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Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica) has bright red blossoms and blooms in early summer. Native to the southeastern United States, it is popular with hummingbirds, especially when massed. It does well in average to moist soil in part shade. In my zone 7a garden, it has grown slowly and did not bloom its first season. I'm hoping for some blooms next year.

Goldenrod (Solidago Little Lemon) is an important nectar plant for late season butterflies. It is a key nectar source for Monarchs and a Monarch Way Station plant. Solidago also has special value to native and honey bees, and supports conservation biological control by attracting beneficial insects to the garden. In my zone 7a garden, 'Little Lemon' blooms in early fall (September).

Skimmia (Skimmia japonica Berri-Magic®) is an interesting, shade-loving plant. A native of China and Japan, it is hardy in zones 6-8. Male plants produce white blossoms in mid-spring, and the red berries on female plants ripen in the fall and remain as a food source for overwintering birds. 'Berri-Magic' is a cultivar of Skimmia that possesses both male blossoms and female fruiting capacity.

Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum) produces yellow, sunflower-like blossoms in late summer to early fall. A native to central and eastern North America, it has high wildlife value. It is a nectar source for butterflies and has special value to native, bumble, & honey bees. It also provides nesting materials and structure for native bees, particularly attracting greensweat, longhorned, bumble, mining, and leafcutter bees. Cup Plant also supports conservation biological control by attracting beneficial insects to the garden, such as ladybugs and lacewings. Its large, cup-like leaves provide birds and insects with drinking water, and finches and sparrows enjoy the seeds. In addition, it has high value for farm animals due to high protein content and plant longevity. Cup Plant spreads by rhizomes to form colonies in the wild.

Alpine Catchfly (Silene suecica) is a petite plant with grass-like leaves that produces pretty pink blossoms. In my zone 7a garden, it has flowered from late spring through the summer, with occasional deadheading to encourage rebloom. It is a subarctic species native to the mountains of Scandinavia, and yet it has done well in our hot, humid Maryland summers. It is a short-lived perennial that may stay in the garden through self-seeding.

Rose Campion (Silene coronaria) produces brilliant magenta-red blossoms from early to late summer. In my zone 7a garden, it thrives in direct sun from dawn till dusk. A short-lived perennial, Rose Campion stays in the garden through self-seeding. Deadhead for continuous bloom, or leave seedheads in place for volunteers the following spring. The bright magenta flowers and silvery green foliage provide excellent contrast for the garden.

Sedum (Sedum makinoi) 'Ogon' is an extremely attractive groundcover sedum with delicate, light green to pale gold foliage. In my zone 7a garden, it does best in part shade with medium to dry soil. It spreads slowly in the garden to about 12 inches. It is a less common sedum and can be difficult to find in nurseries, but it is worth the effort to find it.

Stonecrop (Sedum SunSparkler®) 'Dazzleberry' is one of my all-time favorite sedums. Its foliage is a gray-blue color with hints of lavender. In early August, thick clusters of flowers begin blooming, a brilliant raspberry color that completely covers the foliage. It is truly gorgeous, and continues blooming into the early fall. It spreads slowly in the garden, making an excellent and beautiful groundcover.

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) 'Standing Ovation' is a prairie grass native to North America. It is a very pretty grass, growing up to 3 feet tall, with a blue-green hue in the spring, maturing to a reddish purple in the late summer and fall. It also has considerable ecological benefits. It is a larval host plant for numerous butterflies, including the Aragos Skipper, Dusted Skipper, Leonard's Skipper, Cobweb Skipper, Indian Skipper, Swarthy Skipper, and Crossline Skipper. It also attracts butterflies, and provides nesting materials and structure for native bees. It is also used by wildlife for cover, nesting material, and grazing, and has seeds that birds and small mammals enjoy. It is an excellent choice for butterfly and bee gardens, and also for gardeners interested in creating and preserving native wildlife habitat in their yards.

Sage (Salvia x sylvestris) 'Mainacht' is one of my all-time favorite sages. The blue-lavender blossoms begin blooming in my Maryland garden in May and continue until first frost in October. It is a sizable Salvia, reaching to two feet high with about an 18 inch spread. Like other Salvias, it has aromatic leaves and does well in medium to dry soil in full sun. It is a pollinator magnet from first bloom in May to last bloom in October, attracting both butterflies and bees.

Woodland Sage (Salvia nemorosa) 'New Dimension Rose' produces very pretty pink blossoms, a nice variation from Salvia's typical lavender-blue range. It is a small cultivar and has grown to only about 9 inches in my garden, compared to over 12 inches for 'Caradonna' and over 2 feet for 'May Night.' Like 'Caradonna,' it enjoys medium to dry soil in full sun. It has not bloomed much its first year, but I am reserving judgment till it has had another year to mature.

Sage (Salvia sylvestris) 'Caradonna' produces lavender blue flower stalks from late spring to early fall. It does well in medium to dry soil in full sun. In my zone 7a garden, it was a pollinator magnet in the late spring and early summer when nectar sources were still limited, attracting both bees and butterflies. 'Caradonna' is a smaller cultivar than 'May Night', reaching less than 2 feet tall, but it has a similarly long bloom period given the right garden conditions.

Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) 'Furman's Red' produces dark red blooms in late summer and fall in my Maryland garden. A native to Texas and Mexico, it attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Like other varieties of sage, it has aromatic leaves. It's hardy to zone 6a, and likes medium to dry soil in full sun. 'Furman's Red' is one of the more cold-hardy cultivars of Salvia greggii.

Anise-scented Sage (Salvia coerulea 'Black and Blue') is native to South America and is listed as variously hardy in different sources to zone 7a, 7b, or 8a. It is marginally hardy in my zone 7a garden, surviving mild winters but not harsher winters. Its striking deep blue blossoms are a standout in any garden, and the hummers and bees enjoy it. Mine does well in part sun, with either too much or too little sun affecting its ability to bloom.

Texas Sage (Salvia coccinea) 'Forest Fire' produces brilliant red blossoms from midsummer to early fall. A native of the Americas, it is hardy in zones 8a-10b. It is an excellent source of nectar for bees and other insects and for hummingbirds, which are attracted to its bright red flowers. 'Forest Fire' is a sturdy cultivar that does well in part sun and blooms profusely.

Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida has a smaller bloom size than the popular 'Goldsturm' cultivar, and also a later bloom time, typically from July to October. Like other Rudbeckias, it is an excellent source of nectar, particularly for late season butterflies, and a Monarch Way Station plant. It also has special value to native bees and attracts hoverflies, a beneficial insect that feeds on aphids. Birds are attracted to the seedheads, especially goldfinches.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) 'Prairie Sun' is an all-yellow cultivar. I discovered that it is one of the parent plants of R. hirta 'Denver Daisy' when my 'Denver Daisy' failed to return, but suddenly in its place the next year was a beautiful exemplar of 'Prairie Sun'!

As this example demonstrates, Rudbeckia hirta is a biennial or short-lived perennial that stays in the garden through self-seeding. Native to the eastern and central United States, It brings considerable ecological benefits to the North American garden. It is a larval host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot Butterfly and, in the central U.S., for the Gorgone Checkerspot as well. It is an excellent source of nectar for butterflies and is a Monarch Way Station plant. It attracts native bees (longhorned, leafcutter, cuckoo, bumble, sweat, green sweat, and small carpenter), and also attracts beneficial insects, including bee wolves, soldier beetles, bee flies, and syrphid flies, which consume a variety of common garden pests.

Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) is grown primarily for its fruit. In addition to its culinary uses, Rubus idaeus is a larval host plant for the Spring Azure and Grey Hairstreak Butterflies. According to the NPIN, it has special value to native, bumble, and honey bees and provides nesting material and structure for native bees. Finally, its berries attract birds, which help to disperse its seeds. Its vigorous growth through root suckering and seed dispersal, combined with its thorns, make it a good candidate for container gardening.

R. idaeus needs well-drained soil and fruits best in cooler summers. Its canes (stems) are biennial and fruit appears only on old growth, so stems are best pruned right after their fruit is harvested.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Arp') is a long-time favorite in the herb garden. In addition to its well-known culinary properties, Rosemary has been used in traditional medicine as an anti-inflammatory and an antiseptic. Rosemary also appears in Greek mythology and in medieval folklore. Native to the Mediterranean and to Asia, Rosemary blooms are attractive to bees. In addition, Rosemary reportedly helps to repel the cabbage white butterfly, bean beetle, carrot fly, Mexican bean beetle, slugs, snails, and some mosquitoes, making it a very useful companion plant for the garden.

Clustered mountainmint (Pycnanthemum muticum) is a North American native and a total pollinator magnet, particularly when massed together in a sunny spot. It has special value to native, bumble, and honey bees, and supports conservation biological control by attracting beneficial insects to the garden. P. muticum also attracts butterflies and is a nectar source for Monarchs and other butterflies. Birds and other wildlife enjoy its seeds. P. muticum is an important addition to the garden for those interested in creating bee and butterfly gardens.