Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta

This beloved roadside wildflower tolerates nearly all sunny conditions. A biennial or short-lived perennial, it will return year after year if the seeds land in their happy place.

Blue Iris Iris versicolor

Blue Iris has very showy blue-purple flowers that attract hummingbirds and are beneficial to pollinators. It thrives in wetland habitats in sunny areas that include rain gardens, water gardens, wet meadows, marshes, along shores, in ditches and in swamps, though it will also do well in a tended garden. I’ve seen it thriving in Hancock sand.

Columbine Aquilegia canadensis

Columbine has everything going for it: it’s widely adaptable, it’s beautiful, hummingbirds love it, and it pops up in the most unexpected places. Should you grow columbine? Of course you should.

 Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca

Will grow in nearly all soils, so long as they aren’t too wet. Plant in full to partial sun 1 foot apart. Beloved by butterflies, especially monarchs, which only lay their eggs on milkweed plants. Common milkweed is an aggressive spreader where it is happy, so give this plant some room to run and you won’t be disappointed.

Common Ninebark
Physocarpus optilifolius

TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK
A perfect choice for incorporating a shrub layer in your garden, which wildlife use for both food and shelter. Covered with pretty white blossoms in mid-summer, ninebark is also extremely adaptable. Tough and beautiful, it gets up to 8 feet tall in good soil, but I’ve seen it growing only about a foot tall in cracks in rocky outcroppings.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum

Who doesn’t love Jack-in-the-Pulpit? It’s one of those rare plants that delights the eye mainly though its clean lines and elegant structure. As for color, green and maroon are colors, plus the berries ripen to a brilliant scarlet. And guess what? It’s super easy to grow, so long as you give this easy-going plant what it needs: a bit of shade and moisture. A typical woodland setting would be just fine.

Northern Blazing Star Liatris scariosa

Northern Blazing Star (aka rough blazing star) adds vertical accent and a late summer bloom to the prairie garden. Due to the abundance of flowers, the plant may need to be staked. Northern Blazing Star is easily grown, tough and drought-tolerant, happy in the worst places: open rocky woodlands, sand barrens, dry banks, and medium to dry prairies.

The foliage may need to be protected from browse until the plant is fully established. Pair with Purple Coneflower, Goldenrod, Spotted Bee Balm, Little Bluestem and Big Bluestem.

Prairie Coneflower Ratibida columnifera

This cheery plant blooms throughout the summer, filling in happily when others are trying to make up their minds to flower. The blossoms, which can vary in color from golden to red, are held aloft on stiff stems and are generally at their best in a mass planting. As you might expect, this sun lover grows well in a variety of conditions, so long as they aren’t too wet.

Red Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata

Also known as Swamp Milkweed or Rose Milkweed, Red Milkweed has a lovely fragrance and is a host for Monarch and Swallowtail butterflies. It’s flowers are less red than rose and are held above the plant, where you can watch pollinators of all stripes settling in for a banquet. Red Milkweed is happy in damp and will tolerate temporary flooding. But it is pretty adaptable; I’ve seen it growing in a hot, dry strawberry bed. However, don’t expect to be able to transplant it once it grows up. It has a taproot and would rather die than change its address.

Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa

A showy addition to the native garden, wild bergamot has a special advantage in being on deer’s do-not-eat list. The flowers are gorgeous and a favorite of hummingbirds. The long bloom period provides a continuing source of food for many pollinators.

Fair warning: It is susceptible to mildew. Good air circulation helps, as does dividing large plants every two to three years. That said, a little mildew is a small price to pay for this treasure.