Staggered Blooms

February 20th, 2024

4 Tips for Tidy and Beautiful Backyard Wildlands

For small, urban or backyard spaces, there are a couple ways to make this strategy of staggered blooms REALLY work and also LOOK GOOD. Here is what I recommend!

1) Choose short plants.

If planting a meadow strip or border in your backyard or neighborhood street corner, consider using plants that are all the same size. SHORT plants, as in 3-4ft or less, are less likely to tip or look a mess after a rain. Though if you ABSOLUTELY  must plant taller plants, stagger the heights so tall plants are supported in the back (northernmost corner) or as a cornerstone in the middle. Shorter plants look tidier, help define edges, and don't tend to tip over. 

For example: Drought hardy Butterfly Milkweed (2ft) and Hoary Vervain (2-3ft) are MUCH shorter and sturdier than their larger cousins Common Milkweed (3-4ft) and Blue Vervain (5-6ft). 

2) Intersperse Clumping Grasses. 

For a classic tidy meadow look, add short, clumping grass species which can add an unbelievably beautiful texture as well as a subtle color anchor in the winter landscape. Clump or mound-forming, warm season grasses thrive in the heat and can add delicate texture that lasts through the winter without spreading to take over a landscape. 

For example: short, native varieties like Prairie Dropseed, Purple Lovegrass, Little Bluestem, and Side Oats Grama will add deep roots, drought hardiness and habitat with their nutrient-dense seeds for birds in winter as well as important food for the endangered skipper butterflies which prefer to eat only grasses! Clumping grasses are also essential habitat for solitary native bees (important pollinators!) and predatory beetles which quietly patrol your yard (without you even knowing it!) to keep pests in check. 

3) Choose some POLLEN as well as NECTAR sources.

Did you know that some plants are exceptional pollen sources? Endangered bumblebees and other insects NEED pollen to grow the next generation of baby bugs while they NEED nectar for everyday FUEL. If you can have a staggered preferred POLLEN option as well as NECTAR sources in your yard, then you just DRAMATICALLY increased your yard's "buffet" capacity. 

For example: Good POLLEN sources might include willow buds in spring, roses, raspberries, bee-friendly sunflowers, St. John's wort and meadowsweet. Notice your flowers and how the insects, especially bees, are engaging with the flowers: are they scooping up ball-fulls of pollen for their adorable leg pouches (hint, hint... good pollen source!) OR are they drinking from the flowers with their tongues (nectar source!)? BOTH are important. BOTH are needed. And yet, often the staggered pollen sources are lacking! 

4) Create a CLEAR path or border.

 I don't know why exactly, but there is something so powerful about a clean line that screams "TIDY! INTENTIONAL! I TOTALLY MEANT TO DO THIS!" even when the rest of the space looks "wild." If you do nothing else, simply maintaining an edge is a great way to ensure a "tidy look" to your wildland. 

For example: Try planting low-growing groundcovers at the edges, consistently mowing or mulching a strip around or through your meadow, or keep the edges clean, weeded, and crisp-looking. The middle of your garden can look wild, but as long as the edges are clean, you can get away with the feel of "good-looking" and "intentional" with very little maintenance. 

Early Season Wildflowers

Shorter wildflowers that bloom in spring and early summer.

Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) - White or gently pink blooms reminiscent of snapdragon flowers with seed capsules that add some red color and texture to landscapes. It thrives in difficult space and is somewhat drought tolerant. Long-tongued bumblebees love this plant. 2-4 ft tall.

Heal All (Prunella vulgaris) - purple flowers that are a spreading ground cover. Excellent food for long-tongued bumblebees and bloom early in season to late in fall. Can handle a variety of soil conditions and shade but prefer moist, well-draining soils. 1-2 ft

Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis laneolata) - cheery yellow flowers early in the season. This meadowflower thrives in poor and dry soils, and does not do well in overly wet or shady conditions. Can get leggy if soil is too fertile. 1-2 ft.

Lupine (Lupinus perennis) - early season purple bloom that requires little maintenance once established. Ensure you get a lupine native to your region as lupines can be spreading and quite invasive. This species of native lupine is especially important as the sole host plant for the endangered Karner Blue butterfly. Does well in dry (or well-drained) and sunny conditions. 1-2 ft

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) - early season white blooms with tasty small berries that are appreciated by wildlife and people alike. Spreading groundcover that does well in a variety of soil conditions and moisture levels as well as full sun to nearly full shade. Spreads readily by runners. 6 inches tall

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - White blooms in dense clusters growing throughout North America. Beneficial early pollinator source, esp for native moths and beneficial beetles that use it as a host plant. Can grow in a variety of soil types and even in partial shade, but can be aggressive in outcompeting other plants. 1-2 ft. 

Mid Season Wildflowers

Shorter wildflowers that bloom in the summer months. 

Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) - Light purple blooms that come early in the season and can last quite awhile into fall. Self-seeds readily, can handle dry soils. Pinch young seedlings to keep in check. Also an excellent tea plant! 2-4ft. 

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) - bright orange blooms. Distinctive short, compact and drought hardy milkweed. Grows throughout the US and typically forms clumps 1.5 - 2 ft

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) - Pink fragrant blooms mid season that draw all sorts of bugs including the iconic monarch butterfly. Many parts of this plant are also edible when prepared properly and it can handle a variety conditions from very dry to medium-wet soils and even partial shade. 3-4ft.

Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) - blue flowers mid season loved by long-tongued bumblebees. Loves regular moisture but can handle short periods of dry, self-seeding and considered rare in some east coast states. 2-3 ft.

Hoary Vervain (Verbena stricta) - purple spiky stalks with tiny clustered blooms starting mid-season and going to fall. A tough and valuable meadow plant that thrives in dry and poor soils and is loved by pollinators. 2-3 ft tall

Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum) - White flowers clusters on soft green rounded heads in mid summer. Not actually a mint, this plant can tolerate a lot of soil types and even some shade, but is happiest with plenty of moisture. The tiny flowers blooms last a long time, supplying ample nectar for pollinators and beneficial predators. 2-3ft. 

Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) - Pink snapdragon-like blossoms at the end of summer with good nectar. Is most enthusiastic in moist soils, but can also do well in a variety of soil types and even partial shade. 2-4ft. 

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) - Pink purple blooms that last a long time in summer. This plant is hardy, resilient and was historically used for its immune supporting properties. Once established, it can handle most any soil conditions, even partial shade, though prefers areas that aren't overly wet. 2-4ft. 

Rose Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) - Deep pink blooms. This milkweed is also called Swamp Milkweed for its ability to withstand wet soils though it is happiest in well-draining soils.  ~4ft. 

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) - Light purple blooms in the mint family (can be used almost like oregano in seasoning). Can handle a variety of soil conditions including drought and overly wet conditions for short amounts of time and prefers good organic matter and well-draining soils. Doesn't always "stick" where you plant it, but comes and goes as it will from season to season. 2-4ft. 

Wild Petunia (Ruellia humulis) - Light purple flowers and an excellently drought hardy and short plant that is also a host plant for the Common Buckeye butterfly. A favorite among native long-tongued bees and butterflies, it can give nectar in the high heat of summer when many other plants are withering back. 1 ft.

Late Season Wildflowers

Relatively short (in height) wildflowers that bloom late in summer and into fall. 

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) - yellow blooms can be early and also can last until late fall. Very hardy to drought, heat and poor soil conditions as well as part shade. They can take over, but if you have a barren landscape, maybe this is what you want... Biennial, meaning they can fade from a landscape over time if conditions are not right or re-seeding or you don't plant them back. 1-3 ft tall. 

Meadow Blazing Star (Liatris ligulistylis) - Purple pink flowers that provide nectar at the peak migration season for Monarchs at the end of summer. Can handle heat and humidity as well as drought conditions. All varieties of blazing star (are wonderful nectar sources that attract many beneficial insects. 2-3+ ft

Old Field Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) - Yellow blooms do very well in rocky, gravelly or clay soils with very little organic matter where very little else will grow. Can handle partial shade and may struggle in areas with too much fertility or moisture. Also called Gray or Field Goldenrod. 2 ft.

Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) - Upright stalks of yellow blooms. Fibrous root systems allow this plant to be quiet drought hardy and it does well in poor, dry soils. More fertile soils might cause this plant to get too tall or tip over. Excellent nectar source in later summer season. 3-5ft. 

Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) - Light blue purple flowers with incredible hardiness that can grow in all soil types (poor to fertile) and even handle partial shade. Late blooming (even into November!) and a wonderful nectar support. 2-4ft. 

White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata) - White blooms that notably grow well in shaded to partial shaded woodland settings. Like other asters the late season blooms gives important nectar to pollinators and then later protein-rich seeds and fluff for nests to overwintering bird species. 2ft. 

Clumping, Short Grasses

These are just a handful of relatively short, clumping grasses that can anchor a landscape and provide texture and beauty year-round without taking over a backyard!

Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) - Beautifully textured feather-light purplish, clumping grass that thrives in the hot summer months. Also notably it can grow under or near Black Walnut trees and thrives best in dry and poor soils in full sun. 1-2ft. 

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) - Bluey-green clumping grass that is drought tolerant, but can also handle moist sites. Great option for texture and color, turning copper to red in winter, and beneficial to wildlife with important seeds, nesting habitat, and as a host plant for endangered skipper butterflies. 3 ft.

Blue Grama Grass (Bouteloua gracilis) - Drought tolerant, great for dry locations and tolerates a variety of soil conditions (clay or sand), but doesn't like wet. Bluish green grass that blooms July through September. 1-1.5 ft tall

Wavy Hair Grass (Dechampsia flexulosa) - can handle wet locations, cool-season and clumping with silvery stalks that wave gently in the breeze. 2-3 ft tall. 

Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) - green clump-forming bunch grass that turns golden for winter. Drought tolerant but can also handle some wetness. Used in prairie restoration as well as green roof projects for its beautiful texture, hardiness and wildlife benefits. 1-2 ft. 

Pollen Sources

Pollen sources are essential for growing baby bugs (aka: "baby bee food!") while nectar sources act as daily fuel. Both are needed, but staggered pollen sources are often lacking. I've listed these roughly from early to late season availability. 

Willows (Salix species): The pollen load of willow buds in early spring is incredible! Willow species like Pussy Willow (Salix discolor), Prairie Willow (Salix humilis), Dwarf Prairie Willow, (Salix occidentalis) Shining Willow (Salix lucida), Meadow Willow (Salix petiolaris) and Bebb willow (Salix bebbiana) are some of several that provide pollen early and prolifically. If you are able to have one in your landscape, your native bumblebees and bugs will be SO HAPPY!! 

Roses (Rosa species) - Great early to mid-season pollen sources as well as having vitamin C-rich rose hips in fall! Native roses in particular are good choices including Smooth Rose (Rosa blanda), Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina), Shining Rose (Rosa nitida), Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana), and Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris) 

Raspberries (Rubus species) - A notable and beautiful native with pink flowers and great pollen is the Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus). Other raspberries do well including the early season Black Raspberry and mid and late season classic Red, Purple and Yellow Raspberries. A particularly excellent choice for an edible, berry-producing edge. 

St. John's worts (Hypericum species) - Bright yellow flowers and lots of pollen mid to late season, St John's worts are great options for pollinators as well as known for their medicinal qualities. Some varieties you might consider are Great (Hypericum pyramidatum), Greater (Hypericum majus), Spotted (Hypericum punctatum) and Shrubby (Hypericum prolificum) St. John's wort. The different varieties prefer different soil conditions and can range in size from 2-6ft. 

Meadowsweets - Two lovely native species are white meadowsweet (Spiraea alba) and the pink-flowered steeplebush (Spiraea tomentosa) are two excellent pollen sources. Hardy shrubs that look can almost look like wildflowers (~4 ft tall). Mounded shrubs that become woodier with age, blooming mid to late season, and are often buzzing with pollinators. They prefer moist to wet, often acidic soils and can handle partial shade. 

Sunflowers - The sunflower is an incredible pollen source with mid to late season summer blooms in a variety of colors: yellows, oranges and reds! Early sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) is a native sunflower with yellow blooms that can handle arid +poor soils and grows 3-6ft. It grows taller in richer soils, it doesn't tend to tip over. Other cultivated sunflowers are great too, just look for watch out for "pollen-less" sunflowers that are now being grown more commonly by cut-flower growers. Choose sunflowers listed a "bee-friendly" to avoid getting stuck with the dreaded pollenLESS sunflower... 

Resources: 

"The low-maintenance, eco-friendly lawn that will still impress your neighbors" by Michael Coren, Washington Post article referenced above. The article features several ideas on how to transform landscapes into tidy wildlands that are resilient and reverse trends of biodiversity decline including those of our favorite, iconic songbirds. 

Robert Gegear Lab Plant List: This lab is doing important research on bringing back endangered bumblebees in MA including a useful plant list on what species some of these endangered bees and butterflies prefer: https://gegearlab.weebly.com/plant-list.html

Lawns into Meadows: Growing a Regenerative Landscape by Owen Wormser