Staff Native Plant Picks
- Brooke Orr
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Matt Heim (Executive Director) - Mertensia veronica “Virginia Blue Bells”
There’s something incredibly comforting about the signs that mark the changing of seasons. (Check out my article about the return of the osprey in our Backyard Nature spotlight piece this month—our feathered symbol that spring has arrived.) But closer to the ground, another favorite sign of mine quietly carpets the forest floor: Virginia Blue Bells.
Every year, these delicate, bell-shaped flowers bloom in soft shades of blue and pink, creating a stunning display that never fails to stop me in my tracks. For me, Blue Bells are a deeply personal reminder that the earth is waking up. They bloom briefly but beautifully, a fleeting moment of magic that signals winter’s end and the promise of warmer days.
I always look forward to finding that first patch to bloom in my yard, often along our shady streambanks in the woods. It’s a quiet joy, a reminder to slow down and pay attention to the small wonders around us. Like the osprey overhead, Blue Bells offer a connection—to place, to season, and to the natural rhythms we work to conserve every day at Lower Shore Land Trust. If you have the right home in your garden for them, I hope you’ll get the chance to add a few Blue Bells. Trust me—they’re worth it.
Jared Parks (Director of Land Programs) - Aronia arbutifolia/melanocarpa "Red/Black Chokeberry"
Our back yard is full of native, fruit-producing trees and shrubs. The fruits aren’t large. Many of the fruits aren’t even sweet, but we didn’t plant them for us. We planted them for the birds (and the insects). There are three types of plums, four types of dogwoods, winterberry, serviceberry, elderberry, both northern and southern bayberry, persimmon, paw paw, beautyberry, hawthorn, eastern red cedar, and aronia or chokeberry. Not all of what we have planted is producing fruit yet, but the aronia began producing first, and it keeps impressing.
The shrubs are covered in blooms in the spring and fruit in the fall, and the foliage turns a brilliant shade of reddish-purple in the late fall to compliment the berries. There is little about this plant not to like. It can be grown as a single-trunked “specimen” shrub, or it can be allowed to sucker and spread to form dense shrub
islands or hedgerows. The only drawback I have noticed is that deer seem to nibble on the new growth some, but they don’t appear to be killing the plants. There are three distinct species of chokeberry; black, red, and purple. The most common is black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) which rarely reaches over 6 feet tall. The berries are tart, and though they can be eaten fresh (prepare to pucker-up), they are typically processed and used in wine, juice, or jam. We haven’t tried to process them, but the birds enjoy them just fine, especially our hermit thrushes and bluebirds.
Beth Sheppard (Agricultural Outreach Coordinator) - Aquilegia canadensis 'Corbett' Columbine & Penstemon smallii “Small’s Beardtongue”
Don’t mind me as I do a song and dance about two of my favorite native perennials this year. Part of the joy of gardening is when one can complement different colors and bloom times to extend the show. ‘Corbett’ Columbine makes me think of a fairy dancing in a cup of yellow butter. The bell-shaped flowers are like wings and the extended sepals are like fairy chimes. It is bright and perfect for a slightly dry, part shade garden. The dainty shaped flower literally hangs like a spring on the tip of the stem. The shape of the petals are intriguing, somewhat complex like a close up of a Georgia O’Keefe painting. The green fan shaped leaves have a mercurial ability to capture early morning dew or rain droplets. This early spring bloomer benefits many buzzing insects and is the larval host for the Columbine Duskywing. When the leaves are later mottled with insect travels do not despair, that is what they are designed to do.
Penstemon smallii “Small’s Beardtongue” is my other pick. The name is less than charming but get past that and focus on the understated showiness found on this compact pollinator blooming powerhouse. It can grow as tall as 36 inches but is best used as a mid-garden filler. Collect seeds if you want to keep this penstemon going longer than 2 years. The hairy staminode is ideal for native bees entering the tube-shaped cluster of soft purple to pink flowers. One cool fact I learned is that the tube shape of the flower is preferred for hummingbirds and when they visit for nectar deep inside, the hairs leave pollen on the hummingbird’s forehead which is then carried to other flowers. The stems are burgundy tinted and add late fall interest in the garden. This sturdy plant doesn’t want to be fertilized or overwatered making it a welcome part to my garden collection.
Brooke Orr (Americorps Program Specialist) - Phlox divaricata "Blue Moon Woodland Phlox"
In my tiny apartment shared with three other roommates, unfortunately I do not have the privilege of a garden which becomes a little frustrating during Native Plant Sale season. I see all these beautiful plants that I want to wake up and peer down at from my window. However, I would get fined if I planted some on my landlord's property. Luckily, I have an amazing mom who will stop at nothing to see her children smile. Thus, to satisfy my native plant fix she and I planted Blue Moon Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata) in my parents’ yard, so I don’t feel left out with all the other gardeners. To be completely honest I first chose this plant because it reminded me of the 60s song “Blue Moon” by the Marcels. But I’ve come to love it not only for its beauty but also for its attraction to pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds that my dog Bailey loves to chase all day! Native plants are more than just pretty things in our gardens, they play an important role in our environment and lives!
Margot Resto (Executive Administrator) - Gaura lindheimeri "Whirling Butterfly - White"
I’m still kind of a newbie when it comes to gardening. Before I worked for the Land Trust, I won a plant package in the Flannel Formal silent auction almost eight years ago. I am infamous for killing most outdoor plants. I don’t know why. So, with a leap of faith, I planted that shade-tolerant package of plants like Christmas ferns and Evening Primrose. Can you believe many of these plants are still loving life and thriving in my garden to this day? I managed to keep them alive somehow. Since I’ve started working for the Land Trust, I have added more and more plants to my yard, learning a bit more each year, and watching my yard get more and more busy with pollinator visitors. And each year, when our Native Plant Sale online shop goes live, I can hardly wait to see what else I can happily add to my yard! Last year, I added Gaura lindheimeri/Whirling Butterfly - White to a tiny spot in front of my house that needed something hardy and bright. I love this lively, cheerful perennial. It has pretty white flowers that turn into a very pale baby pink tint, and it grows to about 2 feet tall. I planted it last year and it dazzled me with its blooms for a long time and attracted so many bees and butterflies, giving me a show every day. I can’t wait to see it do its thing again this year!
Frank Deuter (Stewardship Coordinator) - Gaillardia pulchella "Blanket flower"
Blanket flower is one of my favorite flowers. I order a few each year for my gardens. Its vibrant yellow and red shades create a beautiful ground cover that brightens the entire garden. These flowers do really well in our sandy soils and tend to tolerate long periods of dry weather. Not only are they great for your gardens, but can do well in pots as well, especially the dwarf variants. We have 2 varieties at the Native Plant Sale this year: Arizona Sun compact and Red Shades dwarf.
