In the summer of 2020, I started thinking more about my yard since I was stuck home due to the COVID lockdowns. After a lot of reading it seemed like native plants were the best way to support more pollinators and birds. I hadn't lived in the Southeast long and knew little about the native plants here, so I searched for a landscape designer who specialized in native plants. I was fortunate to meet Lisa Tompkins and she helped me come up with a plan for my yard, front and back. Thanks to her knowledge, I have things in bloom much of the year.
I live on a smallish suburban lot (approx .25 acre) and have a homeowner's association. I am lucky to have a number of white oaks, maples, a swamp oak and elms on the lot - this is an older neighborhood where they didn't clear-cut the lots entirely. One big project was installing a large dry river, as well as shrubs, trees, ephemerals and plants. I am happy to say that about 95% of my landscape is now native plants. I have many varieties of birds, see more butterflies, have many pollinating bees and flies, and also dragonflies and toads, which I love.
If you would like to bring a trowel, Ellen is offering attendees the option of digging up some blue wood sedge, soft rush, or New England aster. Ellen has small containers, but additional digging tools will help speed up the process!
Things you will hopefully see in bloom include:
Iris versicolor and fulva
Phlox amoena
Wisteria macrostachya "Kentucky Blue Moon"
Baptisia
Lonicera sempervirens "Major Wheeler" and "John Clayton"
Sisyrinchium angustifolium
Penstemon "Dark Towers", "Dakota Burgundy" and Blackbeard
Coreopsis auriculata, lanceolata
