Virginia Waterleaf is a native woodland wildflower prized for its ability to spread gracefully beneath the shade of trees, forming a lush, low ground cover in naturalized plantings. Soft white to pale lavender flower clusters appear from spring into early summer, held above attractive lobed foliage marked with the pale blotches that give the plant its evocative common name. As a Great Lakes native, it supports native bees and butterflies while naturalizing readily with minimal care. It thrives in partial shade with moderate moisture and is notably tolerant of Juglone from black walnut trees—making it valuable under challenging conditions. A rewarding choice for native plant gardens and shaded woodland borders.

White Turtlehead has masses of beautiful white hooded flowers at the ends of the stems from late summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its serrated pointy leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.

Starry Campion is an Illinois native perennial with lance-shaped leaves in groups of four and clusters of white, tubular flowers with flaring deeply fringed petals. This delicate wildflower is pollinated by butterflies and many kinds of moths. It is often grown in wildflower gardens.

Dwarf Crested Iris has masses of beautiful lavender flag-like flowers with powder blue overtones, white throats and a yellow beard at the ends of the stems in mid spring, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its sword-like leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Joe Pye Weed has masses of beautiful plumes of lightly-scented rose flowers at the ends of the stems from late summer to late fall, which emerge from distinctive fuchsia flower buds, and which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its large serrated narrow leaves emerge dark green in spring, turning forest green in color throughout the season. The burgundy stems can be quite attractive.

Smooth Aster has masses of beautiful lavender daisy flowers with yellow eyes at the ends of the stems from late summer to late fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.

A good durable utility shrub with bronze tinged foliage and small yellow flowers. Tolerant of adverse conditions. Bush Honeysuckle has attractive dark green foliage which emerges burgundy in spring. It has lemon yellow trumpet-shaped flowers along the branches in early summer.

Very similar in look to Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed) but with the added bonus of much deeper pink blooms. The slightly longer stems are stiff, less likely to flop than other milkweeds.

Common Yarrow is covered in stunning white flat-top flowers at the ends of the stems from early to late summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive tomentose ferny leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the season.

Shortbeak Sedge is primarily valued in the garden for its interestingly mounded form. It features airy spikes of chartreuse flowers rising above the foliage in mid spring. Its attractive grassy leaves remain forest green in color throughout the season.

Ostrich Fern is a magnificent, large-scale native fern whose tall, gracefully arching fronds form an elegant vase shape that can reach 3 to 5 feet high and wide. The bold, shuttlecock silhouette is one of the most dramatic forms in the shade garden, creating a lush, verdant feel in moist woodland settings. As a Great Lakes native, it spreads steadily by underground runners to form impressive colonies and provides excellent cover and nesting habitat for birds. It thrives with consistent moisture and partial to full shade, with golden-yellow fall color adding seasonal interest. Deer and rabbit resistant, and notably Juglone tolerant.

A low, spreading cactus that creates stunning visual impact with papery bright yellow or fuchsia flowers. This hardy groundcover naturally forms colonies several feet across, making it ideal for xeriscaping and large-scale plantings. The distinctive reddish-purple fruit is covered with protective spines, adding year-round interest. Perfect for containers or as a dramatic landscape accent, this prickly pear thrives in full sun and well-draining soil with minimal water requirements once established.

Woodland Stonecrop's succulent round leaves emerge light green in spring, turning green in color the rest of the year on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth.

Bottlebrush Buckeye features showy spikes of white flowers with red anthers rising above the foliage in early summer. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The large palmate leaves turn yellow in fall. This is a dense spreading deciduous shrub with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its strikingly bold and coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced landscape composition

White Big Leaf Aster has masses of beautiful white daisy flowers with yellow eyes at the ends of the stems from late summer to early fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its heart-shaped leaves are dark green in color. The foliage often turns burgundy in fall.

Black Chokeberry features showy panicles of white flowers with brick red anthers at the ends of the branches in mid spring. It has forest green deciduous foliage. The glossy oval leaves turn an outstanding red in the fall. It produces black berries from late summer to late winter.

Common Witchhazel has fragrant yellow strap-like flowers along the branches in late fall before the leaves, which are interesting on close inspection. It has green deciduous foliage. The serrated round leaves turn an outstanding yellow in the fall.

American Spikenard features airy racemes of chartreuse star-shaped flowers with white overtones at the ends of the stems from mid to late spring. Its large serrated pointy bipinnately compound leaves are dark green in color. The foliage often turns yellow in fall. It produces red berries from early to late fall.

Slender Mountain Mint is a Great Lakes native perennial with a special talent for attracting native bees, butterflies, and other pollinators in extraordinary numbers. The small, purple-tinged white flowers are set against silvery-white bracts that give the plant a frosty, luminous quality in the summer and fall garden. Growing 24 to 36 inches in a tidy clumping habit, it fills borders and naturalized areas with both beauty and ecological value. The aromatic, narrow foliage releases a refreshing minty fragrance when brushed or crushed. Deer and rabbit resistant with excellent disease resistance.

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Missouri evening primrose is a sprawling herbaceous perennial with multiple stems that trail along the ground. Often seen festooning the tops of bluffs and rocky road cuts. Blooms May through August. Flowers are solitary, very large (up to 4 inches wide), 4-petaled, and bright lemon yellow. Often there are many blooming at once, making this a very showy plant. The flowers last only a day, usually opening in late afternoon and staying open until the next morning. Leaves are narrow and lance-shaped.

Mature Height: Up to 12 inches

Mature Width: 24 inches

Sunlight: Full sun

Soil Conditions: Well-drained

An extremely vigorous vine, excellent for quick screening, almost invasive; highly interesting purple flowers and oddly shaped fruit, often lost in the foliage; large leaves provide good shade for pergolas or arbors. Dutchman's Pipe features unusual light green tubular flowers along the branches in mid spring. It has dark green foliage throughout the season.

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Wild Indigo Bush has spikes of indigo pea-like flowers with gold anthers rising above the foliage in mid summer, which are interesting on close inspection. It has grayish green deciduous foliage. The small fuzzy narrow pinnately compound leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color.