If you’re taking the plunge into native gardening, you may find yourself adrift in a sea of new information, some of it questionable. A variety of common myths tends to surface when one does a Google search or hears native plants discussed in popular culture. This month, I’ll try to clarify where some of those myths come from and offer some tips to use in your own garden or when you discuss native plants with friends.
Myth 1: Native gardens only have yellow and white flowers
This is the most common myth I hear in discussions about garden design. Many traditional gardeners express concern that native gardens will only have yellow flowers, or sometimes white and yellow. I understand where this comes from, as many of our most celebrated natives, such as black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia species), beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) and the goldenrods (Solidago species), all have white or yellow flowers and can be quite prolific. When I’m designing a new garden, I use a variety of colors such as red (columbine, Aquilegia canadensis), blue (scullcap, Scutellaria species) and orange (butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberosa). In general, planting more species in your garden will deliver more flower colors as well.
This myth might seem true, though, early in the blooming season — say from February to April. Most of our early-blooming natives, such as golden ragwort (Packera aurea) or golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) have yellow flowers. Common blue violets (Viola sororia) and early phloxes (Phlox subulata or Phlox stolonifera) can add a little early-season blue. A few nonnative, noninvasive ornamentals, including some annuals, can provide additional colors during this period, too.
Myth 2: Native gardens look messy
To have a definition of messy, one first needs a definition of neat. The most common gardens we see are those in parking lots and developments, where mulch, turf grass and negative space — the empty space between plants — dominate the designs. Flowers in these gardens, often annuals, grow in neat rows, and any shrubs tend to be tiny and tightly pruned. These gardens have set the standard for neat — and many home gardens use these same design principles. In contrast, most native plant gardeners tend to allow their plants to intermingle, volunteer in new places and generally grow wider and taller than conventional plantings.
Two common situations propagate this myth about messiness. The first is when a garden is poorly designed and then neglected. (Often I see municipalities or organizations plant natives without a lot of design experience and then not keep up with maintenance.) A lack of ground cover invites annual weeds, and even the best-designed gardens require periodic invasive removal and thinning of more vigorous plants. Additionally, almost all native plantings require pruning throughout the growing season. Unfortunately, poorly managed native gardens are common and sometimes work against the educational and engagement goals the organizations intended to promote.
The second situation promoting this myth is intentional chaos. For some, a wilder-looking garden has naturalistic charm. Choosing tall, vigorously growing plants, especially for smaller spaces, leads to stems collapsing within garden beds and across pathways. From an ecological and horticultural standpoint, this causes no problems, but it can leave passersby with a poor opinion of native plants.
To avoid these issues, design with borders and edges in mind. Choose low-growing plants for the edge of a bed — plants no more than a foot in height work well. As you move deeper into your garden, try to match the height of your plants to the distance from the nearest edge. This will ensure that tall stalks need minimal trimming, even if they collapse.
Let’s wrap up with a lightning round of common myths.
Myth 3: Goldenrods will make my allergies flare up
Goldenrods (Solidago species) are not wind-pollinated, which is why they require pollinators like bees. These are often confused with native ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), which is wind-pollinated, is one cause of pollen allergies and generally isn’t a great garden plant.
Myth 4: Native plants will attract native bees, and they will sting me
The vast majority of native bees cannot or are unlikely to sting humans unless provoked. They will not even defend their flowers if you get too close. Eurasian honeybees and most wasps are more territorial and may sting. However, if you give these stingers their space when they’re visiting a flower, generally they will coexist with you peacefully, even a few feet away from your porch.
Myth 5: Native plants will attract rats
Rats aren’t particularly attracted to native plants; they’re far more interested in edible waste. Managing trash is a more effective rat deterrent than, say, cutting down bushy plants.
Myth 6: Nothing will grow in my clay soil
Much of Maryland has clay-rich soil, and we have a huge diversity of plants that thrive here. Clay is sedimentary and traps nutrients that our plants know how to extract. While shrubs and trees will benefit from organic material, I’ve planted natives in compacted clay with no amendment and had great success.