This delicate looking yet easy to grow plant is a great way to add texture and color to your landscape. It is a diminutive 12-18 inches and looks great in full to part sun. Campanulas like consistent moisture in the soil and do not tolerate overly wet or overly dry conditions. When picking the right spot for harebell, it is best to find a spot where it can get some relief from the afternoon sun. Some folks think of this as a short-lived plant lasting only a few years in th

Packera is one of our favorites here at Watermark. This is a ground cover that will not disappoint! It is a plant that has it all: Profuse spring flowers. Grows most anywhere from almost full sun to full shade. While it prefers moist soils, it will do well in average soil as well. Best of all packera is great at spreading and is EVERGREEN! Groundsel has basal leaves(Ground level) and send up 12in flower stalks in the spring. The flowers last more than a month. Packera sprea

This sought after medicinal plant is a really unique addition to any landscape. The small flowers have a dark purple hue and the leaves can be quite very showy with their bronze to yellow fall foliage. Yellowroot performs best in a moist woodland area but is also easily grown in dry shade(Yes, dry shade!). Growing from 6in to 2ft, yellow root can provide a nice groundcover or the celery like leaves can provide a unique texture in your landscape. Practically the plant can be

A well know native of herbal lore, Hydrastis canadensis, AKA golden seal, typically blooms mid-April in our area. Because of its medicinal value the plant has been collected from the wild almost to extinction. From yellow dye to insect repellant to medicines, goldenseal has a lot of value. While both modern and Native American healers have numerous uses for goldenseal, all parts of the plant can be poisonous if used incorrectly. As the unique, wrinkled leaves unfurl, the s

Have you got a problem wet spot in your yard? Buttonbush will be your saving grace. While buttonbush thrives in full sun it can still take a fair amount of shade as well. This plant will be the envy of the neighborhood with its white spikey flower balls(below) in late spring which mature to a bright red by fall. Some say these showy "nutlets" resemble space ships. Not only is buttonbush a delight for humans, but it also has immense wildlife value. Below is the excerpt fr

We often get requests for evergreen plants. When it comes to native plants there really are not a whole lot of evergreen choices so that makes Leucothe a real winner! Springtime brings lovely drooping flowers on this short bush. It only stands about 2-3 feet high, but can stretch to 10 feet wide. It is the ideal plant for a hillside or anywhere you want to cover a large area but not loose your view. Doghobble is also know as switch ivy or fetter bush, but the story behind

Black Cohosh, Actaea (Cimicifuga) racemosa, and Blue Cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides are two woodland wildflowers often confused due to similarity of their common names. Blue Cohosh grows 1 to 2 feet tall with yellow-green blooms in April that develop into dark blue berries. Black Cohosh, by contrast, grows a stately 4 to 7 feet tall, with showy, fragrant white flower spikes on display late summer into fall. Both species possess compound leaves, which enhance their prese

Black Cohosh,Actaea(Cimicifuga) racemosa, and Blue Cohosh,Caulophyllum thalictroidesare two woodland wildflowers often confused due to similarity of their common names.Blue Cohosh grows 1 to 2 feet tall with yellow-green blooms in April that develop into dark blue berries. Black Cohosh, by contrast, grows a stately 4 to 7 feet tall, with showy, fragrant white flower spikes on display late summer into fall.Both species possess compound leaves, which enhance their presence in t

Virginia Bluebells are perhaps the most widely recognized and beloved spring wildflower in our region. The profuse clusters of soft blue flowers catch the eye wherever they bloom, and when occurring in drifts are one of spring’s most spectacular floral displays. Plant in part to full shade where springtime moisture is reliable. Since the foliage dies back during summer heat, inter-plant with ferns or other hot season shade perennials for continuous cover.

Cardamine concatenata, or Cut-leaf Toothwort, formerly known as Dentaria laciniata, is a delicate-looking spring ephemeral of deciduous woodlands.The terminal clusters of white flowers play against the unique, whorled foliage of deeply divided, toothed leaves.Growing 8 to 12 inches tall, Cut-leaf Toothwort makes a delightful addition to the spring woodland or shade garden.