Mimulus ringens Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full Sun to Full Shade Soil Moisture: Medium to Wet Height: 1-3’ Spacing: 1-2’ Blooms: June-September Bloom Color: Blue, Purple Natural Habitat: Fresh tidal marshes or flats, marshes, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, wetland margins Benefits: Attracts Butterflies, Host Plant (eg. Common Buckeye), Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Bees, Bird Favorite, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Low Maintenance Mimulus ringens has flowers similar to snapdragons that resemble tiny monkey faces, hence the common name.

Iris versicolor Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Wet to Medium Height: 1-3’ Spacing: 1-2' Blooms: May-July Bloom Color: Blue, Purple Natural Habitat: Wet meadows and ditches Benefits: Attracts Bees, Benefits Other Pollinators/Wildlife, Host Plant, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Low Maintenance Pairs Well With: Boneset, cardinal flower, swamp milkweed, blue vervain, New England aster, coastal Joe-Pye weed, and golden alexander “This tall, wet-loving plant does well wherever soil does not dry out, and can be great when used for contrast against plants with less linear leaf structures.

Lobelia siphilitica Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Short-Lived Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Wet to Medium Height: 18-36” Spacing: 12-18” Blooms: July-October Bloom Color: Blue/Purple Natural Habitat: Moist woods, damp areas, streamsides, and pond margins. Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Host Plant (eg. hummingbird moths), Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance Pairs Well With: Golden groundsel, zig-zag goldenrod, bluestem goldenrod, white snakeroot, and blue-wood aster “Royal blue, tubular flowers burst into bloom from green basal foliage for several months in late summer.

Verbena hastata Native to: All New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Wet to Medium Height: 2-5’ Spacing: 18-24" Blooms: July-September Bloom Color: blue Natural Habitat: Wet meadows and edges of streams, rivers, and marshes. Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer Resistant, Benefits Other Pollinators/Wildlife, Attracts Bees, Host Plant (eg. verbena moth, common buckeye butterfly), Compaction Tolerant, Low Maintenance, Fragrant Verbena hastata makes for a great meadow planting when intermixed with other species.

Symphyotrichum cordifolium Native to: All New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Partial/Full Shade Soil Moisture: Medium to Medium-Dry Height: 1-3’ Spread: 18-24” Spacing: 18-24” Blooms: September, October Bloom Color: Pale blue to purple Natural Habitat: Wet meadows and ditches Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Drought Tolerant, Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Songbirds, Host Plant (eg. Pearl Crescent butterfly; numerous moths), Low Maintenance “A fall-blooming aster with billowy lavender blue daisy-like flowers and heart-shaped leaves that thrives in woodland edges or disturbed areas with poor soil.

aka Wreath Goldenrod Solidago caesia Native to: All New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Partial/Full Shade Soil Moisture: Medium to Medium-Dry Height: 18-30” Spread: 1-2’ Spacing: 2-3’ Blooms: August-October Bloom Color: Yellow Natural Habitat: Dry deciduous woodlands and shady edges Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Attracts Hummingbirds, Host Plant (eg. wavy-lined emerald, goldenrod hooded owlet), Urban Environment, Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance Pairs Well With: Blue-wood aster, Christmas fern, white snakeroot, large-leafed wood aster, and zig-zag goldenrod

Eupatorium perfoliatum Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Wet to Medium-Wet Height: 3-6’ Spread: 3-4 Spacing: 1-2’ Blooms: Jul-Sep Bloom Color: White Natural Habitat: Streamsides, ponds, ditches and disturbed areas Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer Resistant, Compaction Tolerant, Host Plant (eg. Three Lined Flower Moth, boneset Borer Moth, Clymene Moth), Flood Tolerant “Mid-summer bright white flower clusters on distinctive wooly green leaves that clasp vertical stems to create a stately floral clump in wet spots or fertile garden soil.

Elymus hystrix Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Partial/Full Shade Soil Moisture: Medium to Medium-Dry Height: 3-5’ Spread: Spacing: 12-18" Blooms: June-August Bloom Color: Green Natural Habitat: River or stream floodplains, forests, ridges or ledges, woodlands Benefits: Bird Favorite, Host Plant (eg. Northern Pearly Eye), Attracts Butterflies, Benefits Other Pollinators/Wildlife, Drought Tolerant, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Low Maintenance “The unique form and texture of the seed head makes this grass a showstopping addition to any border or meadow garden.

aka clustered mountain mint Pycnanthemum muticum Native to: All New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium to Medium-Dry Height: 2-4’ Spread: 1-3’ Spacing: 18-24” Blooms: July-September Bloom Color: white Natural Habitat: Meadows and thickets with moist to dry soils Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Compaction Tolerant, Urban Environment, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Fragrant, Low Maintenance, Erosion Control/Soil Stabilization, Edible Pairs Well With: Flowering raspberry, three-lobed coneflower, wild lettuce, nodding onion, heart-leaved Alexander, Virginia mountain-mint, and wild bee-balm.

Cephalanthus occidentalis Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Perennial Shrub Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium to Wet Soil Height: 3-12’ Spacing: 3-4’ Blooms: Spring Bloom Color: White Natural Habitat: Thickets, low woods, swamps, and stream margins Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Host Plant, Salt Tolerant, Fragrant, Low Maintenance “Often found in thickets, low woods, swamps, and stream margins, where older shrubs will have many branches and twisted trunks.