Amy’s Garden
Cardinal Flower
(Lobelia cardinalis)
You won’t need a hummingbird feeder if you have this plant, with it’s lipstick-red spikes of color. It loves wet clay soil, so plant it in a low spot that stays wet or even floods and it may reward you with more plants.
Sneezeweed
(Helenium autumnale)
No sneezing with this lovely plant with golden yellow petals that fall like a skirt. You will be amazed at the pollinators visiting it in late summer.
Elderberry
(Sambucus candensis)
Even though the nicely scented flower show has passed, this hard working shrub will produce loads of edible berries for animals and people alike. It can provide a nice fast-growing hedge screen.
Emily’s yard
Lance-Leaf Coreopsis
(Coreopsis lanceolata)
Coreopsis offer wonderful, cheery blooms over more than two months, and are a favorite for pollinators
Blue-Eyed Grass
(Sisyrinchium atlanticum)
This plant’s grass-like leaves will trick you into thinking it is a grass until the starry blue flowers appear.
River Birch
(Betula nigra)
Who doesn’t love the interesting color and texture of this tree with peeling bark? It is native in our area, is fast growing, turns golden yellow in fall, and is resistant to the Bronze birch borer that has affected White birch trees.
Dave’s Garden
Chokecherry
(Aronia melanocarpa)
This native shrub has pretty clusters of flowers that become berries that turn from red to black in August. The berries are edible, but as the name suggests, they are best for birds and other wildlife unless you put them in jams, etc.
Purple Prairie Clover
(Dalea purpurea)
The vivid purple blooms can add beauty to your garden, survive drought, and can “fix” nitrogen in their root systems which creates healthier soil with nutrients for other plants to use.
Whorled Milkweed
(Asclepias verticillata)
Many of us know the iconic leaves and flower of the common milkweed plant, but few of us know about other varieties such as this whorled milkweed. Milkweeds are the ONLY host plants for monarch caterpillars to feed on, plus supply nectar to adult monarchs, bees, and many other pollinators.
Laurie’s Yard
Hornbeam
(Carpinus caroliniana)
This nice looking, medium sized tree is great in moister, shady conditions, therefore a perfect “understory” tree like in Laurie’s woodland garden with many tall oaks.
Serviceberry
(Amelanchier laevis)
Another hard-working large shrub or small tree with pretty, white spring flowers, and edible berries for birds and for you! They taste similar to blueberries and Amy’s kids love them.
Turtlehead
(Chelone glabra)
The unusual flower shape gives it its funny common name. It is a great late season plant to feed our declining native bumble bee, including the endangered rusty-patched bumblebee. Look up a video to see how bumblers muscle their way into the flower.
Leia’s Garden
Yarrow
(Achillea millefolium)
These pretty, lacy blooms can add a meadow look to your garden, and go very well in fresh or dried bouquets.
Black Walnut
(Juglans nigra)
If you have these trees, you may appreciate their beauty and how they attract wildlife, but some things don’t grow well under them due to excretion of a chemical called juglone. Ask Leia how natives do under these trees!
Prairie Smoke
(Geum triflorum)
This sweet little prairie plant has pretty drooping pink flowers, but is appreciated more for the “smoke”-like plumes of seeds.
Melissa’s Garden
Smooth Blue Aster
(Symphyotrichum laeve)
Don’t let your garden color go for the season with asters like this one that does well in drier soils and feeds butterflies and other pollinators into October!
Rough Blazing Star
(Liatris aspera)
One of several Liatris species, a.k.a. blazing star or gayfeather, which monarchs and other butterflies love for nectar!
Rattlesnake Master
(Eryngium yuccifolium)
Yes, this is a Midwestern native prairie plant, and not a desert plant. It does thrive in dry soils though. It’s yucca-like leaves add interest to your landscape, and the alien-looking round flowers feed many pollinators.