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Helping Hand!
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Summer 2006 Newsletter
Growing Native (or Why the Natives are Restless)

This past February I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Dr. Allan Armitage; renowned horticulturist and professor at the University of Georgia, at the New England Grows Show in Boston, Ma.

Here’s what he has to say about native plants:
" ... Without doubt, the more I travel, the more I see people embracing native plants for their gardens. That natives have been accepted by mainstream gardeners is now a given."

So let’s take a look at the excitement around native gardening as well as the benefits of ‘growing native’.

In this issue...

What are Native Plants: 1

Native plants are those that evolved naturally in North America. More specifically, native plants in a particular area are those that were growing naturally in the area before humans introduced plants from distant places. In eastern and central North America, native plants typically grew in communities with species adapted to similar soil, moisture, and weather conditions. Some of the widespread communities included oak-hickory-chestnut and beech-maple forests, tallgrass and shortgrass prairies, and freshwater marshes. Additional communities occupied specialized niches, including savannahs, fens, bogs, flood plains and alpine areas.

Why Landscape with Native Plants:

Landscaping with native plants has several appealing factors.

Native Plants Save Energy:
Native plants have evolved and adapted to local conditions over thousands of years. They are vigorous and hardy, so can survive winter cold and summer heat. Once established, they require no irrigation or fertilization. They are resistant to most pests and diseases. Thus, native plants suit today's interest in "low-maintenance" gardening and landscaping.

Native plants provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies and other desirable wildlife. Many help to enrich the soil. Their root systems help rainfall percolate into the soil, reducing erosion and runoff. This improves water quality.

Native Plants Stay Put:
Each native plant species is a member of a community that includes other plants, animals and microorganisms. The natural balance keeps each species in check, allowing it to thrive in conditions where it is suited, but preventing it from running amok. Thus, native species rarely become invasive, as plants introduced from other areas can be.

Native Plants are Interesting:
The diversity of native plants includes interesting flowers and foliage. Native shrubs and trees provide a variety of heights, shapes and textures in the landscape. Many provide winter interest through their bark or seed pods

Another dimension of native plants is their historical and cultural interest. Some plants played a significant role in Native American culture, or in the European exploration and settlement. Many species have reported value as food or medicine. Others have been used for cordage, textiles, dyestuffs, or similar domestic purposes. Native plants can provide children and adults with a tangible link to the past. (End copyright article)

Ideally, then, to plant a native garden would require that your collection of plants grow in your region.

Do you already have trillium growing in the woods behind your house? Consider complimenting the site with, say, bleeding heart and/or false solomon’s seal keeping in mind that no garden, including a native garden, is static but rather a process of evolution and what you plant now will become an ever-changing part of your natural landscape for years to come.

Keeping in mind that as gardeners we always advocate for selecting plants that will compliment your natural setting and region; let’s now take a look at some of the native plants that are offered here at the garden center.

(1) Reprinted with permission by Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes. See their website at: "http://www.for-wild.org" or call 1-877-394-9453.

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Native Trees and Shrubs:

Red Maple
'Acer rubrum'

One of the showiest native maples. Tolerates wet soils better than the sugar maple, but not as drought tolerant. Fall foliage color ranges from orange to crimson red.

Cultivars include: ’Autumn Blaze’ one of the best red maples for fall color

Bearberry
'Arctostaphylos uva-ursi'

Low growing native ground cover with shiny-leaved, broad-leaved evergreen turning bronze-red in the fall. Bright red berries in the summer and fall. Prefers sandy or gravelly acid soils.

Black chokeberry
'Aronia melanocarpa'

This is a spreading upright shrub with shiny leaves, white clusters of flowers in spring, wine-red fall color and small dark purple fruit. Tolerates wet or dry soils. Useful for woodland edge, wet areas and wildlife food.

 

Common witchhazel
' Hamamelis virginiana'

Yellow foliage on an upright shub with sparse but interesting branching habit. Yellow flowers in fall when the leaves are falling.

Potentilla
'Potentilla fructosia'

This is a small, rapidly growing, shrub covered with small daisy-like flowers all summer long. Tolerant of most soil conditions.

• ‘Goldfinger’ very hardy with petite yellow flowers that bloom all summer
• ‘Pink Beauty’ clear pink flowers all summer
• ‘Mango Tango’ Bicolor flowers with orange-red centers blending outward to deep yellow.

Bur Oak
'Quercus macrocarpa'

Develops into a massive tree with huge, wide spreading limbs and coarse gray bark. Impressive tree for large areas, it grows slowly and tolerates a wide range of soils and moisture conditions.

Viburnum
'Viburnum dentatum'

Shiny-leaved shrub with oval, saw-toothed leaf edges. They bear flat clusters of white flowers and green fruits that turn black. Very adaptable to many soil types and moisture conditions.

• ‘Autumn Jazz’ or ‘Ralph Senior’ dark green foliage becomes a mixture of red, yellow, orange, and burgandy fall color
• ‘Blue Muffin’ compact shrub with white flowers followed by blue berries

• ‘McKana’s Giant’ - blue-green leaves with pink and yellow nodding flowers
• ‘Goldfinch’ - enormous yellow flowers and early blooms
  ‘Nora Barlow DB’ - 30” to 36” double pink and mauve blooms. unique
• ‘origami’ - large flowers and clean, clear colors. flower color: (blue & red, red & white)
  

• ‘King of Hearts’ - long blooming dwarf grows 8” tall. rosy-pink blooms all season long
• ‘Luxuriant Fern’ - pale-magenta heart shaped blooms; ever blooming over fern-like foliage all summer.
• spectablis ‘Old Fashion’ - 24” to 30” arching stems, rosy-pink bleeding hearts. dormant late summer.
  
  

• ‘Caramel’ - vigorous growth of honey-apricot leaves and clusters of light pink blooms
• ‘Palace Purple’ - 1991 perennial plant of the year. Huge bronze purple foliage with white flowers

• ‘Dilys’ wide spreading mats, magenta- purple flowers
• ‘Johnson’s Blue’ blue cup-shaped flowers on 15“ - 18” stems
• ‘Lancastriense’ Pale pink flowers with dark pink veins, long bloom season
• ‘Max Frei’ 10” to 15” reddish purple flowers. good ground cover

• ‘Magnus’ 1998 perennial plant of the year. rose-pink flower with less droopy rays
• ‘Purpurea Double Decker’ a double-decker (or twin on top) long lasting purple flower
• ‘Ruby Star’ purple/pink flower
• ‘White Swan’ white and very free flowering on 3’ tall stems
• ‘Sunset’ coral salmon tipped

• ‘Blue Stocking’ 2'-3' Fragrant, violet blue flowers from midsummer to fall.
• ‘Coral Reef’ Blooms are hot pink fused with bright coral. Mildew resistant
• ‘Claire Grace Lavender’ 3’ to 4’ plants bearing soft lavender flowers. Powdery mildew resistant
• ‘Jacob Cline’ Huge, deep red flowers, dark red bracts midsummer.
• ‘Marshalls Delight’ rose-pink variety. mildew resistant. longer blooming.
• ‘Petite Delight’ 12” to 15” deep green crinkly. Clump forming, rose-lavender flowers

• ‘Autumn Fire’ Thicker version of ‘Autumn Joy’. Intense increase in color fall to winter
• ‘Autumn Joy’ rose/ pink flowers on stems in early fall. 20” to 24”
• ‘Blaze of Fuida’ maroon/burgundy
• ‘Purple Emperor purple foliage with dusty/red flowers on 18” stems late in season
• ‘Vera Jameson’ purple tinged foliage with deep pink flowers on 15” stems

• ‘Caradonna’ 24” to 30” blue/purple flowers. Long blooming, attracts bees and butterflies
• ‘East Friesland’ 16” violet spikes blooming in June and again in the fall
• ‘May Night’ 1997 perennial plant of the year. 18” to 24” violet spikes, often reblooming
• ‘Purple Rain’ smokey/purple flowers on long stems in summer
• ‘Viola Klose’ 15” to 18” dark blue flowers in May and again in August when cut back

• ‘Goldilocks’ - large, double, golden yellow flowers on 18” to 24” stems
• ‘Goldstrum’ - 1998 perennial plant of the year. A classic, long blooming black eyed susan
• ‘Irish Eyes’ - short lived perennial. single golden-yellow daisies with a bright green eye.
• ‘Rustic’ - Gorgeous large flowers in rich shades of gold, bronze and mahogany.

• Corn gluten works on seeds not established plants. It will not kill a dandelion plant.
• It has reduced crabgrass by 86% the first year and 98% the second year provided recommended rates are applied in both spring and fall. Dandelion infestations were reduced 100% in plots treated for 4 years in spring and fall.
• Plants tested to date for susceptibility = 23 and include: barnyard grass, smooth crabgrass, curly dock, green & yellow, black nightshade, orchard grass, shattercane, purslane, wooly cupgrass, giant foxtail, lambsquarters, buckhorn, quackgrass, velvetleaf, annual bluegrass, dandelions, creeping bentgrass, black medic, redroot pigweed, catchweed bedstraw, & other common garden weeds.
• Corn gluten lasts 5-6 weeks. There is no carryover. After this time seeds can be planted in treated areas without being effected.

Three guys are walking down the street. Two of them walked into a bar, the third guy ducked.

Why did Elmer Fudd go to sleep in the refrigerator? Because it was a "Westing" house.

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