Native plants

Midwest Groundcovers - One of the wholesale nurseries I wish I could shop at!

Midwest Groundcovers Native Garden

I first heard of Midwest Groundcovers a number of years ago from a lecture given by Roy Diblik at NYBG. He mentioned them as a source for native plants and they had a list on their website of native plants that I printed out and carried around in my notebook for a few years. Fast forward to the COVID years, where connections to horticulture, plants, and "normality" was available mainly through webinars and YouTube presentations. Midwest Groundcovers turns out to have a Winter Lecture series that I've watched for the last 2 winters that turns out to be quite interesting.

This is what Midwest Groundcovers says about itself on its website:

Growing & Propagating Over 20 Million of the Finest Wholesale Plants in the Midwest

Although Groundcovers are our specialty, Midwest Groundcovers’ plant offerings include Evergreens and Broadleaves, Deciduous Shrubs, Perennials, Ornamental Grasses, Vines and Native Prairie, Wetland and Woodland species. We are leaders in the Green Industry in partnering with landscape architects, landscape designers, green roof and plant professionals to create inspiring planting combination solutions. Experts in plants for Midwestern durability and sustainability for over five decades.

Unfortunately for me, they don't do mail order and Irvington NY is obviously not in their delivery range. But if I lived near enough, I would buy everything from them.

Their Nursery includes the Midwest Natural Garden that was established in 2011. It was originally a planting by Walter Stephens, called The Natural Garden, founded in 1953. Stevens populated the original garden with a variety of native species that he rescued from being destroyed by a development project. Nearly 60 years later, Midwest Groundcovers purchased the property and has kept the integrity of the local ecotype plants and the original native stock plants and seed beds. In 2016, conservation work and site development began under the consultation of Restoration Ecologist Jens Jensen from Jensen Ecology. Sections of the 29-acre site were graded and a series of step pools installed to reduce erosion and direct stormwater into the pond. A vegetative bioswale and wetland area were added to capture sediment and “clean” the water for irrigation use. A selection of native plugs and prairie seed mix was planted on the pond’s edge for pollinators. In 2017, controlled burns were begun to assist in managing invasives and non-natives. We continue to restore on-site, existing natural areas and develop new ones. Habitats include woodland, prairie, wetland, and a stream restoration.

Midwest Natural Garden is a production nursery site and is not open to the public.

They grow many different species of Carex as well - and have planted a "Carex Classroom" so that people can see what the different Carex species look like. I imagine this is a very valuable resource, since Carex are fairly new to the Trade, there are so many of them, they actually have a wide variety of habits and foliage, some are best suited to specific niches and many of us (me) have no idea what most of them look like except from pictures.

The Carex Classroom is designed to help educate specifiers, ecologists, landscape designers and plant experts on the nuances of the many species available.

Here are some of the plants that Midwest Groundcovers horticulturalists found exciting in 2022.

From Midwest Groundcovers Webinar January 21, 2022 “21 Plants for 2022”

Spigelia marilandica ‘Little Redhead’ (Common Name: Indian Pink)

Spigelia is underutilized in the landscape due to limited availability, but it's poised to make an explosion in popularity. Why? It's a very versatile perennial-it grows naturally in either sun or shade. This perennial can be found growing in the wild in woodlands and along streambanks throughout the Eastern United States. It's wildly popular among wildflower enthusiasts and highly sought after.

'Little Redhead' is a superior selection of the species, vegetatively propagated to ensure uniformity. Dark red tubular flowers with yellow interiors are produced above top of an upright clump of dark green, wedge-shaped leaves. This genus requires good drainage to thrive, so do not plant in areas with standing water. Full sun - part shade; 24-28 in tall X 20-24 in wide. Rabbits eat it.

Tricyrtis formosana ‘Autumn Glow’ (Common Name: Formosa Toad Lily)

Impressive variegation is what sets this toad lily apart from older cultivars. Per Tony Avent, it boasts the widest yellow leaf margins of any variegated Tricyrtis he’s grown.

Orchid-like, reddish purple to blue violet speckled blossoms appear from late summer into early fall in the north, midsummer in the south. It has attractive dark buds and is slow-growing. An excellent perennial for adding late season color to the shade garden.

Dianthus X ‘Paint the Town Fancy’ Series (Common Name: Pinks)

The Paint the Town Series cultivars are prized for their bright colors and increased heat tolerance. Flowers appear in early summer, and a quick shearing after flowering will encourage them to rebloom in early fall. This is the perfect size to edge the front of the sunny border and use in combination containers.

'Paint the Town Fancy' produces 1", single, rosy fuchsia flowers with a red eye and serrated petals. Flowers completely cover the plant when it's in peak. It has glaucous blue foliage that stays clean and tolerates heat very well. Midwest Groundcovers considers this to be an improvement over ‘Firewitch’. It needs good drainage.

Aquilegia EARLYBIRD™ Purple Blue ('PAS1258487') EARLYBIRD™ Series (Common Name: Columbine)

A series of early flowering Columbine from Kieft Seed. There are several cultivars as seen above.. These are compact plants with lots of flowers and strong colors. 9-11 in tall with upward-facing flowers. Will naturalize. They also have excellent potential as cut flowers, lasting up to 2 weeks in a vase.

Allium X ‘Big Beauty’ (Common Name: Ornamental Onion)

‘Big Beauty’ has lovely wide gray-green foliage that is very showy - bolder than other alliums when it comes up in spring. Large soft pink flowers bloom July - Sep and are 2.5 in diameter. This is a really nice foliage plant as well as a beautiful flowering plant. Takes heat and drought and performs over a long period. Seed heads hold up well to snow and ice. 18 - 24 in tall

Cotinus coggygria ‘Winecraft Gold’ (Common Name: Smokebush)

Leaves emerge orange, turn golden yellow and then mature to chartreuse. It flowers with pink “smoke” plumes. It has a dense oval shape; good branching structure; much more “regular” habit than many other smokebush varieties. Not very susceptible to leaf burn. Beautiful fall color with tones of orange/yellow.

Helleborus X Frost Kiss ‘Molly’s White’ (Common Name: Lenten Rose)

This is a great performer in the landscape. It has silvery-green mottled foliage and a huge number of clear white flowers that are fairly upward-facing. It will bloom in the first year and will fill out quickly. Compact habit; 12-18 in tall.

Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora ‘Firelight Tidbit’ (Common Name: PG Hydrangea)

A dwarf form of ‘Firelight’. It’s shorter than ‘Bobo’ at 2-3 ft tall. Flowers turn a deep righ red color in fall. Gets a fantastic purpley-orange fall foliage color.

Some more new perennials that I'd like to try, and why

I said I gave up on writing about new plants, but that proves to have been an emotional outburst. There are always new plants, and its a good idea to look through the lists and the marketing materials and see if there are some that could really work for my design practice. Below are a few more perennials that are new for 2022 - or at least newly on my radar - including information from their Plant Patent for some of them.

Amsonia hybrid ‘String Theory’ Patent number: PP34419

Date of Patent: July 12, 2022

Assignee: Walters Gardens, Inc.

Inventor: Hans A Hansen

From the Plant Patent:

A new and distinct Amsonia plant named ‘String Theory’ is characterized by winter-hardy, compact, densely-stemmed, clean habit with linear, dark-green foliage that goes dormant in the winter; single, light periwinkle-blue, star-shaped flowers on medium height scapes flowering above the foliage beginning about early-May and effective for about four weeks. T

The most similar Blue Star cultivars known to the inventor are: ‘Blue Ice’ (not patented), ‘Starstruck’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,246 and ‘Storm Cloud’ (not patented).

Amsonia hubrichtii, commonly called “bluestar,” is a native perennial with blue spring flowers and showy fine-textured foliage that turns gold in fall. The main criticism is that some people think it gets a little tall and floppy with its three-foot height. ‘String Theory, is a compact version that knocks a foot off of this plant’s usual height.

“It’s more compact than the species, plus the leaves don’t turn chlorotic (yellowish) in summer,” says Chris Ruger, a grower for the wholesale Quality Greenhouses near Dillsburg who picks ‘String Theory’ as his favorite new perennial of 2022. The variety blooms a little later in spring than the species but still retains the periwinkle-blue flower color as well as the brilliant golden fall-foliage color.

Plants grow just under two feet tall, ideally in full sun. Amsonia is also heat tolerant and not a favorite of deer. 

Pennisetum alopecuroides Worryfree Hush Puppy - a non-invasive Fountain grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Tift PA5' PP31,027

Bred at the University of Georgia

From the Plant Patent:

Open pollinated seeds from ‘Tift PS989’ plants were irradiated with 10 K of Cobalt 60 gamma radiation to produce a first group of irradiated seeds. These seeds were planted in a field to produce 256 plants. These plants were evaluated and six were selected based on morphologically desirable genotypes with reduced seed set. Open pollinated seeds (a second group of seeds) from these six selected plants was harvested and irradiated with 10 Kr of Cobalt 60. Irradiated seeds from only one of the six selected plants survived the second radiation and were planted in a field to produce 64 plants. Irradiation of seeds usually results in chimeras or sectors on the plants for the trait of interest. Therefore, each of the sixty four plant was divided into four quadrants or sectors (a, b, c, and d) and five or more inflorescences from each quadrant were examined for seed sterility. A highly seed sterile sector a of plant number 60 was selected and asexually propagated to produce ‘Tift PA5’. ‘Tift PA5’ has been tested at Tifton, Ga.

Lower Paxton Twp. PA horticulturist David Wilson, marketing director for Overdevest Nurseries’ Garden Splendor line of plants, picked Worryfree Hush Puppy fountain grass as one of his two favorite new perennials of 2022. He likes it for two reasons : 1.) it’s sterile (meaning no unwanted seeding around), and 2.) it has unusually long-lasting flowering spikes

Wilson adds that Hush Puppy has a “nice, full, and vigorous free-flowering habit with inflorescences that last much longer than conventional varieties like ‘Hameln.’ In our trials, we’ve witnessed displays that last at least four weeks longer than other varieties.”

Hush Puppy™ Fountain Grass features long-lasting pink plumes that spray high over rounded mounds of slender foliage. Plants grow three feet tall and four feet wide, ideally in full sun. Drought-tough and deer-resistant. Hardiness Zones: 5-9

Eupatorium purpureum 'FLOREUPRE1' Euphoria™ RubyPPAF (syn. Eutrochium purpureum 'FLOREUPRE1')

Joe Pye Weed

There are lots of varieties of Joe Pye weed now - it's hard to keep them straight sometimes. Joe Pye Weed can get a bit big for a lot of gardens, topping out at six feet or more. Even recent “dwarf” varieties often grow four feet tall and wide. But its a very valuable native plant that pollinaotrs of all kinds flock to. So having a cultivar that is even smaller than 'Little Joe' is a great addition to the landscape designer's arsenal. Plus its name is a cute and clever play on the word "Eupatorium".

'Euphoria Ruby' grows just over three feet tall, doesn’t flop, and is a heavy bloomer with magenta umbrella-shaped clusters. Bees and butterflies love it. ‘Euphoria Ruby’ will grow in both damp or dry soil, ideally in full sun.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Quedlinburg, Germany in 2011. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Eutrochium cultivars having a compact growth habit.

From the Plant Patent:

The new Eutrochium cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Eutrochium purpureum breeding selection coded 4846-1, not patented, characterized by its medium cream-rose colored ray florets, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Quedlinburg, Germany.

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘FLOREUPRE1’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Eutrochium plant:

 1. Medium red-purple colored inflorescences

 2. Medium green-colored foliage

 3. Low growth vigor

 4. Compact-upright growth habit

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having a different ray floret color, lower growth vigor, and a more compact growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Eutrochium cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Little Joe’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,122. However, in side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Little Joe’ in at least the following characteristics:

 1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of ‘Little Joe’

 2. Plants of the new cultivar have a darker purple-colored flowers than plants of ‘Little Joe’

 3. Plants of the new cultivar have larger leaves than plants of ‘Little Joe’

Anemone ‘Spring Beauty’

Anemone hybrid 'Spring Beauty Pink'

Spring Beauty Pink comes from the Netherlands and is a hybrid of Anemone sylvestris, with bubblegum pink flowers first appearing in late spring and contining throughout summer. Delicate looking, but extremely tough, its perfectly pink flowers flutter in the wind attracting all the early pollinators with its nectar. Attractive molunded foliage.

It grows 12″ tall and 15″ wide, making it compact enough for smaller gardens, and for the front of the border. Its ideal condition is dappled shade protected from the afternoon sun, yet it will also grow in full shade. It looks beautiful in woodland settings and mixed with other perennials in cottage, cutting, and pollinator gardens. It spreads by underground rhizomes and can be used as a ground cover. New plants may grow near the original plant and can be easily transplanted elsewhere.

Angela Treadwell-Palmer, founder and co-owner of Alabama-based Plants Nouveau plant introduction company, picks this as her favorite new 2022 perennial because it’s the first deep-pink, spring-blooming anemone. Treadwell-Palmer says plants might look delicate, but they’re actually “supersturdy” and seldom bothered by any bug or disease issues. And she notes that early pollinators appreciate the spring blooms.

Nepeta grandiflora 'Summer Magic' PP27090 (Catmint)

This cultivar is not new by any means, having been on RHS Chelsea Flower show’s Short List in 2013. But its new to the US trade and is an introduction by Plants Nouveau. Their founder, Treadwell-Palmer, likes this new catmint variety because of its exceptionally long bloom time – running non-stop from May until September most years. “It blooms and blooms all summer,” she says. “The upright, deep-lavender blooms are held high above the grass-green foliage and never flop, even in the worst of storms. We admire its ability to ‘keep it fresh’ even in the heat and humidity of summer as other Nepeta varieties tend to fade.” Plants grow 15 to 18 inches tall and do best in full sun.

From the Plant Patent:

The new cultivar is a product of chance discovery by the inventor. This new variety, hereinafter referred to as ‘SUMMER MAGIC’, was discovered as a chance seedling by the inventor, Malcolm Spencer. The seed parent is believed to be Nepeta grandiflora ‘Bramdean’, unpatented, and the pollen parent undetermined. This interesting new variety was discovered in the inventor's garden during June 2010 as an individual seedling plant. The plant was discovered in West Sussex, England.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SUMMER MAGIC’

• 1. Compact bushy habit

 2. Improved branch structure on flower stems

 3. Improved plant sturdiness; better resistance to wind/rain damage

 4. Distinctive strong flower color

 5. Large quantity of flowers

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETY

‘SUMMER MAGIC’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the presumed seed parent variety Nepeta grandiflora ‘Bramdean’. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ however, differ in the following:

 1. The new variety is shorter

 2. The new variety produces more branches.

 3. The new variety has improved resistance to weather damage—parent variety is often broken open by summer storms.

‘SUMMER MAGIC’ can be compared to the well known commercial variety Nepeta faassenii ‘Six Hills Giant’, unpatented. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ are similar to plants of ‘Six Hills Giant’ in most horticultural characteristics. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ however, differ in the following characteristics:

 1. The new variety is much shorter

 2. The new variety has significantly improved branching on flower stems

 3. The new variety has improved resistance to weather damage

 4. Pinching requirements and or/growth regulator use are reduced

‘SUMMER MAGIC’ can be compared to the known commercial variety Nepeta racemosa ‘Little Titch’, unpatented. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ are similar to plants of ‘Little Titch’ in most horticultural characteristics. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ however, differ in the following characteristics:

 1. The new variety produces longer flower spikes.

 2. The new variety produces more flowers per stem, and more flowering stems per plant.

 3. The new variety has improved resistance to weather damage

 4. The new variety produces more branches per plant.

‘SUMMER MAGIC’ can be compared to the known commercial variety Nepeta racemosa ‘Little Titch’, unpatented. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ are similar to plants of ‘Little Titch’ in most horticultural characteristics. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ however, differ in the following characteristics:

 1. The new variety produces longer flower spikes.

 2. The new variety produces more flowers per stem, and more flowering stems per plant.

 3. The new variety has improved resistance to weather damage

 4. The new variety produces more branches per plant.‘SUMMER MAGIC’ can be compared to the known commercial variety Nepeta racemosa ‘Little Titch’, unpatented. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ are similar to plants of ‘Little Titch’ in most horticultural characteristics. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ however, differ in the following characteristics:

 1. The new variety produces longer flower spikes.

 2. The new variety produces more flowers per stem, and more flowering stems per plant.

 3. The new variety has improved resistance to weather damage

 4. The new variety produces more branches per plant.

‘SUMMER MAGIC’ can be compared to the known commercial variety Nepeta racemosa ‘Little Titch’, unpatented. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ are similar to plants of ‘Little Titch’ in most horticultural characteristics. Plants of the new cultivar ‘SUMMER MAGIC’ however, differ in the following characteristics:

 1. The new variety produces longer flower spikes.

 2. The new variety produces more flowers per stem, and more flowering stems per plant.

 3. The new variety has improved resistance to weather damage

 4. The new variety produces more branches per plant.

Plant(s) of the Year 2020

2020 Perennial Plant of the Year™:  Aralia cordata 'Sun King' (Common name: Japanese Spikenard)

The Perennial Plant Association has chosen Aralia cordata 'Sun King' as its 2020 Perennial Plant of the Year™.  'Sun King' was introduced by famed plantsman Barry Yinger who found it in a department store in Japan and brought it back to the states.  It has become popular as something “unique and different” to plant in the shade garden.  It has tropical-looking compound leaves that can measure a few feet long.

 ‘Sun King’ emerges mid-spring with bright gold leaves held on nicely contrasting reddish brown stems.  If given at least a few hours of sun a day, the foliage will remain yellow all summer.  In heavier shade, the foliage ranges from chartreuse to lime green.  In spite of its name, too much sun will cause leaf burn.

‘Sun King’ typically dies back to the ground in winter in our area, but quickly re-emerges in spring to form a large shrub-like clump of foliage which resists deer browsing.  It grows about three feet tall and wide.

In mid to late summer, interesting racemes of tiny white flowers are produced followed by deep purplish black, inedible berries. Like most Aralias, the flowers attract honeybees and other pollinators.

I have to admit I’m not fully convinced as to whether we know if this plant will end up being invasive. I have shuddering thoughts of Japanese Knotweed - that was thought to be an ornamental at first too. I’ve planted it at one property - it’s true it does add bold leaves, a big presence and good color to the shade border. Also true that deer don’t seem to be interested in it. We’ll see.

A few other perennials to get to know in 2020

Clematis ‘Rain Dance’ (Common Name: Bush Clematis)

If you’re not familiar with non-vining clematis, its time to try one.  They “read” more like a shrub in the garden, are very floriferous, and can be a groundcover or waterfall over a wall.

‘Rain Dance’ was hybridized by Walters Gardens, and has flowers as large as what you'd see on a vine clematis (flowers on non-vining clematis are usually smaller than those of vining forms).  It has large (2.5-3"), outward facing indigo blue flowers with darker midribs and lighter margins.  

Bush clematis varieties bloom first on new growth beginning in midsummer, and then again on new shoots in early fall.  Although ‘Rain Dance’ is non-vining, the plant will benefit from support, either from staking, a garden obelisk, or from neighboring plants.  The growth habit of non-vining clematis makes them a little difficult to prune.  The upside is that there are no tendrils to get entangled with one another, so its easy to spread out individual stems without breaking them.

‘Rain Dance’ belongs to Clematis Group 3 - Late flowering cultivars – so you can prune them in late winter or early spring.  All shoots can be cut back to the previous year's wood, just above the base of the plant.  This pruning avoids getting bare stems, but spring flowers will be eliminated for that year; late summer flowers will still be produced.  Alternatively, if you don't want to cut the entire plant back all at once, pruning can be done in stages over a period of 3 years.  Each year, prune back 1/3 of the stems to 6-9 inches above a couple of well-developed buds.

That might sound like a bit of work, but bear in mind its positive qualities:

·       Deer & Rabbit resistant

·       Rebloomer

·       Attracts butterflies; bee-friendly

·       Not fussy about soil

The habit of non-vining clematis (though this is a different cultivar called ‘Sapphire Indigo’

The habit of non-vining clematis (though this is a different cultivar called ‘Sapphire Indigo’



Heuchera ‘Toffee Tart’ (Common Name: Coral Bells)

This new member of the Proven Winners® Heuchera collection displays differing shades of ginger caramel throughout the seasons.  In spring, the newest leaves emerge amber with a silver overlay.  Leaves take on a ginger color with silver overlay as they mature. Then in late summer, leaves mature to green.  This variety has an interesting color that blends easily with most other perennials.  It’s not as “loud” as purple-leaved varieties, “softer” than ‘Caramel’ and “reads” better than ‘Dale’s Strain’.  Since ‘Toffee Tart’ has a lighter leaf color, grow in partial shade (preferably afternoon shade) (do not plant in full sun).

Heucheras are semi-evergreen in our area.  Depending on winter conditions, the plants can look a little tattered by early spring.  In that case, just shear off any damaged leaves to make room for the vibrant new foliage which will fill in quickly.

Heucheras can be grown under Black Walnut trees because they are resistant to the toxin Juglone which the trees emit from their roots.  Heucheras are also salt tolerant. They are useful along pathways which are salted in winter or for people gardening in coastal regions.  

Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Paradise’ (Common Name: Little Bluestem)

This variety of Little Bluestem was bred by Walters Gardens, Inc.  Its habit is very upright and columnar, and it maintains its upright habit through fall.  At 3½ feet tall, this grass can be the perfect backdrop to a garden.  ‘Blue Paradise’ has striking silvery blue stems in summer.  In the fall, this grass takes center stage as the leaves develop a deep wine purple color. 

Schizachyrium is a great choice if you are looking to restore an eroded site, or for a plant that will grow in hot, dry areas where other plants have a hard time surviving.

Nepeta faasennii ‘Cat’s Meow’  (Common Name: Catmint)

‘Cat’s Meow’ has everything you’re looking for: a low maintenance, drought tolerant, deer resistant, long blooming perennial that looks great all season.  Unlike most Nepetas that have a bit of a wild, unkempt look, this first class selection keeps its tidy, dense, rounded shape all season long. 

Its small, grey-green, aromatic leaves are topped with well-branched stems carrying spikes of sky blue flowers with purple calyxes from early summer into early fall. 

Sedum X ‘Pure Joy’ (Common Name: Stonecrop; Ground Cover Sedum)

This plant is a relatively new introduction in the ROCK 'N GROW®  series (trademark is owned by Walters Gardens, Inc.).

In spring, small serrated leaves emerge in a cool shade of blue green.  They form a perfectly rounded, low mound perfect for edging the front of the border.  As the plant matures through the season, the leaves expand and turned lighter green, forming a short, semi-upright clump. 

When ‘Pure Joy’ flowers in late summer and early fall arrive, the flowers form a massive dome of bubblegum pink,  completely covering the foliage.  Deeper pink seed heads follow later in fall. 

Amsonia tabernaemontana ‘Storm Cloud’ (Common Name: Bluestar)

Amsonia is the classic North American perennial, and ‘Storm Cloud’ is an improved selection that is worth planting for its black-asparagus sprouting stems in spring, if for no other reason.

New stems emerge in spring that are near-black with leaves that are very dark green with silver veins.  The stems stay dark throughout spring.  Light periwinkle blue, star-shaped flowers completely cover the foliage in late spring, and rebloom for many weeks afterward. Although the main interest of this plant is in spring, it maintains a great garden presence throughout the summer and fall.  Its wide, mounded habit lends itself well to be used in place of shrubs in the landscape.  

In the fall, it puts on a memorable show with shades of bright gold, red and copper.  It is easy-care, heat and humidity-tolerant and deer-resistant.  What more could you ask?!

Darrel Morrison's Article for the Ecological Landscape Alliance Newsletter: Musings on Ecology, Art and Music in the Landscape

The Ecological Landscape Alliance has the following Mission Statement:


"Advocating for responsible stewardship of land and natural resources in landscaping and horticultural practices."

From the Feb 15, 2018 ELA Newsletter: Darrel Morrison starts his article by saying:


"Increasingly, I am intrigued by the value of linking ecology and ecological processes with art and music in the design of landscapes that might be considered "ecological art."  The products of ecological art have the potential to be, simultaneously:

Ecologically sound 

Experientially rich 

"Of the Place," reflecting a sense of place 

Dynamic, i.e., changing over time"

Similar thoughts have been voiced by a number of other "ecological" landscape designers recently in books and interviews that I've read and in lectures at NYBG, including Claudia West, Thomas Rainer, Roy Diblik, Cassian Schmidt and Patrick Cullina.

This is the challenge we face as garden makers in 2018 - to capture all of these qualities in our plantings and to do it "well".  Everyone agrees that part of "doing it well" means having a real understanding of the plants you're using - to quote/paraphrase Roy Diblik from his lecture at NYBG earlier this winter, you have to use "plant-driven thought"- understand what a plant wants to do and where it wants to be so it can thrive and how fast it grows and how it spreads and so forth.  I feel its important to keep your plant palette broad - not that you have to jam tons of different plants into every design, but that you have to understand a reasonably broad range of plants so that each garden is fresh and each new idea is fresh, even though the general "ecological approach" is the same.  

Of course, no garden ever stays the same.  The key to having a "design without an expiration date"- again paraphrasing Roy Diblik - is to keep "gardening" - keep constantly enhancing and fine-tuning.  You may have to switch out some plant choices here and there, do some dividing, plant bulb layers - but in the end of the day if you've done the job well, you have a sustainable plant community.  (Until a tree falls, or there's a flood, or a new disease comes along or there's an early frost, or no frost ….Then you have to rebalance it)

So that's where we get back to Darrel Morrison's article:

He writes:

Darrel Morrison's Old Stone Mill plant community

Darrel Morrison's Old Stone Mill plant community

Part of Darrel Morrison's Gardens at the BBG - North Entrance "Pine Barrens"

Part of Darrel Morrison's Gardens at the BBG - North Entrance "Pine Barrens"

  • Ecological Soundness grows out of the selection of appropriate plant species and placing them in the micro-environment where they will thrive without the importation of resources such as irrigation water and chemical fertilizers. …They in turn serve a variety of functions, ranging from controlling erosion to providing habitat for birds, butterflies, bumblebees and other pollinators …"

  • Experiential Richness emerges from the presence of a diversity of plant species and associated fauna, in compositions that are rich in color, texture and movement. "

He goes on to say later in the essay:

  • Two other characteristics of the environment that provide a dynamic quality are LIGHT and MOVEMENT. The color of natural light changes as a day progresses, and the physical movement of the plants (and the fauna that are attracted to them bring life to them.) I never tire of seeing the wave-like motion of tall grasses in the landscape, or of seeing (and sometimes hearing) birds, butterflies, and bumblebees moving through a landscape. The direction of light changes throughout a day and a year as well. We can place plants in a designed landscape where they will, during some part of the day, be backlit, literally making them "glow," or as landscape architect A. E. Bye expressed it in a 1967 essay in Landscape Architecture Magazine, they exhibit "luminosity.""

A Darrel Morrison "created" landscape in Wisconsin

A Darrel Morrison "created" landscape in Wisconsin

He alludes to the four "characteristics of landscapes that people find engaging and attractive. These are (1) mystery, (2) complexity, (3) coherence, and (4) legibility." 

Mystery is derived from spatial form which unfolds sequentially as one moves through the landscape, revealing landscape spaces. Mystery implies that part of the scene is hidden, thus motivating people to want to see what is "around the bend."

Complexity relates to the biotic diversity in a landscape and the aesthetic characteristics which come with this diversity - e.g., colors, textures, and movement.

Coherence results from the fact that the distribution of species exhibits perceptible pattern. The tendency of many species being aggregated to a degree, leads to the occurrence of directional "drifts" of color and texture.

Legibility … relates to people's ability to "read" how they will move through the landscape, not feeling claustrophobic or disoriented. 

A Jens Jensen-inspired "signature" for Darrel Morrison is the Council Ring

A Jens Jensen-inspired "signature" for Darrel Morrison is the Council Ring

  • For "sense of place": "We are increasingly surrounded by generic landscapes, whether it is the sprawling big box stores repeated over and over in suburban environments, or landscapes that are increasingly alike, with the same, limited number of species replacing the natural diversity that may have once occurred there. … We can reverse the trend toward "placelessness" by incorporating an array of locally native species which provide cues and clues as to where we are."

  • Dynamic - the created landscape changes over time: "…Landscapes have the potential to be four-dimensional art, with time being the fourth dimension. This is because ecology-based designs are not frozen in time, but are always are evolving, with seasonal changes, growth of individual plants, and in some cases migration of species within the composition. The landscape we see in May is different from the one we see in July, or October, or December. And the landscape we see in 2018 is not the landscape we will see in 2028 or 2048. Hence, there is always something new to discover."

Words to live by - "there is always something new to discover"

Don't Plant these in 2016!

Of the 2814 species of plants growing wild in Massachusetts, fully 45% (1276 species) have been introduced (either on purpose or by accident) from other parts of the globe.  Many of these are agricultural weeds that began arriving in grain or ship’s ballast soon after European colonists came here in the early 1600’s. Others were introduced by horticulturists or the federal government for use in gardens or soil stabilization, reforestation, and the like. It is impossible to know what effect this monumental immigration has had on native plants and animals. Certainly, of the thousands and thousands of plants introduced in the US and Canada from abroad, only a small number (estimates range from 3-7%) are thought to pose a serious threat to native ecosystems. These problem few are quite a problem, however. These invasive exotics have few if any natural predators to keep them in check, instead running rampant and displacing entire communities of native plants as well as the insects, fungi, birds, mammals, reptiles, bacteria, etc that have come to depend on them…. Invasive species have the potential to completely alter habitats, disrupt natural cycles of disturbance and succession, and most importantly, greatly decrease overall biodiversity, pushing rare species to the brink of extinction. Many ecologists now feel that invasive species represent the greatest current and future threat to native plant and animal species worldwide – greater even than human population growth, land development, and pollution.

 

It is high time that we horticulturists recognize our responsibility to both cease the importation and introduction of new and potentially invasive exotic plants and to stop growing and planting known or suspected invasives regardless of their ornamentality or consumer demand. I believe that we need to adopt the precautionary principle as far as plant introductions are concerned, and assume a species (including all of its cultivars) is invasive until proven otherwise (rather than the current approach of “innocent until proven guilty”). At least let’s not make this situation any worse.

Native plants for challenging situations - 4 I love

Inspired by plant lists and lectures by William Cullina, Head of the Coastal Main Botanical Gardens - check out his website:

www.williamcullina.com

Sassafras  (Sassafras albidum) can rival even sugar maples in the beauty of its fall display.  In the shade, the foliage becomes an intense golden yellow.  When the tree is in more sun, leaves become scarlet, orange, and maroon. Sassafras is an opportunistic tree found commonly along unmanaged fence lines and power line right of ways where it can compete with larger trees.  It sprouts readily from stumps and the sprouts grow rapidly, adding up to 3-4 feet in height each year for the first ten years.  You may have never even seen sassafras flowers in early spring – but they’re a good nectar source for early pollinating insects.  

Sassafras flowers in early spring

Sassafras fall color

Sumac

There are two types of sumac that are nice additions to the landscape if you have good sun.  One is ‘Gro-Low’ fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica).  ‘Gro-Low’ is a vigorous spreading groundcover (up to 2 ft tall with a spread of up to 8 ft), making it an excellent choice for stablizing a bank or smothering weeds.  It has interesting fruits and a gorgeous orange-red fall color, and is deer resistant.  

Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low'

Rhus aromatica fruit

The other is ‘Tiger Eyes’ staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’ or ‘Bailtiger'), a dwarf, golden-leaved cultivar that typically matures to only 6’ tall and wide. It was discovered in a cultivated nursery setting as a whole plant mutation of R. typhina ‘Laciniata’ and is considered to be superior to both  ‘Laciniata’ and the species because of its dwarf size, quality yellow foliage and minimal suckering.  Deeply dissected compound leaves emerge chartreuse in spring, but quickly mature to bright yellow.  Fall foliage is a striking mixture of orange and scarlet.  It performs best in good sun.  Since it can tend to become a bit leggy and spreads via suckers, its a good candidate for the back of the border, a naturalized stream bank or the wild garden (but not so much as a specimen).

Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eyes'

Rhus typhina fall color

Wavy Hair-grass  (Deschampsia flexuosa) is a clump-forming cool-season native grass that is not too large, takes some shade and has relatively showy flowers - it can fit into a mixed border quite well without overwhelming it.  Like most ornamental grasses, it prefers well-drained soils.  Its foliage is semi-evergreen in a mild winter.  It's native to dry open woods, slopes, fields, grasslands and open areas, forming a low, dense tussock of very thin, arching green grass blades up to 2’ long.  Flower stems rise in summer above the foliage mound bearing wide, airy panicles of tiny, purple to bronze flowers which form a cloud over the foliage that is attractive when backlit.  Flower panicles turn gold after bloom as the seed ripens.

Smooth Witherod  (Viburnum nudum) is native to low woods, swamps and bogs in the east and southeast, from Connecticut south to Florida and Louisiana.  It can tolerate a wide variety of light conditions, from full sun to part shade and can also tolerate boggy conditions – a good candidate for a wettish area in the landscape.  It has showy white flowers in spring – they don’t smell very good though!  (For my nose, its definitely one of the “stinky” viburnums, but others don’t perceive it as smelling particularly bad).  Flowers are followed by clusters of berries in late summer that change color as they ripen from light pink to dark pink to blue to purply-black.  For best cross-pollination and subsequent fruit display, plant shrubs in groups rather than as single specimens.  The best cultivar is ‘Winterthur’ – now fairly commonly available in the Nursery trade - a compact version, growing to about 6’ X 6’, with a reliably beautiful fall foliage color – maroon, dark red, purple.   ‘Winterthur’, an introduction of Winterthur Gardens in Delaware, was a winner of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal Award in 1991 – I guess that qualifies it as “tried and true” at this point!

'Winterthur' berries ripening

'Winterthur' ripe berries look beautiful with the fall foliage color

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