Garden Photo of the Day

Brenda’s Garden Full of Native Plants

A garden for beauty and wildlife

By GPOD Contributor
stone garden path through the garden

I’m Brenda and have been gardening all my life, inspired by my grandmother. When I was very young, I would visit my grandparents’ home in upstate rural New Hampshire, and my grandmother and I would walk the roads, riverbeds, and woods admiring the wildflowers. She tended a small native plant garden, and it left a lifelong impression on me.

We moved from Connecticut to Rhode Island three years ago and purchased a home near the southern coast but still in the same Zone 6B and Ecoregion 59. That means I was already familiar with many plants in RI. Our home is over 30 years old and had established gardens.

I retired and fulfilled my promise to become a Master Gardener. As part of a project to graduate, I needed to produce a plot plan of our yard citing native trees, shrubs, and flowers, and I had more than I imagined. Overlaying my new knowledge from Master Gardeners, I discovered Rhode Island natives (wildflowers) and groups of people and projects dedicated to growing and saving native plants and introducing them to gardens and restoration projects. I found my niche!

From the various native plant organizations I belong to, two questions keep popping up: How do I integrate native plants into my garden, and should I get rid of nonnative plants? My short answer was to start planting natives, in as big a clump or drift as I could anywhere I could. The larger the clump, the easier it is for the insects to spot. You would be surprised where you can tuck in native plants!

close up of pink Joe Pye Weed
Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum, Zones 4–9) has a low profile around an old holly bush until late summer, then it bursts into the forefront with all its glory and is loved by bumblebees.

gallon milk jugs used for starting seeds
A problem is finding plants and seeds truly native to your ecoregion. Seeds from midwestern states are not true natives to Rhode Island. I have access to native seeds that I was successful in winter sowing in plastic milk cartons on my deck. Many native seeds need to go through the freezing and thawing process of winter stratification. I have winter seed-planting parties in my garage.

close up of seed heads collected from the garden
I find true beauty in the seedpods around my yard. Collecting seeds gets me excited for winter sowing.

sifting native plant seeds
Once mature seedpods are collected, they need to be cleaned of chaff before planting. Some seeds are easy to harvest, like columbine and beardtongue digitalis. Others are challenging, like monarda, Joe Pye weed, asters, and New York ironweed.

trays of new plants
Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica, Zones 4–9) and sweet goldenrod (Solidago odora, Zones 4–9) are some of the plants that might bloom their first year of planting.

close up of orange butterfly milkweed
Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa, Zones 5–9) is not hard to grow, but transplanting it is tricky because of its taproot. It is one of the most popular native plants in Rhode Island.

close up of various plants with thin foliage
I have a pink cultivar of turtle head and a native white turtle head (Chelone glabra, Zones 3–8). The white flowers are haggard looking because the big bumblebees claw their way into the plant and damage the flowers. Interestingly, the pink cultivars are mostly untouched by the bees.

close up of light purple Monarda fistulosa flowers
Bee balm, or wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa, Zones 3–9), is a favorite among pollinators. I found it hard to separate the chaff from the tiny seed on this plant.

close up of New York ironweed
New York ironweed (Veronia noveboracensis, Zones 5–9) is tucked in the back of my garden. It contrasts with the native white pine trees (Pinus strobus, Zones 3–8). I will be planting and clustering more of this because its color is so striking.

close up of great blue lobelia with white flowers in the background
The simple beauty of common yarrow (Achillea millefolium, Zones 3–9) complements the beautiful blue of great blue lobelia.

stone garden path through the garden
My yard is simple yet teaming with wildlife. I tuck in native plants wherever I can, and they coexist with nonnative plants. I am not saying nonnatives or cultivars are undesirable, but generally they are not as useful to wildlife.

 

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Comments

  1. barbmrgich 12/12/2022

    Hello Brenda, I was very happy to see your post this morning.. I am also a master gardener, but in Pennsylvania. I am also very interested in promoting the idea of including more native plants in our gardens and general landscape. When I started, my questions were the same as yours. I now have many native plants scattered throughout my gardens, and love how I see more and more bees, butterflies and song birds each year! I completely agree that non-natives are not evil, but the natives are more valuable to the ecology of the region. Anytime I need to replace a plant, or I just want to add new, my rule is to keep it native. I recently got to hear Doug Tallamy in person for the second time, and bought his second book. What an inspiration!

  2. gardendevas 12/12/2022

    Thanks for sharing, Brenda! I also have been incorporating mostly native plants, shrubs and trees into our space, and am thrilled by the wildlife that visits. We are located on a small river, so I feel it is especially important to support this ecosystem. Thanks also for mentioning the Ecoregions. Hoping to retire soon and join the ranks of certified master gardeners. ;)

  3. User avater
    simplesue 12/12/2022

    I really enjoyed seeing & reading your garden post.
    The path with the black fence in your garden is really pretty and inviting.
    I don't think you needed to take a gardening program/class to be a great gardener- it's obviously a passion that drives you to collect all those seeds to grow in your garden!
    I spotted a happy Praying Mantis on your Monarda photo!

  4. sheila_schultz 12/12/2022

    Brenda, your gardens must be magical for all of its visitors. The selection you provide is so thoughtful plus beautiful! I also plant primarily natives in our Tucson gardens, most others can't survive our temperature extremes anyway! It's been a fascinating learning experience!

  5. User avater
    treasuresmom 12/12/2022

    Oh, my. I love it all.

  6. btucker9675 12/12/2022

    Wonderful garden! I've also been incorporating as many native plants as possible, with good success. During much of the year our gardens teem with pollinators. Your Joe Pye weed is so robust - it's taking mine a while to get going, but my wild bergamot is crazy healthy and I've transplanted volunteers all over my garden beds. Thanks for sharing your terrific garden.

  7. User avater
    bdowen 12/12/2022

    Beautiful! I'm curious about your fence. Is it to discourage rabbits or deer - I know they could jump it but maybe they wouldn't bother? Do you all find natives are less likely to be eaten by rabbits. We just had an inch of snow and the rabbit tracks this morning covered the yard.

  8. User avater
    vanhatalosuomi 12/18/2022

    Wonderful garden and post.
    I've always wondered why our Monarda didyma never self-seeded---hmm.
    Actually, most of our Echinacea have never self-seeded either! ugh. what's going on here!!?

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