Easy growing to a fault, this native to woodland edges is one of the unsung heroes of the native landscape providing nectar for native insects and delectable fruit for native songbirds. Smaller growing than many of the native Viburnums, Mapleleaf Viburnum grows upright but suckers freely, lending itself to naturalizing in semi-shaded areas. Trident, maple-like foliage emerges in spring and forms the backdrop for 3″ wide flat cymes of small white flowers that are held above the foliage in late May and June for all those nectar seeking spring butterflies to easily find. A summer progresses, these spent cymes turn to heads of fruit which turn black then red as summer comes to a close providing a favorite snack for birds along with great nesting cover. Plant it in groups then stand back and watch how much your birds and butterflies will thank you!

White flowers appear in April and May, producing loads of bright red fruit, tightly packed into showy clusters in late summer and fall. This compact, well-branched hybrid is impressive yet easy to grow, providing striking fall and winter color.

Multi-stemmed shrub that typically grows 8-12′ tall with a similar spread. Has a slightly fragrant, creamy white flower in spring giving way to berries in early fall. Plant in groups or mix with other broadleaf shrubs. May be grown as a hedge.

Starting in late spring red buds line the upright stalks and open in summer showing off purple pollinator-attracting flowers. Lance-like leaves whorl up the stems and provide a strong vertical accent in the garden and look great when grouped at the garden back. Birds love to use the stems for nesting.

Looking like a Veronica on steroids, this large growing American Beauties perennial loves full sun and flowers like it’s on steroids, too with an impressively long season of bloom to match its considerable size. This upright grower has whorled, lance-like leaves that unfurl on rapidly growing stems in the spring and are topped by long spires of buds by mid-May. These 9″+ long spires open with small white to pale blue flowers from top to bottom in late May and continue to bloom into mid summer on these spires and smaller side ones, attracting a considerable group of native butterflies throughout. Veronicastrum is impressive in stature and flower power and can make a big impact at the back of a garden and a big impact on your local garden critters.

The neat fact about Aspire Speedwell is not only its great pink flowers it’s the fact that it stays looking fresh and blooming longer then other Veronicas. Its compact form and long lived pink flowers who’s saturated pink color is far superior to others for reliable color all-season. While this favorite attracts butterflies it is ignored by deer and rabbits.

Whitley’s Speedwell forms a mat of feathery olive-green leaves, bearing tiny sapphire-blue flowers that nestle on the stems in late spring. Makes a colorful and drought tolerant groundcover or lawn substitute. Plants will often will repeat bloom in late summer or fall. Easily divided by ripping pieces of the clump apart in spring or fall. Evergreen foliage and deer resistant!

Giles Van Hees’ is a dwarf variety of Speedwell and its dense, compact form, along with its oversized display of reddish-pink, long-lived flowers will make this plant a staple in any perennial bed. Plant it in the front or middle of the border to best enjoy its bloom beginning in early June, or use it in a container garden where its dense form and brilliant bloom will flourish. Once the flowers are past, shear off the spent blooms to encourage a later summer reblooming that will inject life into your late summer garden. ‘Giles Van Hees’ loves full sun and moist, well-drained soil for the optimum flower performance and it is extremely forgiving, requiring very little care to thrive. Butterflies and hummingbirds love its sweet flowers, while deer avoid the flowers and its deep green serrated leaves.

These gloriously flat mats of deep green, shiny foliage produce a sweet effect in the landscape. Dependable, tough, yet very attractive, this selection really shows off in May with loads of lavender to white flowers making the ground it covers come alive. Great in rockery or massed in tough areas.