Heartleaf Foamflower features tiny, pink blossoms, which open into white flowers on airy, terminal clusters in May. It prefers organically rich, moist soil; the soil should not be allowed to dry out. This plant spreads by rhizomes (underground stems) to form colonies. Use Heartleaf Foamflower in your shade garden, rain garden, along edges of ponds, or as a groundcover.
Mother-of-Thyme features tiny, red-purple flowers, which bloom in abundance, June-September. The nectar offers a valuable food source for native bees and butterflies. Mother-of-Thyme is easily grown in dry, sandy, rocky, gritty soil in full sun. This plant withstands light foot traffic. Use Mother-of-Thyme as a groundcover, edging plant, or along walkways or cascading borders. Mother-of-Thyme also tolerates drought well, making it a good choice for Jersey-Friendly Yards.
Goat’s Rue features attractive, yellow-pink bi-colored flowers, which bloom May-August. The nectar is a valued food source for native bees and butterflies. Goat’s Rue is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Southern Cloudywing (Thorybes bathyllus). The seeds are eaten by ground birds. The roots fix nitrogen in the soil; they also contain rotenone, which is toxic to insects and fish. Goat’s Rue can be planted by seed; plant it in meadows, borders, and naturalized areas of your yard. It is difficult to transplant once established.
Marigold species come in many sizes and flower colors, ranging from red, orange, yellow and white, to a blend of colors. The flowers bloom June through frost, offering a long-lasting season of enjoyment. The flowers can be used either fresh-cut or dried in floral arrangements. The finely cut, fern-like leaves are often aromatic. This easy-to-grow plant is both disease- and pest-resistant. Plant Marigolds along borders, as accents in corners of your yard, or alongside tomatoes and peppers in your vegetable garden.
Japanese Tree Lilac is a small to medium, deciduous tree with large clusters of creamy-white, fragrant flowers. The flowers bloom in June, later than most other lilac shrubs. For best blooms, plant Japanese Tree Lilac in full sun. The flowers provide a rich nectar source for native bees and butterflies. Use Japanese Tree Lilac as an ornamental specimen tree in your yard, or a street tree in your neighborhood.
New York Aster features violet-purple flowers, which bloom July-October. This prolific bloomer provides fall color to the yard. It offers a valuable nectar source for native bees and butterflies, and its dried seeds provide food for birds. Use New York Aster in the front of borders, as an edging plant, or in sunny meadows and naturalized areas of your yard.