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Myosotis sylvatica 'Victoria Rose' is a pale pink Forget-Me-Not. Myosotis sylvatica is a larval host plant for the American Lady Butterfly. It grows well in part shade. Forget-Me-Nots are self-seeding biennials or short-lived perennials that can spread over time to form colonies, creating a very attractive ground cover or undergrowth for taller shrubs and perennials.

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) 'Jacob Cline' is an attractive cultivar, bearing bright red blossoms in mid to late summer. Like most Monardas, it prefers moist soil. Keep thinned out to prevent mildew. In my zone 7a garden, 'Jacob Cline' got leaf burn in too much sun, so I have kept it in a part-shade spot, where it has bloomed. It probably would do well with only morning sun in hotter summer climates.

Bee Balm 'Coral Reef' has bright coral-pink blooms. It grows well in moist, humusy soil in part sun, and it blooms in mid to late summer. Native to eastern North America, it is a nectar source for butterflies and hummingbirds. It also has special value to native bees and bumble bees. The foliage is aromatic. 'Coral Reef' has good mildew resistance.

Horsemint (Monarda bradburiana), native to the south central United States, is best grown in part sun. Unlike most Monardas, it seems to prefer medium to dry soil. Monarda bradburiana has special value to native bees and bumble bees and, like other Monarda, is attractive to hummingbirds. M. bradburiana also reportedly has some mildew resistance.

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is a valuable companion plant in the garden. In addition to being a larval host plant for the Grey Hairstreak and Painted Lady Butterflies, it reportedly also attracts beneficial insects such as hoverflies, and pirate, damsel, and big-eye bugs. These beneficial insects feed on aphids and other common garden pests. Mentha spicata also reportedly helps to repel Cabbage White butterflies and flea beetles.

Mentha spicata is also a pollinator magnet. Its white blossoms, which appear in mid to late summer, attract a variety of bees and butterflies.

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) reportedly attracts several beneficial insects to the garden, including Hoverflies, Mini-wasps, and Tachinid flies. These beneficial insects consume a variety of common garden pests. Pennyroyal also reportedly helps to repel flies, mosquitoes, and fleas.

Despite its usefulness as a companion plant, pennyroyal oil or essence should be avoided due to its high toxicity to both humans and animals. In addition, Pennyroyal should be planted in containers to minimize its aggressive spread in the garden.

German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) bears many similarities to the closely related Chamaemelum nobile, including similar fragrance, medicinal uses, and appearance. They also produce nearly identical small white daisy-like flowers with gold center disks. German Chamomile differs from Chamaemelum nobile in that it is taller, easily growing to 12 or more inches, whereas Chamaemelum nobile is usually less than a foot tall and works well as a luscious, thick, spreading ground cover or lawn substitute. In addition, German Chamomile is an annual, whereas Chamaemelum nobile is a perennial herb hardy in zones 4a-9b. Both plants are attractive to bees and reportedly help to repel flies. German Chamomile is a common source of herbal chamomile tea, although Chamaemelum nobile can be used for this purpose as well.

Mahonia (Mahonia eurybracteata) 'Soft Caress' is an attractive and unique shrub for the shade garden. Unlike its better-known Oregon Grape cousins, 'Soft Caress' is thornless and characterized by feathery leaves that provide nice texture contrast with other plants. 'Soft Caress' bears pale yellow blossoms in late fall and early winter, followed by silver-blue berries that overwintering birds enjoy. It does well with morning sun and well-drained soil.

Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) 'Major Wheeler' is a larval host plant to the Spring Azure Butterfly and the Snowberry Clearwing Moth. An excellent source of nectar, it has special value to bumble bees and attracts hummingbirds. Lonicera sempervirens 'Major Wheeler' produces bright red flowers in the late spring and early summer. Its autumn fruit attracts a variety of birds, including Quail, Purple Finch, Goldfinch, Hermit Thrush, and the American Robin. Its value to bees and birds makes Lonicera sempervirens a very useful addition to the garden for pollinator lovers and lovers of wildlife.

Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) 'Scentsation' is a pale yellow honeysuckle with a long summer bloom period. It is a source of nectar for pollinators and hummingbirds. In late summer and fall, its red berries attract song birds. Bred in England, 'Scentsation' does well in full or part sun and likes medium to moist, well-drained soil.

Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) 'Carpet of Snow' blooms all season with delicate pure-white flowers. It does well in partly sunny areas of the garden and is a lovely groundcover or underplanting for taller shrubs and perennials.

Lobularia maritima is a larval host plant for the Cabbage White and Checkered White butterflies. It also attracts a variety of beneficial insects including pirate, damsel, and bigeyed bugs, assassin bugs, lady bugs, and parasitic mini-wasps. These beneficial insects feed on a variety of garden pests.

Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) is a beautiful late-summer perennial native to eastern North America. Lobelia siphilitica has special value to native and bumble bees. It attracts several bee species, including digger, yellow-faced, green sweat, small carpenter, and bumble bees. Bumble bees in particular like to visit this plant and are its most frequent pollinators. This plant also supports conservation biological control by attracting beneficial insects to the garden. In addition, Great Blue Lobelia attracts hummingbirds.

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia) 'Queen Victoria' is a dark-leaved cultivar of the parent plant. Like its parent plant, 'Queen Victoria' prefers moist soil, but seems to appreciate more sun than the straight species. It may flop in too much shade. 'Queen Victoria' blooms scarlet red in late summer and is attractive to hummingbirds, especially when massed.

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) 'Black Truffle' is a dark-leaved cultivar of the species plant. I obtained this plant in 2013. In 2014 it returned, but the dark leaf coloring was remarkably diminished. It is possible that the original plant did not survive, but that it reseeded and in doing so, reverted back to a more typical leaf coloring. Interestingly, the leaves still appear somewhat dark when they first emerge, but then they lighten to green.

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a strikingly beautiful perennial that has great wildlife value. Butterflies and bees enjoy its blossoms, and it is also a source of nectar for hummingbirds. It enjoys medium to moist soil in part sun. Native to North America, it was used historically by American Indians as a medicinal root tea, and it has also been used in love potions.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is an attractive multiseason shrub native to the eastern United States. Yellow blooms in early spring give way to clusters of red berries in the fall. The foliage turns a bright yellow in the autumn.

Spicebush has great value to wildlife. It is a larval host plant for three butterflies--the Easter Tiger Swallowtail, Palamedes Swallowtail, and Spicebush Swallowtail. It is also a host plant for the Promethean Silkmoth. Birds are attracted to its red berries, and a variety of animals enjoy browsing its tasty leaves, twigs, and bark. It is a must plant for the butterfly garden or for anyone who wants to create wildlife havens in their yards.

Be sure to get both a male and a female for fruiting. Since sex ID is not available in nurseries, the Spicebush is a great opportunity to share seeds or young volunteers among fellow gardeners in order to ensure that everyone has both male and female plants!

Gay Feather (Liatris spicata) 'Kobold' is a shorter, upright cultivar of the species plant, only reaching about 18" in height, in contrast to the species plant, which can grow up to 3 feet tall. Kobold's plumes are also more upright than those of the species plant. 'Kobold' blooms in midsummer.

Liatris spicata is a nectar source for Monarchs and other butterflies and is a Monarch Way Station plant. The pollinators love it! Liatris spicata also has special value to native and bumble bees and is visited at times by hummingbirds.

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is a perennial herb. Its tall height makes it suitable for the back of the garden. Lovage has a long history of culinary use in Europe. Its leaves can be used in teas and salads or as a seasoning, its seeds can be used as a flavoring or spice, and its roots are also edible as a vegetable.

Lovage also serves as a larval host plant for the Black Swallowtail butterfly.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) 'Silver Mist' is a lovely cultivar, featuring silvery foliage. It has been slower to establish itself and slower to grow in my zone 7a garden than either 'Hidcote' or 'Munstead'. It reportedly prefers dry soil and sandy loam.

Lavender's fragrant flowers and essential oil are commonly used as scents in many home products, including handmade soaps, bath oils, body lotions, and potpourris. Lavender can also be used as a culinary herb, and as a preventive measure against clothing moths, which are repelled by the scent.

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) 'Munstead' is an attractive, fragrant lavender with greenish-gray foliage. L. angustifolia 'Munstead' enjoys medium to dry soil in sunny areas of the garden. It is a very useful companion plant, attracting a variety of bees and butterflies, as well as hoverflies, a beneficial insect that consumes aphids. English lavender is originally from the Mediterranean region, but reportedly got its name due to its ability to establish itself in the English climate and flourish there.