Native plants for a Cape Cod garden

The strip of land next to the driveway is one of my favorite spots. In what amounts to a 80 square foot area, I’ve managed to grow some 50 native plants, and most of them seem to get along well. Sure, some are more aggressive than others, but I figure with a bit of human intervention I can assure some diversity. My role in this location has changed from active planter to manager. When we inherited this plot of land it was quite barren. Some sad looking Pachysandra terminalis (originating from Japan, but widely used as a groundcover everywhere) and assorted weeds were part of the original scene. I initially added some non-natives such as the hostas and Lamprocapnos spectabilis (old fashioned bleeding heart), but I’ve changed the look and feel much more dramatically by getting rid of the Pachysandra terminalis altogether, and adding natives. I have creeping phlox, foamflower, fringed bleeding heart, baneberry, canada anemone, wild ginger, shooting stars, lobelias, beebalm, woodland sunflowers, white turtleheads, wood poppy (extremely prolific!), twinleaf, virginia bluebell, spiderworts, solomon’s seal, bellworts, 3 or 4 kinds of asters and at least 4 species of ferns. I have forgotten what’s where, which often brings a nice surprise to the eye. While not all plants are currently blooming (some are past prime already but many still have to erupt in color), there is something new to behold every other day. Variety is the spice of life, is it not?