium soil Light requirement: Full sun to some shade Mature size: 6 to 12 inches tall and 1 foot wide Benefits and tolerances: Does great in dry soils, from clay to sandy to slightly rocky Seasonal interest: Blooms in early to mid summer
Korean grass
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) Native from Manitoba, Canada, south to Oklahoma and eastward to Quebec in the north and Georgia in the south Best plant to grow in shade.
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) Native from Southern Maine to northern Florida and west to Missouri and Louisiana Spicebush is an understory shrub, native to the eastern U.S., with high wildlife value. It produces attractive yellow blooms in early spring. Caterpillars of several butterfly species, particularly the spicebush swallowtail, feed on its leaves. Bright red berries that are favored by several species of birds ripen in late summer. The seeds can be used as a flavoring similar to allspice. Consider this a native alternative to forsythia — with benefits. You can recognize spicebush in the woods by the citrusy scent of the leaves or stems when crushed. It naturally grows in the understory of moist woodlands, but it will adapt to sunnier sites, given sufficient moisture. Spicebush is resistant to salt and tolerates clay soils.
Missouri Botanical Garden SaveEmail Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) Native from New Brunswick in Canada, south to Georgia and west to Michigan This evergreen, or nearly evergreen, ground cover has prolific white blooms in spring and interesting foliage for most of the year. In most nurseries you can find a number of cultivars with different patterns and color shades on the leaves. You can enjoy that foliage most of the season, since deer and rabbits tend not to feed on it. Growing less than a foot tall, foamflower is a perfect plant to use along a path or as a ground cover among larger perennials and shrubs. Plant in partial sun to shade in average-moisture soils.
Botanical name: Caltha palustris Common names: Marsh marigold, cowslip, kingcup, buttercup Origin: Marsh marigold’s native range includes the eastern United States from North Dakota eastward to Maine in the north, and Nebraska east to North Carolina in the south. Marsh marigold also occurs on the West Coast in Washington and Oregon. In Canada it is present in all provinces and territories. Holm Design & Consulting LLC SaveEmail Where it will grow: Hardy to -45 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 2b to 7a; find your zone) Typical plant communities: Wet meadows, forest marshes, riparian edges Soil requirement: Wet to wet mesic, loamy sand to clay soil Light requirement: Partial sun to shade Mature size: 8 to 24 inches tall and 1 foot to 3 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Tolerant of wet, mucky soil (will not thrive in dry sites)
"hide" those cement retaining walls....?
Red or Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) Native to a vast area from the High Plains to the East Coast In general, deer tend to avoid plants with a good deal of milky sap, and most milkweed species fit this description. Swamp milkweed, contrary to its name, does fine in medium soil as well as wetter ones. You’ll find all kinds of insects using it for nectar and as a host plant — not just monarchs, who depend upon it. Full sun to partial shade is best, and don’t forget to admire the autumn seedpods. It grows to about 3 feet tall.
Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum) Native in the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains and scattered areas throughout the eastern Plains, the entire Midwest and parts of the eastern U.S. Nodding onion attracts bumblebees and short-tongued bees, as it blooms in midsummer. It is adaptable, doing well in slightly moist to dry conditions. It’s great for a midheight ground cover (12 to 18 inches tall). You can use the bulbs in cooking like you would any other type of onion.
again, concrete tiles
Redosier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
Botanical name: Ilex verticillata Common names: Winterberry, Michigan holly, coralberry, black alder
good, but way too busy!
Blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis)
Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Botanical name: Anemone canadensis Common names: Canada anemone, Canadian anemone
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