Hudson Valley Native Landscaping

07/24/2020

Bunchflower (Melanthium virginicum)

Here’s a summer blooming native plant that doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves. These cotton-like perennials love as much sun as they can get, growing up to five feet tall with full exposure. Their silky white and green flowers are the highlight of the show; effortlessly creating an air of elegance in your garden in July when it is in full bloom.
The Bunchflower is great for rain gardens and pollinator gardens and are deer tolerant. If you live in Ulster County, you could find them at Catskill Native Nursery () or try other native nurseries near you. Native nurseries are always a fun place to visit for an afternoon. Go during the week to beat the crowds and make sure you clear out the back of your car so you have room for all the loot!

07/13/2020

Some interesting beetles on a pagoda dogwood, Cornus alternifolia, on Sugarloaf Mountain in the Catskills on Saturday. This is the hardiest of the tree dogwoods, and it is found occasionally throughout the Catskills, even at quite high elevations, though pretty much exclusively on wet soils.

07/13/2020

07/13/2020

07/12/2020

Queen of the Prairie (Filipendula rubra)

As the name implies, this flower is truly the queen with its large pink, fluffy flowers. They are native to the wetlands of Eastern US, which makes them magnificent for rain gardens or any area in your yard that is wet. These plants are in the rose family, and expel an aromatic perfume similar to other rose plants. Their fragrance also attracts many different species of butterflies and bees, making them the ideal pollinators for your garden. Its large and deeply lobed leaves offer great texture to your foliage palette.

Filipendula thrives in full sun, but will bloom in moderately sunny areas as well. With its great size, this regal plant makes a good foundation for your garden that can be placed behind other plants. Queen of the Prairie pairs perfectly alongside other summer blooming plants such as Joe Pyeweed, black-eyed Susan, bee balm, aster, and Echinacea to create the essence of a wet meadow or wild prairie in your yard.