Pushing Ranges With Nearly Native Plants

Do you have a rough (or maybe quite organized) plan for your garden? From the start of our time at this property, I've aimed for an informal three-section plan for this garden:

• Near/around the house: annuals, perennials, potted plants, and vegetables;
• Middle section: cultivated perennials, both native and non-native; and
• Back woodland: native trees and plants.

Most of the perennials in the middle and back sections were here when we moved in. Over time, I've tried to incorporate more native plants in all three sections. And while it's nowhere near a devoted native plant garden, it has moved in that direction. In recent years I rarely add non-native perennials, with the exception of Alliums (because the rabbits won't eat them) and a few other plants that don't spread much, including Hellebores, a few foundation plants, and some potted plants.

In addition, I've added a few favorites that are nearly native to my area, including:

Woodland Pinkroot (Spigelia marilandica), which is native starting just south of here, from Illinois south to Texas and Florida. It's hardy in USDA zones 5-9. A colorful shade plant (which is rare), it offers midsummer dramatic blooms, and it forms a pleasant ground cover. I cage these plants in a few locations, because the rabbits sometimes eat them.



Climbing Prairie Rose (Rosa setigera) has a similar range. While it's native in the state, its original range started just south of my area, extending further east and northeast, as well as south. It's hardy in USDA zones 5-8. This one is an old-fashioned beauty that climbs up and down the arbor. Though the scent is subtle, it's pleasant, and the blooms last for several weeks in midsummer.



Purple Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) also is native from Illinois south through Florida, and areas east and slightly west. It's hardy in USDA zones 5-9. I could study its incredibly unique blooms for hours. I didn't even realize I could overwinter it here until a few years ago. I keep one potted in the sunroom all winter and outdoors on the front porch in the summer. The other plants--which are outdoors all winter--go dormant, then in spring and summer they spread out along a trellis on the western, sunny side of the house.



Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), which I've had in my garden from the beginning, is native in most states surrounding Wisconsin, but not technically native here. Other species of Echinacea are more common in Wisconsin. This one is hardy in USDA zones 3-8. It's definitely a standard garden beauty, a great cut flower, and a favorite of the pollinators.



Finally, Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) is native to states nearly surrounding Wisconsin, and even up into some Canadian provinces north of us. It's hardy in USDA zones 5-10. I have a complicated relationship with this plant. It's a unique, beautiful shade of lilac/pink, and it blooms in late summer/early fall. The blooms are gorgeous and they're wonderful cut flowers. What's interesting is that the rabbits eat Blue Mistflower when it's not protected, but where they can't reach it in a protected area it tends to take over the garden. Apparently, there's no halfway with this plant, in my garden anyway. (But I still love it.)

I'm so pleased that these beauties grace my garden. They're lovely, most are great cut flowers, and they feed the pollinators. And I'm so happy that they have a place here.

*Note: All native ranges are sourced from the Biota of North America Program (BONAP); all hardiness zones are from the Missouri Botanical Garden; they may vary with other sources.

Six Favorite Hummingbird Flowers

Recently, as I watched a sweet little hummingbird swoop from flower to flower, I thought about the amazing little creatures' favorite blooms, and the ones I'd actually seen them enjoying.

One flower that specific little hummer was nectaring on was Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), which is very high in sugar content. Known to be one of the birds' favorites, Jewelweed is an annual that re-seeds itself and tends to have good years and "meh" years here. This was a good summer for this plant because we had plentiful warmth and rain.

Another plant I saw that particular bird visiting was Hyacinth Bean vine (Lablab purpurea). It's not hardy in my climate--the seeds or the plant--so each fall, I collect the seeds from the pods and replant them in the spring.



Mexican Sunflowers (Tithonia rotundifolia), including 'Goldfinger' shown here, are bright orange-red, which hummingbirds are known to notice. The little buddy in the first photo in this post, from a few years ago, was perched on a patch of Tithonias.



In prior years, I've also seen hummingbirds enjoying Cosmos (C. bipinnatus). And I can see why: They're certainly inviting little beauties with a platform for landing.



Fuchsia 'Marinka' has been a standby in my garden for decades, and I've overwintered two baskets of it in the sunroom for many years. I've enjoyed watching hummers nectaring up through the centers of the flowers, like poetry in motion.



Finally, Zinnias, like Cosmos, offer the little friends perching places and plenty of real estate with rich nectar. To see a previous post with hummingbirds enjoying Zinnias, visit this link.

The hummingbirds will soon be gone, and I will miss them. Their migration activity has been particularly busy the past couple of weeks. I noticed today there are fewer of them visiting. :(

It's "Six on Saturday"! Check out other "sixes" from around the world over at Garden Ruminations. Thanks to Jim for hosting!

Coleus in a Vase on Monday

The Coleus (C. scutellarioides) plants in my outdoor pots were top-heavy. So, after deadheading them, I decided to create a display dedicated to Coleus, alone. Last year, I made an arrangement with foliage, alone, but it included foliage from several plant genera and species. This arrangement, in this post, (above) is simply several varieties of Coleus.

I gathered as many plant tags as I could to ID them, and while I didn't get them all, among them are 'Wizard Jade,' 'Rainbow Multicolor,' 'Red Green,' 'Wizard Scarlet,' 'Kong Lime Sprite,' and 'Black Dragon.' Here they are, in no particular order:

They provide plenty of color and variety for their vase.

For more arrangement ideas from around the world, check out Cathy's 'In a Vase on Monday' meme, over at Rambling in the Garden.

Warm and Cool Vases on Monday

I hadn't planned to do a post on cut flowers this week, because I simply cut the flowers and plopped them in vases. But the colors were so vibrant, I thought I'd share. The first vase includes mostly warm, vibrant colors that brighten their corner in the washroom.



A sprig of Dusty Miller (Jacobaea maritima) offers a bit of contrast.



'Zowie! Yellow Flame' Zinnias (Z. elegans) are the stars.



Also, a few warm 'State Fair Mix' Zinnias that compliment the color scheme.



Some sprigs of Lesser Calamint (Clinopodium nepeta) provide lacy structure.



False Sunflowers (Heliopsis helianthoides) frame the edges.



One warm spike of Gladiolus (G. grandiflora) crowns the middle.



And a few stems of Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) offer structure and more warmth.



Next, I plopped the cooler-colored blooms in their own vase in a different washroom.



More 'State Fair Mix' Zinnias.



Many cuttings of 'Sensation Mix' Cosmos (C. bipinnatus), for their foliage and fabulous blooms, including white...



And pink.

Finally, I rounded up some Resurrection Lilies (Lycoris squamigera) and framed them with Ostrich Ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris).

What's blooming in your garden and gracing your vases? Join the "In a Vase on Monday" meme over at Rambling in the Garden. Thanks to Cathy for hosting!

Wordless Pollinators on 'Summer Beauty' Alliums

Rusty-Patched Bumblebee

Mining Bee

Two-Spotted Bumblebee

Orange Wing Moth

Sweat Bees

Western Honey Bee

Bumblebee and Sweat Bee

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Bumblebees

Western Honey Bee

Bumblebees

Bumblebee and Honey Bee

Rusty-Patched Bumblebee

* Help save the endangered rusty-patched bumblebee. *

Vignettes for Six on Saturday

For this "Six on Saturday," I'm focusing on plant combinations and "vignettes" that have met or exceeded my expectations this summer. The first is the grouping in the center of the back garden under the middle Oak tree.

At the center, Wild Senna (S.  hebecarpa) isn't blooming yet, but its tall, healthy stalks provide structure. In the pot, the purple Shamrock Oxalis (O. vulcanicola 'Zinfandel') is happy in the partial shade. Patches of lavender Alliums (A. tanguticum 'Summer Beauty') flank the sides, and ground covers and Ostrich Ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) frame the front and back.

My potted plants in this partially shady spot just off the patio are colorful and overflowing, as usually happens by this time of the summer. They get dappled sun, off and on all day. The pots combine a mix of various Coleus, Impatiens, Dracaena Spikes, and Callas.

In the side garden--which gets continuous, western sun all afternoon--the Mexican Sunflowers (Tithonia rotundifolia 'Goldfinger') and the False Sunflowers (Heliopsis helianthoides) are performing beautifully this year, with bright and complimentary colors. While I've planted them near each other in the past, they seem particularly happy this summer.

Nearby, the Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) seem happy, too, paired with 'Autumn Joy' Sedums (Hylotelephium spectabile). I had to plant some new Butterflyweed seedlings (Asclepias tuberosa), because the plants in this spot sadly disappeared during the winter (not enough snow cover?). Hopefully, they'll return and fill in next spring and summer. Fortunately, I have other Milkweeds in other locations for the monarch butterflies.

Another combination I've planted together in the past pairs Tropical Impatiens (I. hawkeri) and Angelonias (A. angustifolia). This duo is SunPatiens 'Compact Purple Candy' and AngelDance 'Violet Bicolor' Angelonia. The colors are luscious, and the plants are great companions in the pot.

Finally, I added 'Summer Beauty' Alliums (A. tanguticum) around the mailbox a couple of years ago. They've filled in, they're VERY happy in this spot, and they're covered with pollinators of all types. More on that later...

Thanks to Jim for hosting the "Six on Saturday" meme! To join, head on over to Garden Ruminations.