Lately folks have been asking for simple, DIY lists of plants for two specific site conditions. While I discuss these lists a lot in a wide variety of social media platforms and at conference presentations, it doesn't hurt to lay them down here, either. To know more about why these work and how to arrange them, you'll need to research the plants as well as natural design methodology. I will say that, in general, the communities tend to work well together and be decently balanced over time. As you gain knowledge and experience you can augment these lists with what works for the site and with the older plants.
Full Sun / Dry Clay to Clay Loam
Full to Part Shade / Dry Clay to Loam
To learn more about these plant groupings, plant pairing for other sites, and how to design / install / manage a natural garden in layers, please try our online classes. "Fundamentals of Garden Layers" and "Planning Plant Communities" are solid places to begin.
Full Sun / Dry Clay to Clay Loam
- Bouteloua gracilis (sideoats grama) -- matrix
- Heuchera richardsonii (prairie alumroot) -- late spring clumper, use in drifts
- Echinacea pallida (pale purple coneflower) -- early summer bloomer, use in masses / drifts
- Amorpha canescens (leadplant) -- mid summer blooms on this woody perennial, use singly
- Liatris punctata (dotted blazingstar) -- mid summer, mass or drift
- Allium cernuum (nodding onion) -- mid summer, mass or drift
- Liatris aspera (rough blazingstar) -- late summer, mass or drift
- Symphyotrichum oblongifolium (aromatis aster) -- late autumn shrubby bloom, use singly
Full to Part Shade / Dry Clay to Loam
- Carex albicans (white-tinged sedge) -- matrix
- Carex sprengelii (sprengel's sedge) -- matrix or specimen massing for contrast
- Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine) -- early to mid spring bloom, mass or drift
- Polygonatum biflorum (solomon's seal) -- late spring bloom, mass or use singly
- Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow rue) -- late spring male and female plants, mass or drift
- Solidago flexicaulis (zigzag goldenrod) -- later summer / early fall, mass or use singly
To learn more about these plant groupings, plant pairing for other sites, and how to design / install / manage a natural garden in layers, please try our online classes. "Fundamentals of Garden Layers" and "Planning Plant Communities" are solid places to begin.
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