Native plants for a Cape Cod garden

I was very happy to see this fall addition bloom for the first time – I wasn’t quite sure which plants were going to deliver the traditional blue-purple flowers, and which ones were the alba variety. As it turned out they ended up in the right spot juxtaposed with the pink flowers of the creeping phlox. Besides the different color, this white geranium is also very unforgiving of dry conditions. In rich soil with adequate watering, it will keep producing flowers even through part of the summer.

Of course, the more common blue version of this plant is now blooming as well…

Dwarf larkspur is somewhat of an unexpected guest in my yard – just like some of those mail order brides may not be exactly what you expected, I acquired some mail order rootstock for what I thought was dutchman’s breeches. It turned out to be Delphinium tricorne instead, which calls the mid-Atlantic states and the midwest home. The plant contains an alkaloid that is poisonous to grazing cattle, but I don’t have to worry about that becoming an issue in my garden. Not knowing the extent of the effects of the alkaloid on humans, I would use caution around the plant particularly with kids and pets. Despite my layman’s warning, there are some documented medicinal uses for the plant.

Dwarf larkspur April 29, 2012

Just like the common sky blue version of Iris cristata, the white flower form (alba) is a low-growing (3” to 6” high) spreading plant. I got this plant from a local garden center (you’re probably familiar with Mahoney’s if you live in eastern Massachusetts) and barely 3 weeks out of the pot they have started to spread. There’s a certain aggressiveness that aids in its use as a low groundcover. I should have realized that when I observed the blue form, only planted last fall, take possession of a neglected corner in my garden. Both the blue and white forms are perfect for shaded gardens. The flowers appear in April, but the plant keeps producing leaves and, I presume, underground rhizomes, during much of the summer. You will notice that the bulbous roots remain visible on the surface, so there is no need to plant these deep in the soil. This feature makes Iris cristata a great fit when you are contending with tree roots and buried rocks. If find that dwarf crested iris goes well with ferns of any kind.

Captivating by itself, overwhelmingly beautiful in large numbers

When I planted large bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) last year, I had no idea what I was in for. I had acquired the plants, flowerless and sorry looking, at a discount at Mahoney’s and unlike Dickens I had no great expectations. It is now the middle of April and the plants have pushed through the soil in record speed. They had barely surfaced when the flowers emerged. I love everything about this plant, from the light bluish-green leaves to the jewel like golden-white flowers. The singular plants from last year have emerged as clumps, and I am anticipating / hoping that they will spread among the christmas ferns and ostrich ferns already present. The area I selected has always given me problems – it’s fairly sunny until the oaks above produce their leaves, and from then on it turns into a mottled sunlight and full shade area over the course of the day. The land has a gentle slope to it; just enough to have the occasional heavy downpour wash away the top soil and the seedlings within. The Uvularia grandiflora may remedy this as the rootstock and plant stems are holding the soil in place better than any other plant I have tried – at least so far – we haven’t seen rain in over a month – the real test will be later this weekend when heavy downpours are expected. I’ve read that large bellwort can easily be propagated by dividing the clumps and by taking cuttings from the root stock. It may also propagate from seed, although that seems to be much less reliable.

Large bellwort on April 15 2012

The plants I have are about 10 inches tall, but they can grow to 20 inches. While you can still find people who use large bellwort leaves, roots and flowers in the kitchen, in salads, vegetable dishes, soups, and as pickles or fritters. However, large scale use dates back to the early settlers. In those days the plant was also used as a general stomach remedy, a poultice for wounds and skin inflammations. A concoction from the roots was used for canker sores.

The same large bellwort one week later, on April 21 2012

If you are looking for an eye catching spring accent plant that can double as ground cover, take a look at large bellwort.