Get to know northern bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera), a delightfully worry-free ground-cover that is resistant to rabbit pressure and a magnet for bumblebees and hummingbird moths.
Autumn foliage in New England is a highly anticipated spectacle that draws tourists to our region from around the world. Native sumacs, with leaves blazing in shades of orange, red and gold, are among the showiest of fall divas.
Gray birch (Betula populifolia) is a common species that has a lot of potential for managed landscapes. It is a fast-growing tree that can thrive in poor soil and a valuable host plant for Lepidoptera.
American witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) blooms late in the fall just as most other plants are going dormant. These delicate blossoms remain in flower for a month or more, but just who are its pollinators?
Mayflower or trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens) is much beloved for its fragrant flowers, which bloom early in spring. But did you know that our state flower was once in danger of disappearing from the Commonwealth?
Goldenrods are among our most ecologically beneficial perennial wildflowers— and no, they aren’t causing your allergies! Fall in love with the beautiful and diverse genus Solidago.
Clubmosses (also called lycophytes or lycopods) are part of an ancient lineage of plants that has been extraordinarily resilient through time but is now vulnerable to the excesses of the Anthropocene.
Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) is a native biennial wildflower that frequently pops up in newly disturbed soil. Easily disregarded as a weed, it deserves a second look for its ecological value.
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) are quite different in habit and typical growing conditions, but both have tremendous potential in designed landscapes.
While largely known for its eye-catching velvety catkins in late winter, the pussy willow (Salix discolor) and its fellow members of the genus Salix, are also ecological dynamos.
The very first wildflower to bloom in New England is the aptly named skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), whose highly distinctive flowers begin to emerge in March.
Looking to replace the non-native lilac or forsythia hedge in your yard? Consider chokeberry (Aronia spp.), one of the many beautiful native shrubs that we greatly underutilize in landscaping.
At a community event I attended last April, a garden club was handing out free “butterfly garden” seed packets. Other attendees were delighted to get this freebie, but when I saw the species list, I realized that these future seed-sowers were being led down the proverbial garden path.
If you have found yourself grumbling at the prospect of yet more shoveling after each storm this winter, and irked by the deep drifts still impeding parking spots, walkways, and sight-lines, take solace in the fact that all this snow is a major boon for our ecosystems in the northeast.
Originally published in the Belmont Citizens Forum, April 2023
Transitioning your garden to be more native, wild, and welcoming to pollinators and birds does not need to be an overwhelming or expensive undertaking. In fact, you can get started by being a little lazy!
Winter landscapes in New England have a quiet elegance all their own. Learning how to distinguish tree species from the mass of leafless limbs can open up an entirely new layer of beauty.
Put those leaf blowers down, and ease up on your rakes! When we remove fallen leaves from our gardens we are taking away an important ecological resource.
