“The Midwestern Native Garden” by Charlotte Adelman and Bernard L. Schwartz inspires us to “plant native” and shows us how to achieve the look we love with native plants. We need native plants because they provide native birds and butterflies with vital food that’s not available from nonnative ones.
The chapters flow from one season to the next with a “Plant this, not that!” format. My gardens will never be exclusively native. My Sarah Bernhardt peonies are absolutely gorgeous in bloom and then the foliage fills in so nicely until it needs to be cut back in late fall. I just read about a way to enjoy peonies for months. Wrap buds in damp newspaper and keep them in the refrigerator until you want to enjoy them. Cut a couple inches off the stem, put in clean water and watch the show as the buds open. I’m sure this works because my daughter-in-law, Amy, sent me a bouquet for my birthday. They were fabulous! But, I also have the annual battle with powdery mildew and my Sarahs need to be staked to keep from flopping on the ground in a mess – a real mess when it rains.
One alternative plant (Plant this!) is Baptisia, also known as Wild Indigo. It will grow about the same size as a peony and has lovely blue-green foliage that will stay healthy-HEALTHY!!! all summer long, with no help from me! It is unusually long-lived and the sweet-pea like blooms come in blue, white or yellow. Pods develop from the blooms, turn black and are coveted by many a floral designer. You can leave the pods on the stems for a unique look or bring them in and make a stunning arrangement. Baptisia is a host plant for many butterflies, and hummingbirds also enjoy its nectar. On the other hand, lovely as it is, a peony (Not that!) is just that … lovely. Its heavy, thick blooms are impossible for pollinators to enter for nectar and each bloom needs to be removed when it fades.
Don’t worry peonies, I’m keeping you. You’re just going to have new neighbors.