Looking around the garden, I notice that many native plants are vigorous despite the drought! Here are just a few:
Solomon’s Seal – Polygonatum biflorum
A staple of the shade garden, Solomon’s Seal blooms in May with dangling white bell-shaped flowers on an arched stem. In fall, leaves turn a lovely golden yellow. This plant gently spreads and can be easily divided and reset in fall.
Polygonatum biflorum
Aronia melanocarpa
Black Chokeberry – Aronia melanocarpa
Health conscious consumers know that Aronia berries have many health benefits! In the landscape, nothing bothers this easy, multistem upright shrub. It’s newly available in a dwarf selection called ‘Lowscape Mound’ that is covered with white flowers in spring, dark berries and red leaves in fall.
For more information on eating Aronia berries: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/aronia-berries#intro
American smoketree – Cotinus obovatus
This small tree provides interest in summer with its blue-green leaves and flower panicles that give a smoke-like effect. Leaves turn interesting shades of gold, copper and red in fall. It may be a single trunked tree up to 30′ tall or a multi-stem shrub in the range of 15′ tall. Easily pruned in the spring to control size.
Cotinus obovatus
