I'm moving into a home with a very shady back yard with lots of pine trees. We live in South West Michigan and I want to have some flowers in my back yard but I have been very unsuccsessful in the past with shade plants. Can you give me some suggestions on what to get.

The 3 sisters is traditionally corn, beans, and squash. There are so many different kinds of each that there are an amazing number of combinations. Include cucumbers, the summer squashes, the summer beans and perhaps some ornamental corn. Popcorn, too. Try adding potatoes. Marigolds or, better yet, calendula (which is wonderful at reseeding) make bright spots in the garden. Also sunflowers are attractive and the seeds are a popular edible source of protein and fat!

You can include many of the seasoning herbs. these can be useful when you actually use the produce from you garden.

Good luck.

Well I see you have yarrow- that's one you'd want. Indians used to put it on cuts to stop bleeding.

Also cama bulbs with blue flowers were eaten and terrority that grew them, was fought over. The white ones are deadly.

I'll let you know if I come across others in my herb book, that had American Indian uses.

Love your Garden theme btw. I have a pinch of Cherokee myself.

Try looking in the Native American Seed Seasrch Catalog.
They have a number of vegetable and herb species listed.
Your local library may have books on plants used by the
Indians of your area; I haven't noticed most of these to
be helpful in terms of recipes for tonics,etc. Good luck.