Excerpted from Native Plants For Your Maine Garden (Down East Books, Camden; paperback; 128 pages; $24.95) by Maureen Heffernan. Photos by William Cullina.

Photograph Courtesy ©New England Wildflower Society/S. Scrimshaw

Many Maine gardeners find that because native plants have naturally adapted to the climate and growing conditions in the Northeast, they require less cultivation and maintenance. This doesn’t mean that a native plant will grow well wherever it is planted. Native plant species still need particular growing conditions in order to thrive — that is, a combination of light, moisture, soil type, and temperature that fosters their growth. But if you follow these plans, you’ll find that gardening with natives is a simple, easy, and rewarding way to create more environmentally friendly flowerbeds.

A Garden for Birds and Butterflies
This garden bed is designed for a site with full sun. Its informal, curved shape is filled with naturalistic drifts of plants of varying heights, shapes, colors, and textures. The plants selected offer a variety of bloom times to provide continuous seasonal color and interest. All of these species also have a long blooming period. This design has a warm color palette (reds, yellows, purples, and orange) and is designed for a space approximately thirty-five feet by twelve feet, but can be adapted to larger or smaller sites by modifying the number of plants used per drift.

1. Joe-Pye weed
Eupatorium fistulosum
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Full sun
Soil: Moist to wet
Height: 60 to 72 inches
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Striking plant with panicles of light rose to purple flowers. Showy focal point that tower over most other perennials in a bed or border. All Joe-Pye weeds are good for attracting and sustaining butterflies in a garden. Other recommended species and cultivars: E. purpureum and E. maculatum.
Number of plants per drift: 3


2. Purple coneflower
Echinaceachinacea purpurea
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Sun to light shade
Soil: Moist, well drained, organic
Height: 36 to 48 inches
Bloom Time: Summer to early fall
Attractive, tough, low-maintenance plant for a sunny bed, border, or meadow. Pinkish magenta flowers with an iridescent orange-brown center. The flowers are excellent in arrangements. Other recommended species and cultivars: Outstanding cultivars include ‘White Swan’ (white flowers) and ‘Mango’ (soft yellow flowers).

Number of plants per drift: 5


3. Black chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpa
Hardiness Zones: 3–8
Light: Full sun to part sun
Soil: Dry to wet
Height: 3 to 8 feet
Bloom Time: Spring
Top choice for wildlife, which eat the dark-purple to black berries. Clusters of small white flowers in spring, and lovely deep red fall color. Other recommended species and cultivars: A. arbutifolia (red chokeberry), bright red berries, grows to ten feet, red to orange fall color. ‘Brilliantissima’ is a widely available and recommended cultivar of red chokeberry.
Number of plants per drift: 3


4. Bee balm,
Oswego tea
Monarda didyma
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Full sun to
light shade
Soil: Moist, fertile
Height: 24 to 48 inches
Bloom Time: Summer
Fast, vigorous grower with upright stems that bear red, pink, white, or violet flowers. Lends a pleasant, informal look to beds and borders. Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Cut back plants to the ground after flowering. Look for mildew-resistant cultivars such as ‘Sunset’. Bee balms may need to be kept in check if grown near less vigorous plants so they do not invade their neighbors’ growing areas.
Number of plants per drift: 3-5


5. New England aster
Aster novae-angliae
Hardiness Zones: 3–8
Light: Full sun to part sun
Soil: Moist
Height: 36 to 60 inches
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Classic, easy-to-grow native with daisylike flowers that range from purple to pink to rose. Use in the back of the border or in naturalized areas. Stake them in borders for a tidier look. Among the wide range of aster species and cultivars that grow well in Northeast gardens are Aster laevis (smooth aster), A. novi-belgii (New York aster), and Symphyotrichum novi-belgii var. novi-belgii (New York aster, formerly called A. novi-belgii). Asters are a preferred plant for butterfly gardens because many butterfly caterpillars eat the leaves.
Number of plants per drift: 3


6. Butterfly weed
Asclepias tuberosa
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well drained, sandy, dry
Height: 12 to 36 inches
Bloom Time: Summer
Long-lasting, bright orange, red, and yellow flowers bloom in flat-topped clusters. This plant is related to milkweed and gets its name by attracting butterflies, especially monarch butterflies in their larvae stage, which feed on the leaves.
Number of plants per drift: 3


7. White beard-tongue
Penstemon digitalis
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Sun to light shade
Soil: Moist
Height: 24 to 48 inches
Bloom Time: Late spring to midsummer
Most penstemons are known for their tubular, bell-shaped flowers that grow in profusion atop upright stems. Hundreds of species with a range of flower colors are found in the United States. Other recommended species and cultivars: P. hirsutus has violet flowers. This and P. digitalis are excellent for naturalizing dry areas of the garden and attracting hummingbirds.
Number of plants per drift: 9


8. Threadleaf tickseed
Coreopsis verticillata
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Full sun to light shade
Soil: Lightly dry to moist, well drained
Height: 18 to 24 inches
Bloom Time: Summer into fall
This cheerful, easy-to-grow garden workhorse produces clumps of airy, threadlike foliage and masses of long-blooming, star-shaped, light yellow flowers. Cut plants back after first blooms to encourage a second flush of flowers later in the season. Other recommended species and cultivars: C. ‘Moonbeam’ produces masses of lemon yellow flowers. Other excellent cultivars include ‘Zagreb’ (golden yellow flowers) and ‘Golden Showers’ (large yellow flowers).
Number of plants per drift: 7


9. Blanket flower
Gaillardia aristata
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well drained
Height: 12 inches
Bloom Time: Early summer
Cheerful, tough, compact plant with yellow to orange daisylike flowers with red bands radiating out from the center. Drought tolerant. Good choice for rock gardens, to add color to the front of borders, and to attract butterflies. Deadhead to extend flowering. Note: The annual form of blanket flower (G. pulchella) has lovely cultivars, but it is not a perennial and is not winter hardy.
Number of plants per drift: 7


A Woodland Border
This design features native plants that thrive in light shade to shade conditions and uses a cool color scheme of mostly white, light pink, and blue flowers. The mix of woody and herbaceous species provides a variety of plant heights, shapes, textures, and bloom times. The redosier dogwood provides winter interest, with its bright red stems contrasting beautifully against a snow-covered landscape. This border is approximately forty to fifty feet long and ten to twelve feet wide. The scale can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of plants per drift area.


1. Lady fern
Athyrium filix-femina
Hardiness Zones: 2–8
Light: Sun to shade
Soil: Rich, moist
Height: 24 to 36 inches
Ornamental, easy-to-grow deciduous fern. Bright green fronds have an elegant tapering shape and finely cut edges. Adaptable to a variety of growing conditions in home gardens, woodlands, woodland edges, and under and around trees and shrubs.
Number of plants per drift: 17


2. Eastern serviceberry, shadbush
Amelanchier canadensis
Hardiness Zones: 4–9
Light: Full sun to part sun
Soil: Dry to moist
Height: 10 to 20 feet
Bloom Time: Early spring
Lovely small tree for home landscapes, especially when planted in small groups in lightly shaded woodlands and on woodland edges. Its dark purple fruits are eaten by birds and other wildlife. Beautiful yellow-orange fall color.
Number of plants per drift: 1


3. Redosier dogwood
Cornus sericea
Hardiness Zones: 2–7
Light: Full sun to part sun
Soil: Wet to moist
Height: 5 to 9 feet
Bloom Time: Spring
Small white flowers in spring are followed by rounded clusters of white fruit. Grown primarily for its striking red stems, which add a splash of color to Maine’s winter landscape. There are a number of cultivars with red or yellow stems.
Number of plants per drift: 6


4. Nannyberry
Viburnum lentago
Hardiness Zones: 3–7
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Dry to moist
Height: 8 to 15 feet
Bloom Time: Late spring
Tough, hardy shrub that, like its other viburnum cousins, produces clusters of white flowers followed by hanging clusters of dark blue fruits that attract wildlife.
Number of plants per drift: 1


5. Solomon’s seal
Polygonatum pubescens
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Part sun to shade
Soil: Moist, organic
Height: 12 to 28 inches
Bloom Time: Spring
Easy-to-grow plant with bell-shaped white flowers that hang delicately from arching stems. Graceful and elegant plant for shady sites.
Number of plants per drift: 5


6. Tall meadow rue, king of the meadow
Thalictrum pubescens
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Sun to light shade
Soil: Moist to wet, organic
Height: 36 to 72 inches or more
Bloom Time: Summer
Tall, striking plant produces lovely cloudlike masses of white flowers. Excellent at the back of the border or along woodland edges.
Number of plants per drift: 3


7. Goatsbeard
Aruncus dioicus
Hardiness Zones: 4–8
Light: Light shade to shade
Soil: Moist, rich
Height: 36 to 72 inches
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Showy masses of creamy white plumes make this tall, fast grower a focal point. Ideal to fill large areas or use at the back of the border, where its green foliage contrasts with smaller plants in front of it. ‘Kneiffii’ is a lower-growing cultivar that reaches only about thirty-six inches.
Number of plants per drift: 3


8. Wild columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Sun to light shade
Soil: Well drained, moist
Height: 12 to 24 inches
Bloom Time: Mid to late spring
Easy-to-grow, lovely plant with fernlike foliage and graceful, nodding orange to reddish flowers. Excellent choice for naturalizing in woodlands or edges of woodland areas. Readily self-sows in its preferred soil conditions.
Number of plants per drift: 7


9. Hobblebush
Viburnum alnifolium
Hardiness Zones: 3–6
Light: Part sun to shade
Soil: Moist
Height: 3 to 10 feet
Bloom Time: Early spring
Popular ornamental that prefers shade and cool, moist soils. Excellent choice for naturalizing. Large, flat clusters of white flowers appear in early spring; deep blue fruits develop in late summer. Striking fall color.
Number of plants per drift: 1


10. Wild geranium,
wild cranesbill
Geranium maculatum
Hardiness Zones: 4–8
Light: Full sun to light shade
Soil: Well drained, evenly moist to slightly dry, organic
Height: 12 to 18 inches
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Abundant light pink flowers add early-season color to the garden. This mounding plant looks best in masses or drifts throughout a bed or border.
Number of plants per drift: 9


11. Common alumroot
Heuchera americana
Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Light: Light shade but tolerates sun
Soil: Well drained, moist to dry
Height: 12 to 24 inches
Bloom Time: Early summer
Cream-colored flowers are borne above the varicolored foliage, which adds ornamental value to the garden even after the flowers have finished. Excellent choice for the front of the border and as an edging.
Number of plants per drift: 5


12. Bunchberry
Cornus canadensis
Hardiness Zones: 2–6
Light: Full sun to light shade
Soil: Moist, acidic
Height: 4 to 6 inches
Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
Attractive, hardy groundcover with white dogwoodlike flowers. Bright red berries appear from summer into fall. Best planted in spring. The edible berries were once used to make puddings, hence this plant was also known as pudding-berry.
Number of plants per drift: 15