Design Services/Plant List

Property visit  to discuss goals and make initial observations (hourly rate is based on location)

In-depth site & soil analysis, site specific plant research, and proposed design specifications

This Hyssop is a perennial that stands upright with anise scented leaves and lavender flower spikes. When blooming in the summer, it attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to your herb garden or wildlife garden. It prefers a sunny location with well-draining, sandy loam soil, but will tolerate drought, light shade, and gravely soils. These plants will not entice pests, deer, or rabbits and pair well with Echinacea purpurea, Rudbeckia fulgida, or Solidago nemoralis.

Nodding Pink Onion is a perennial plant that grows natively in dry woods, rock outcrops, and prairies. Each mature bulb produces one flowering stem that bends (nods) down with bell-shaped flowers in the summer. This plant grows best in well-drained soils with full sun, but will tolerate clay soils. In your meadow or rock garden, this plant will pair well with Echinacea purpurea and Asclepias tuberosa.

This clump-forming perennial stands upright with slender leaves similar to willows. When planted in sunny sites with moist and saturated soils, this plant's pink or rose colored flowers bloom and attract flocks of butterflies. Monarch and swallowtail butterflies along with bumblebees, honeybees, and hummingbirds use the nectar. This plant will love your wildlife garden, wet meadow, perennial border, or deer resistant planting and grows well with other sun and moisture loving species.

Butterfly weed is a perennial that boasts clustered orange or yellow flowers from early summer to early fall. It is a larval food plant of the queen and monarch butterflies as well as many other different species and will attract plenty of pollinators. This plant thrives in dry, sandy or gravel soil with full sun. Try planting it with Coreopsis tripteris, Echinacea purpurea, Liatris aspera, and Rudbeckia hirta. 

This New England Aster cultivar is a compact perennial that drops its foliage in the fall and reveals purple daisies. These plants are tough and adaptable to moist, sunny locations and is known for its resistance to disease. In your wildlife garden or groundcover, try planting it with Asclepias tuberosa, Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’, Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’, Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’, and Liatris spicata.

Aster oblongifolius is a perennial that shows blue-purple daisies from August to November when planted in full sun with well-drained, loamy soils, although this plant is adaptable to drought. This cultivar boasts a darker flower color than the species and will look great in your traditional garden or wildlife garden. It likes to be alongside Rudbeckia subtomentosa, Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’, Liatris aspera, and Andropogon gerardii. 

Columbine is an intriguing member of the Ranunculaceae family with exquisite petals that give it an ephemeral quality, like a briefly glimpsed hummingbird. It is an herbaceous perennial that blooms from spring to summer. In cool regions, Aquilegia grows well in full sun, however in warmer areas, it benefits from partial to full shade. In your shade or wildlife garden, this plant will love to be next to other spring-blooming flowers such as Iris cristata and Phlox divaricata. 

False Indigo is a perennial that holds attractive blue-green leaves and blue/indigo, pea-shaped flowers in the spring. This plant is reminiscent of exotic lupines and looks as if it needs "perfect" conditions, but it thrives in harsh conditions. It prefers full sun or light shade in well-drained soil while tolerating drought and controlled burns. False indigo is a great choice for your wildlife garden and will like to be planted with Asclepias tuberosa, Echinacea purpurea, and Rudbeckia hirta.

This clump-forming perennial has heart-shaped leaves that are surrounded by yellow cupped flowers. Marsh marigold thrives in sunny, moist/boggy sites with high levels of humus in the soil. The leaves are pest and deer resistant and will add a splash of sun-kissed yellow to your water garden or wet meadow. Try planting them with 

Acorus americanus, Chelone glabra, Iris versicolor, Lobelia siphilitica, or Osmunda cinnamomea. 

Turtlehead is found along stream banks and damp ground and has white flowers, often with a pink tinge, that appear between mid summer and fall. The flowers are irregular, two-lipped and grow in dense spikes. Growing requirements for turtleheads are moist to wet or mucky soils, a neutral soil pH, and light levels between full sun and partial shade. It will attract pollinators in your water garden or wet meadow and is paired with Acorus americanus, Caltha palustris, and Iris versicolor.

Thread leaf coreopsis is a perennial that shows multitudes of bright yellow daisies during blooming in the summer. This plant prefers a spot with full sun and mesic or dry soil. Its ability to tolerate drought, poor soil, extreme heat, and neglect, along with its freedom from pests and diseases, makes it an excellent plant for beginners. It does well when planted with Asclepias tuberosa, Echinacea purpurea, and Stokesia laevis. 

Purple coneflower is a perennial that boasts individual flowers that bloom throughout the summer into fall. Aptly named Echinacea, meaning 'spiny one' in Greek, the ripe flower heads resemble a sea urchin. This plant prefers well-drained soils in full sun, but will do well in dry or moist soils and can tolerate drought when fully established. It will love your curb, walkway, or garden beds. The flowers are enjoyed by pollinators and it pairs with Monarda fistulosa and Liatris spicata.

Globe Thistle is a perennial with striking flowers that attract butterflies to the garden. It is excellent for fresh or dried cut flower arrangements. It is bold plant for the center or back of the garden, especially with baby's breath, garden phlox and yarrow.

Joe-Pye weed is a clump-forming perennial with rosy-pink flowers produced in large, convex-shaped compound arrays that bloom mid to late summer. These plants grow in full sun and partial shade and thrive in mesic to wet soils. The flowers attract pollinating insects that feed on the nectar produced by the flowers and will love your wildlife garden or moist meadow. It is paired with Aster novae-angliae, Monarda fistulosa, Rudbeckia laciniata,, Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’, and Carex amphibola.

Thinleaf sunflower is a perennial that grows natively in floodplain forests and on riverbanks. They grow best in difficult parts of your garden with partial sun and moist to mesic soils. It attracts bees and butterflies and is used by muskrats in the construction of lodges. It will fit into your rain garden with Helianthus decapetalus and Chelone glabra, Dryopteris marginalis, Iris versicolor, Luzula acuminata, Phlox maculata or Senecio aureus. 

Alumroot is an evergreen with an attractive foliage boasting leaves often highlighted with colorful veins or marbling. When this plant blooms, it shows tiny, cream/green-colored flowers. Alumroot grows best in moist, rich shady-partially sunny areas with good drainage. This wildflower can tolerate drought and rocky soils and is often used for groundcover, grouping or mass planting for a shade garden and grows great with Aruncus dioicus, Carex penslvanica, Iris cristata, and Phlox divaricata.

Dense blazing star is a tall, unbranched gayfeather that sports rosy-purple spiky flowers in the summer for 4-5 weeks. It thrives in sunny sites with moist, humus-rich, sandy loams, but will survive in heat, humidity, and drought. When in bloom, you can expect an increase in butterflies to your wildlife garden, but be careful of deer and rabbits having this plant as a snack!  This plant gets along well with Aster puniceus, Echinacea purpurea, Eupatorium hyssopifolium, and Helenium autumnale.

Cardinal flower is a clump-forming perennial wildflower that shows vibrant scarlet florets in the late summer. These blooms are irresistible to hummingbirds and butterflies. This species thrives in filtered shade with moist soils or in sunny sites with wetter soils.  Cardinal flower will love your wildlife garden and will get along with Asclepias incarnata, Anemone canadensis, Carex comosa, Chelone glabra, Eupatorium coelestinum, and Osmunda cinnamomea. 

This beebalm is resistant to powdery mildew and the munching of deer. Its bright red flowers attract pollinators when it is planted in moist to wet soils with full to partial sun. Try planting Coreopsis tripteris, Rudbeckia hirta, and Liatris spicata with this beebalm.

This cultivar of beebalm is a sturdy, upright perennial that shows large, rounded clusters of red tubular flowers in the summer. It is vigorous and resistant to mildew, deer, and rabbit. Jacob Cline thrives in partial sun with moist, acidic soils heavy in humus content. This plant will bloom more vigorously if it is divided in spring or fall every 3-4 years. It grows well with Coreopsis tripteris, Heliopsis helianthiodes 'Summer Nights', Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ and Liatris spicata. 

Wild quinine is a clump-forming perennial wildflower that shows off white flower head clusters during bloom. It thrives in dry or mesic areas along with dry, open spaces and requires no irrigation or fertilizer. This species will get along well with your flowering prairie species and grasses. Its nectar attracts native bees, wasps, flies, and beetles. 

Smooth beardtongue is a perennial wildflower that shows snapdragon-like lavender flowers in summer that pollinators flock to. This plant blooms for a month in the spring or early summer in sunny or partially shaded sites with well-draining, loamy soils. This plant will be a great addition to your wildlife garden, cut flower garden, or meadow and grows well with  Aster cordifolius, Carex pensylvanica, Chasmanthium latifolium, Heuchera americana, Rudbeckia laciniata, and Zizia aurea. 

Woodland phlox is a perfect native-plant option for gardens with dappled shade. These flowers, each with five small flat petals, will vary greatly in their blue tones. Some petals will be light purple, violet, violet-blue, and even a lighter blue; still, others will be rosy lavender, pale pink, or white. 

Woodland phlox should be planted in the spring so it has time to spread and likes to be near Aquilegia canadensis, Carex albicans, Carex plantaginea, and Heuchera americana 'Dales Strain'. 

Hardy phlox is a perennial that blooms magenta pink, strongly fragrant flowers from summer into the fall. This plant grows best in a sheltered spot with full sun or partial shade in fertile, moist soil. These flowers attract pollinators, add a splash of color to your garden, or look great in a vase on your counter. They love to be planted with Echinacea purpurea, Eupatorium fistulosum, Coreopsis major, Liatris spicata, Monarda fistulosa, and Rudbeckia fulgida.

Clustered mountain mint is a perennial that produces small, cream-colored flowers that are surrounded by silvery modified leaves. This plant is popular for its long flowering time, lovely spearmint aroma, and its resistance to deer and rabbit. It does best when planted in full sun or partial shade with a wide range of soil types. To avoid expanding outside their allotted space, avoid planting in fertile soil. It pairs well with  Coreopsis tripteris, Rudbeckia hirta, and Liatris spicata.

Prairie coneflower is a resilient perennial boasting flowers with 15 long, yellow, ovular petals that sit high above the highest leaves. They grow wildly in prairies, margins of woods, and on roadsides, but will thrive in your moist or dry garden. They will not be easily outcompeted by other species and attract butterflies and birds. In meadow gardens or restoration projects, this plant is often companied by Asclepias tuberosa, Echinacea purpurea, Liatris pycnostachya, and Monarda fistulosa.

Black-eyed Susan is a low maintenance perennial that produces bright yellow, daisy-like flowers. Often, one stem holds one flower, but a stem can hold up to 7 flowers. The plant thrives in full sun and rich, well-draining soil, although it will tolerate partial sun and low fertility. In the winter, finches often feed on the ripe seeds and in the summer, butterflies and song birds enjoy its blooms. In your cut flower garden or wildlife garden, this plant will grow well with Aster oblongifolius.

Woodland Stonecrop is a mat-forming evergreen wildflower with white flowers blooming April to May. It prefers shady habitats or full sun with sufficient moisture. This aptly-named Stonecrop can thrive on boulders, but is easily adapted to your garden. Try planting it with Aquilegia canadensis, Phlox divaricata, Iris cristata, Polystichum acrostichoides, Tiarella cordifolia, and Heuchera Americana ‘Dales Strain’.  

Sweet goldenrod is a clumping perennial wildflower that blooms yellow pyramidal flower panicles from mid-summer to fall. These plants prefer sunny or partially shaded sites with sandy or average well-drained soil. Sweet goldenrod will make an excellent addition to your difficult, dry, shaded woodland garden and grows well with  Asclepias tuberosa, Carex albicans, Coreopsis verticillata, and Echinacea purpurea.

Rough-stemmed goldenrod is a perennial that produces as many as 50 stems, each with 50-1500 yellow flowers. In full sun or light shade with medium-wet, well-draining soils, this plant blooms in late summer through the fall. This is a good choice for a butterfly habitat or rain garden and will attract butterflies, native bees, wasps, beetles, and other pollinators. It is often planted with Aster laevis ‘Bluebird’, Chyrsopsis mariana, Eupatorium hyssopifolium Liatris spicata, and Panicum virgatum.

New York Ironweed is a tall perennial with a crown of royal purple disc florets during blooming in the late summer. This plant will love your wet, open woods or sunny garden with moist soil and will do well in well-drained soils. Deer and rabbit sometimes snack on the foliage of this plant. It will attract butterflies, moths, native bees, and other pollinators. Try pairing this species with Aster puniceus, Helianthus angustifolius, Hibiscus coccineus, Liatris spicata.

This moisture loving sedge forms dense clumps of attractive, bright green, yellow-edged leaves. In the fall, this plant develops yellow foliage. It will thrive in the wet and shaded/partially shaded areas of your garden, but will grow in sun if there is sufficient moisture. Palm sedge is a great choice for wetland areas and stormwater management projects and pairs well with Acorus americanus, Anemone canadensis, Asclepias incarnata, Chelone glabra, and Iris purpureum.

Chokeberry, or Aronia, is a native shrub that grows in a vase-like shape and after blooming with beautiful white flowers in May, it holds blackish-purple fruits that last through the winter. These fruits attract  a variety of birds for which the shrub provides shelter. The fruit is often enjoyed by humans in the forms of jams and jellies. In your wildlife garden, Chokeberry will go well with strawberries, cinnamon ferns, speckled alder, and raspberries. 

American Chestnut is a deciduous tree that was wiped out from native forests due to the chestnut blight, however, they are coming back. In the summer, they produce edible nuts that are consumed by wildlife and humans as well as food for larvae of around 125 species of butterflies and moths. They prefer full sun with well-drained soil, but can grow in poor soil. In your forest garden, they will grow well with native, herbaceous perennial plants such as Baptisia australis.

Chinese Chestnut is a deciduous tree that produces nuts with  a spiny shell and cross pollinates with other species of chestnuts when planted close to them. They are successful at resisting the chestnut blight and can provide ample food for wildlife. They will make a great shade tree in your yard or addition to your forest garden and prefer to be planted in full sun with moist, well-draining soils. It does well when grown with shade-loving, native perennials.

Buttonbush is a deciduous shrub that boasts interesting white, globe-shaped flowers that resemble pin cushions during bloom in early to mid-summer. These flowers are extremely appealing to pollinators and butterflies and will continue to draw interest through the winter. When planted in your wildlife or rain garden, they pair well with  Asclepias incarnata, Eupatorium fistulosum, and Iris versicolor.

American Hazelnut is a dense, tall shrub that produces an edible nut with a ragged, papery husk in the summer. The nuts provide food for squirrels, deer, turkey, woodpeckers, pheasants, and other animals while the male catkins feed ruffed grouse in the winter. It prefers dry or moist soil in a partially to fully sunny site. In your food forest, this shrub will love to be planted with witch hazel, Asclepias tuberosa, and Ceanothus americanus.

Shrubby St. John's Wort is a densely branched native shrub that grows into an attractive, rounded form. When is is in blook during the summer, it holds clusters of small, small, bright yellow flowers. This shrub prefers sunny or partially shaded sites with well-drained soil and is adaptable to drought, brief flooding, and rocky/sandy/clay soils. In you hedge or wildlife garden, this shrub is often planted alongside Aster oblongifolius, Hibiscus moscheutos, Monarda fistulosa, and Rudbeckia hirta.

Red Mulberry is a deciduous tree that blooms with small flowers that turn into fruit resembling blackberries. This fruit should only be eaten when ripe and are relished by birds and humans. It grows best in rich, moist, well-drained soils with full sun. In your forest garden or hedge, Red Mulberry will grow well with shade-loving plants under it. 

Northern bayberry is a deciduous shrub that produces small, grey, waxy-coated, round fruit that lasts into the winter. It will attract birds into your hedge or rain garden and as long as the soils are and average and well-draining and there is full to partial sun. It is tolerant to drought, erosion, and wet soil. Northern bayberry does well when it is paired with evergreens and woodland plants. 

Virginia Rose is a woody shrub that shows fragrant, beautiful, pink flowers from June to August. It prefers full sun with well-draining acidic soils, but is adaptable to other conditions. Growing this rose instead of the non-native varieties will proved wildlife with food from the flowers to the rose hips. It will be a beautiful, fragrant addition to your gardens and likes to be planted with low-growing spring bulbs and other perennials that don't mind some shade from the Virginia Rose.

Common Elderberry is a deciduous shrub that blooms with small, white flowers that are followed by clusters of black/purple fruit enjoyed (cooked, not raw) by humans in wine, pies, jellies, or syrups. Butterflies and pollinators also enjoy the shrub and it provides shelter for birds. It prefers rich, moist, slightly acidic soil with full sun, but will tolerate a wide variety of wet to dry soils. In your hedge or along you stream or pond, Elderberries do well when planted with sage. 

European Mountain Ash is a deciduous tree that displays a lovely yellow, red, and reddish purple foliage in the fall. In late spring, it holds blooms of tiny, white flowers that turn to clusters of bright orange-red fruit in the late summer. These fruits attract and feed a variety of migrating birds whom the tree provides shelter for. It prefers full sun and easily grows in acidic, moist, well-draining soils. It will do well when planted near viburnums, daylillies, and ornamental grasses.

Basswood is a deciduous tree that blooms with fragrant flowers that attract many pollinators. It prefers moist, rich, well-draining soils in full to partial sun. Indigenous people use the inner bark to make ropes, nets, mats, shoes, clothing, and thread and it is said that the flowers have medicinal properties. In your yard or forest garden, these trees will create shade areas that shade-loving perennials will do well in.