The Northeastern United States is famous for fall foliage. “Leaf peepers” come from all over the world to see our native plants in their dramatic fall colors.
Northeastern landscape in autumn
A walk in the woods in fall
Why, then, should a walk around suburban neighborhoods, in the same region during the same season, be so disappointing? Where are the colors?
The plants that thrill “leaf peepers” grew in abundance before the suburbs were developed, and they would still thrive here – if only they were planted! It seems that every suburban yard uses the same non-native “foundation plants” — boxwood, pachysandra, ivy, and hedges of yew or privet or even bamboo! – all completely devoid of our famous fall colors!
C’mon people! We can do so much better than this! Why not plant our yards with the same trees, shrubs, and perennials that make this region a tourist attraction in the fall? Let’s add some color, life, and seasonal interest beyond pumpkins! There are so many great choices with our incredible abundance of Northeastern native plants.
Red maple (Acer rubrum) Photo: Michael Martini
Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
The undisputed rock-stars of fall color are our native Maples, and Oak trees are a close second. If you have a lawn, you probably have room for a Maple or a native Oak. Oaks have enormous value for wildlife — and for homeowners! [See this blog post] Both Maples and Oaks are beautiful year-round, but autumn is their glory season.
Our native flowering trees are also brilliant in the fall. Nothing beats the American Dogwood (Cornus florida) with its intense maroon foliage and vivid scarlet berries. Crabapples (Malus spp.) also produce colorful fruit, and American Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) starts blooming in October!
American Dogwood
Crabapple
American Witch Hazel
The Northeast is also blessed with native shrubs that produce kaleidoscopic colors in the fall. While evergreen foundation shrubs are useful, why not add some of the flowering and fruiting native shrubs that bring color and interest in both spring and fall? Here are some easy choices to add to your yard. All of the shrubs pictured below are locally available, easy to grow, valuable to wildlife, have beautiful flowers, and are spectacular in the fall.
Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)
Possumhaw Viburum (Viburnum nudum) pictured with American Witch Hazel
Low Bush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)
American Cranberrybush (Viburnum trilobum)
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
And don’t forget fall flowers and grasses in gorgeous colors!
Not only are these plants beautiful, they are incredibly valuable to the ecosystem of the Northeastern US. So many suburban landscapes use non-native plants that offer nothing to birds, butterflies, bees and other insects, and many are destructively invasive as well. If your only fall color is coming from burning bush or Japanese maple, you may want to consider native alternatives for those reasons. Privet, bamboo, ivy, vinca, and pachysandra are all known to be invasive plants and can be replaced easily with native plants that are beautiful in the fall, and year-round.
And wouldn’t you enjoy an autumn view like this?
Willow leaf oak (Quercus phellos), American dogwood, and Pin Oaks
And this?
Oaks, Inkberry (Ilex glabra), Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana and A. hubrichtii), High Bush Blueberry(Vaccinium corymbosum), Common juniper, and Possumhaw Viburnum
The fall glory of native plants lies within your reach!
THIS BLOG IS AUTHORED BY CATHY LUDDEN, CONSERVATIONIST AND NATIVE PLANT EDUCATOR; AND BOARD MEMBER, NATURE CENTER at Greenburgh. FOLLOW CATHY ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE PHOTOS AND GARDENING TIPS@CATHYLUDDEN.
Summertime, and it’s the 4th of July! American Independence Day!
We love celebrating the Stars & Stripes — flying the flag, draping patriotic bunting on the porch, and decorating everything with red, white, and blue.
But wait! Is your landscape part of the theme? Is it proudly American? Or is it decorated with English Ivy, Norway maple, Chinese silver grass, New Guinea impatiens, Korean dogwood, and Japanese honeysuckle? It’s a shame that so many suburban landscapes today are decidedly…. un-American!
Look around your neighborhood.
Do you see big open lawns extending right up to the house? That’s 19th Century British style!
In the 1800’s, British aristocracy used cheap manual labor to maintain expansive lawns in a display of wealth and power.
Are there yards in your neighborhood with tightly-clipped evergreen shrubs arranged in rows? That style goes all the way back to 17th Century France!
French royalty favored shrubs clipped into artificial shapes
Should we really be trying to copy that?
It’s funny if you think about it!
American history is closely tied to wilder, natural landscapes and a vast bounty of beautiful and useful plants. Those plants tell our American story!
For example, if you have an Eastern Red-cedar (Juniperis virginiana) in your yard, you should know that in 1584, English explorers were so awed by the incredible beauty and fragrance of Roanoke Island’s Eastern Red-cedars, they decided to make Roanoke the very first colonial settlement in America.
Many of our best native landscape plants today were critical to the life and survival of early American settlers. They used Witch-hazel (read more here & here), Arborvitae, Bee Balm, and hundreds of other plants for medicine. They learned which native plants were good for food and which were useful as building materials. They used native plants to improve their lives — native junipers made good pest repellents, and Bayberry scented their candles and removed odors in their homes.
The common names of many native plants still tell us so much about our past. In New England, colonists relied on the bloom time of Amalanchiershrubs to alert them to the beginning of the shad run as fish started migrating up-river from the sea, so they called the plant “Shadbush.” In other towns, settlers called the same plant “Serviceberry” because its bloom time marked the season when traveling ministers who performed wedding and funeral services could begin using local roads again as the snow melted. Those uses may be gone, but the names still link us to our history.
Amelanchier, “Serviceberry” or “Shadbush”
You could show your patriotism on Independence Day by planting a White Pine in your yard. Before the Revolution, the English Crown claimed exclusive use of all American White Pines for the British Royal Navy for ship masts. The Crown’s over-reach triggered the first violent protest by Americans against the British, which likely served as inspiration for the Boston Tea Party. In another practical act of rebellion, colonists started making their own ink and cloth dyes from Pokeweed, an American plant, thereby avoiding British taxes on imports.
Indigenous people introduced colonists to Joe Pye weed as an effective treatment for typhus, and so it was named for a highly-respected indigenous leader. Amsonia or Eastern Blue Star was named for a physician who once treated George Washington, and two early American botanists named their discoveries of indigenous woodland plants,Jeffersonia diphyllaand Franklinia alatamaha, after our founding fathers. Both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were hobby botanists, and when Washington lost interest in European plants, he began collecting and growing native American Redbud trees, among others, for his own estate.
Cercis canadensis or “Redbud”
From the first Thanksgiving through the War of Independence, America’s native plants supported settlers and, quite literally, built America. But today, as more Americans have moved to suburban areas, landscapes composed mostly of lawn grass, with a few tightly-clipped, non-native shrubs, have become standard.
The default suburban landscape today
The resulting loss of insects, birds, and wildlife is well-documented and tragic. By eliminating pesticides, reducing lawn, and planting native trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials, homeowners and gardeners can help save and rebuild American biodiversity.
But we can also reclaim American history! Learning about native plants teaches us about our past. The best landscapes give us a sense of place and connect us to what is truly American.
Suburban landscapes with native plants
Let’s celebrate the 4th of July by planting a few great American plants! Many have been featured in this blog over the past several years. Maybe the Goldenrod called ‘Fireworks’ would be appropriate?
A paved walkway to the front door is one of the most common features of suburban residential landscapes. And it’s important! It is a visitor’s first impression of your home and a major element of “curb appeal.” Landscape design professionals recommend planting your walkway to welcome visitors and visually direct them to the correct entrance while giving them something interesting and beautiful to see along the way.
A well-planted entry walk guides visitors to the front door.
The entry path to the Greenburgh Nature Center in spring.
But a paved walkway presents multiple challenges for landscaping. The process of paving, whether with stone, concrete, brick, or asphalt, often damages the adjacent soil, leaving it compacted, dry, and rocky with bits of concrete and masonry that can significantly alter soil pH and create poor planting conditions.
New construction of paved areas can leave depleted soil.
Paved surfaces are also warmer in summer and colder in winter than the surrounding soil. Pavement reflects summer heat onto adjacent areas and can hold that heat long after sunset. Frozen pavement, on the other hand, can be even colder than surrounding air and soil temperatures, and snow cleared from walkways often includes salt or ice-melting products damaging to plants. With these extremes, it can be challenging to find plants that will look good and survive year-round.
Understandably, many suburban homeowners opt for planting nothing at all along walkways.
The minimalist approach.
Others plant a row of annuals every summer only to watch them wither and die long before fall (New Guinea impatiens anyone?). Most annuals are tropical plants that evolved in the understory of rainforests. The harsh conditions along a paved entry path are a far cry from the rich, wet soil in the shady jungles of equatorial New Guinea!
So, what can you plant along an entry path that will survive tough conditions through summer and winter, and still come back strong in the spring?
Consider plants that evolved in regions with baking hot summers, freezing winters, poor hard packed soil, and weather that can alternate between drought and flood. America’s great prairies and dry meadows are the original habitats of a vast array of hardy native plants. With variations in annual rainfall, soil depth, tree cover, and elevation, an incredible variety of grasses, flowering plants, and hardy shrubs evolved in those challenging landscapes. These native plants are ideal for the conditions so often found on paths from sidewalks and driveways to front doors throughout suburban neighborhoods.
The bonus is that these plants also feed native bees and butterflies and need very little care. Many of them already have been featured in prior posts of this blog. Take a look at these plants as you consider re-designing your entry path, and follow the links below for more information and photos:
Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) is a cheerful sight lining a sunny path.
Field Pussy-toes (Antennaria neglecta or A. plantaginifolia) is a grey-green ground cover with adorable cat-paw flowers.
Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepsis) is a small ornamental grass with a soft look and a lovely scent.
Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) grows about 2 ½ feet tall, has flowers that last for months, and smells wonderful.
Yet another prairie plant that looks great along a path is Prairie Smoke (Geum trilflorum). Its nodding pink flowers turn into puffs that give it another common name, Old Man’s Whiskers. The foliage stays fresh all summer and turns a lovely burgundy in the fall. It is not bothered by snow cover in the winter or hot dry summers.
Prairie Smoke in stages of spring bloom.
Another reliable low-growing groundcover that can fill in along a path mixed with shrubs and taller perennials is Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia fragaroides). Blooming with bright yellow buttercup-type flowers for weeks from spring into summer, and semi-evergreen through the winter, it spreads slowly and is exceptionally hardy.
Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia fragaroides) in March.
The most attractive pathway gardens include a variety of native perennials, grasses, and shrubs to create four seasons of interest.
A mixed border makes a path interesting.
There are a number of tough native shrubs that mix beautifully with perennials to create a real garden on the way to your front door:
Shrubby St. John’s Wort (Hypericum frondosum, or H. prolificum, or the pictured H. kalmianum) are similar species, but different sizes, and all bloom with bright yellow pom-poms adored by bumblebees.
Another great shrub for the entry path is Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa). Its flowers may be bright yellow or nearly white, its foliage a soft gray/green, and it blooms all summer long, much to the delight of native pollinators.
An entry path with Potentilla in full bloom.
So, there are many beautiful options for designing a durable planted path to welcome visitors (and nature!) to your front door. Think about pushing your lawn away from the path and giving a bit more space to a native garden that says: “walk this way!”
THIS BLOG IS WRITTEN BY CATHY LUDDEN, CONSERVATIONIST AND NATIVE PLANT EDUCATOR; AND BOARD MEMBER, GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER. FOLLOW CATHY ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE PHOTOS AND GARDENING TIPS@CATHYLUDDEN.
Are you thinking about what to plant in your garden this year? Nurseries are already displaying their new stock, and native plant sales are popping up everywhere. It’s time to make your shopping list for spring planting. And we can help!
Over the past few seasons, “Around the Grounds” has recommended some great native perennials that will bring life to your garden. Here are some of our favorite flowering plants — with links to blog posts containing photos and tons of information about each of them:
All of these plants evolved in our region, are well-adapted to our soil and weather, and support native insect and bird populations. Many are deer-resistant and drought-tolerant. You can learn more about their favorite garden conditions in the linked blog posts.
We’ve also recommended ferns, grasses, shrubs, and trees, so browse older posts by clicking on the “Around the Grounds Collection” button below.
Happy spring shopping! And if you live in the Greenburg, NY area, mark your calendar for our spring plant sale on May 13 where many of these plants will be available.
THIS BLOG IS AUTHORED WEEKLY BY CATHY LUDDEN, CONSERVATIONIST AND NATIVE PLANT EDUCATOR; AND BOARD MEMBER, GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER. FOLLOW CATHY ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE PHOTOS AND GARDENING TIPS@CATHYLUDDEN.
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Do you have a soggy situation in your yard: a low spot where water always puddles for a few days before drying up? If so, lucky you! You’ve got the perfect spot for some beautiful water-loving shrubs!
Rainstorms are becoming more frequent and more intense. Suburban lawns often have mushy patches that don’t really recover, even after the ground dries. Turf grass roots sitting in standing water are deprived of oxygen and soon die. You could spend hours – and dollars — aerating, re-seeding, or laying new sod only to see the same thing happen again in the next downpour.
Lawn grass can’t live in water-logged soil
Or, you could plant a few native shrubs that would be happy to soak up that water! Some of our most desirable native plants evolved near ponds, streams, and in wet meadows. They can live in standing water for days at a time, and take up excess water that otherwise becomes mosquito-breeding habitat. Even better, because they are native to our region, they are winter-hardy and provide food for pollinators and birds.
It’s not hard to remedy a soggy area of lawn. You can plant right into the wet areas, even without removing any surviving lawn first. With the right plants, not much soil amendment is necessary, either. Dig a hole about the same depth and twice the circumference of the root ball of the shrub. Loosen the root ball if it is very tightly bound. Adding a few shovel fulls of compost and mixing it with the soil in the planting hole can help. But don’t plant too deep. Keep the crown of the plant just above the soil line. And give your new plant some company! More plants take up more water, reduce compaction, and improve soil drainage, which improves survival odds for all of the plants.
Visually, a cluster of water-loving shrubs is a big improvement over soggy lawn. Think about planting a group of 3 medium-sized shrubs, either all the same type or 3 different species, or perhaps a small tree and a couple of larger shrubs. A group of plants looks more natural, takes up more water, and provides valuable habitat for birds.
Assuming the spot is mostly sunny, and usually dries out a few days after a rainstorm, any of these great shrubs will work beautifully:
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Buttonbush produces really interesting flowers from early to mid-summer that last for weeks. The flowers look like 1½-inch white spheres and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. The leaves are large, glossy green, and make a gorgeous background for the flowers. After the flowers fade, hard spherical nuts resembling buttons develop and often last through the winter until birds harvest them.
Buttonbush flowers Photo: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Native to swamps and streamsides from Canada to Florida and west to the Mississippi River, Buttonbush is hardy in Zones 4 to 10. In the Northeast, the shrub can reach 6 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide. In colder zones, the shrub may die back to the ground in winter and grow back to 3 to 4 feet in summer. Pruning is not necessary, but if you want to keep it a bit smaller, it won’t mind being pruned in early spring since the flowers form on new growth.
Buttonbush becomes a large rounded shrub in suburban landscapes Photo: American Beauties Native Plants
Buttonbush loves wet soil, including areas that are often flooded with shallow standing water. It is generally deer-resistant once established, but young plants should be protected in the first few years. The shrub is happy in full sun or part shade.
Possumhaw viburnum (Viburnum nudum) Also called Smooth Witherod, this shrub is one of our most attractive native plants for suburban landscapes. It will tolerate wet, boggy soil, though it does perfectly well in average soil as well, and is a great foundation plant. Native to woodlands, swamps, and thickets from Newfoundland to Florida, it grows 6 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 15 feet wide. It has shiny green leaves, big lacy white flowers in spring, and berries that turn colors from pink to blue to black. It also has spectacular fall leaf color. Possumhaw doesn’t need pruning and is not particularly attractive to deer. This plant works in almost any yard, but it is an ideal solution for a wet area.
Viburnum nudum as a foundation plant at the Nature Center
Possumhaw berries change colors as they ripen
Vibrant fall color and berries
Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) It’s hard to imagine a more useful landscape plant than Winterberry. It can live in standing water, but is also fine in average landscape conditions. It produces brilliant red berries in the fall that feed migrating birds.
This popular shrub is great in wet soil
Robins, mockingbirds, blue jays, cardinals, and cedar waxwings flock to Winterberries
Winterberry is very easy to grow in full sun or part shade. It needs no fertilizer or special care, and needs no pruning. The shrub has a loose shape and can grow 10 to 15 feet tall, but a cultivar called ‘Winter Sprite’ tops out at 3 to 4 feet. In fall, the leaves drop to show the brilliant red berries clustered along the stems. You will need both a male and female plant to produce berries, so ask your nursery for both. For more information on Winterberry, see an earlier post here.
Pussy Willow (Salix discolor). Willows are wetland plants, and our native Pussy Willow is the most beloved of the bunch. As a multi-trunked shrub or small tree, 6 to 15 feet tall, Pussy Willow makes a great focal point where water collects. Plant it, then add two or three of the shrubs described above, and a formerly soggy mess will become your favorite part of the yard! For more information on this great little tree, read our earlier blog post here.
Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) is an easy-to-love small tree
Fuzzy catkins show up in early spring and feed emerging pollinators
So, as you start dreaming about spring flowers, don’t forget about spring “showers,” which are more likely to be torrential downpours these days. Plan ahead for standing water and add some of these water-loving plants to your spring shopping list!
THIS BLOG IS WRITTEN BY CATHY LUDDEN, CONSERVATIONIST AND NATIVE PLANT EDUCATOR; AND BOARD MEMBER, GREENBURGH NATURE CENTER. FOLLOW CATHY ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE PHOTOS AND GARDENING TIPS@CATHYLUDDEN.
