Ideas for planting (preferably natives) around new addition?

11 years ago

Hi all! I've been on Houzz for a while but just found GardenWeb today. I gather this has been a recent, and not-so-happy, change for all of you. My sympathies. Having a forum you use regularly migrate to a new platform is a pain.

I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas for planting around my newly-added front porch and entryway? I live just outside the DC beltway (zone 7A), most of the area gets full sunlight from about 10A onward (although there's one shady area around the corner of the entry that's now especially bereft-looking) and the porch is just barely off the ground which makes it too low for most foundation plants (which is good because I find most of them boring anyway). I've been researching native plants a little and am interested in things like Indian pinks (S. marilandica) and, for the shady spot, spicebush (L. benzoin), but it will take a while to find those and in the meantime, the area is going to fill up with weeds if I don't do something. I realize that totally native is unlikely, I just want to avoid introducing anything harmful or potentially invasive. I'm attaching two photos. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Featured Answer

sequoiadendron_4

11 years ago

There are a lot of nice native perennials that would do nicely in that spot. I like your idea of a Lindera benzoin but keep in mind you will need a male and female plant if you expect to have berries on the female. Most mail order nurseries sell them 'un-sexed'. Check out Monarda bradburiana, Penstemon digitalis, Conoclinium coelestinum, Silene regia, Echinacea purpurea, etc, etc.

Here's a great (mostly) native mail order.

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Comments (6)

madsquopper
11 years ago
No help with the weeds, but eventually perhaps have an American wisteria grow up one of the columns (will need to add a trellis of some sort). Make sure it's the native, not any of the Asian species.
sujiwan_gw 6b MD/PA
11 years ago
I'm just learning about "which native plants" work best myself, so I can't offer advice but certainly feel constrained to a natives only approach in your planting percentages. I also suggest additional info be sought from the landscape design and the native plant forums on Gardenweb while waiting for other reply posts here. I've found them quite helpful.
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User
11 years ago
You've a lovely spot. And an interesting problem. Think about how it'll look in winter so you can focus on having shrubby shapes to carry you through and not have everything die down. Lots of herbs would be happy there, rosemary usually survives several winters around here. Hellebores, lavender, some cold hardy ferns in corner. Groups of hardy things with space between for the perennials. Natives might be too tall and need to go away from porch.
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
11 years ago
I live outside DC, too. The first thought that came to mind when I saw your picture was hydrangeas! Of course, only the arborscens (think Annabelle) and the quercifolia (oakleaf) are natives and both would be lovely. The paniculata do offer some winter interest if you leave the dried flowerheads on the plants. Still, all in all, the blue mopheads would be charming around your home, if you like that look.
Aaron Dalton
11 years ago
I'm late to the party in responding to the original post.

My 2 cents:

Indian pinks (Spigelia marilandica). They're very well-behaved...although I've heard they can self sow if they ever go to seed. Unfortunately, they're one of the favorite plants for rabbits in my area, which means I haven't seen them even bloom recently much less self-sow. Still, they're tough enough to keep coming up from getting nibbled down to the nubs, so that's impressive. And the foliage is pretty on its own.

Oakleaf hydrangeas are marvelous, but I do think they prefer mostly shady spots (forest understory, etc.) I have one in full morning sun in TN that is hanging in there, but it does look stressed from mid-summer onwards.

For the shady area, how about an Epimedium? It takes a little while to get started, but it seems bulletproof and mostly evergreen once it's established and has attractive delicate flowers in the spring. Spreads, but at a very manageable rate (or has so far).

For a sunnier spot, what about Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb'? http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c270