Native plant ideas

[Trixiedrum]

Hi, I’m a novice gardener and hoping some of you might have some ideas for me.

I’d like to plant some native plants - bush, shrub or plant, not trees and nothing that will grow huge or need huge amounts of care. I’m thinking native would be nice for the wildlife?

We have a shady damp border to fill - last year it looked pretty with self-seeded foxgloves but no sign of any so far this year. Ideally something tall but must tolerate being in shade nearly all the day. Groundcover ideas would be great too.

And two areas of shallow-ish soil that gets sun half the day. Small or medium-size plants.

Thanks for any ideas 🙂

Oh, sorry - native to the UK, I’m in England.

Ooh yes! We should all plant more natives for wildlife, and there are so many beautiful options.

Damp and a bit shady would suit woodland species, things like native primrose (not the garish things they sell at the garden centres...) violets, bugle and heartsease for spreading ground cover. English bluebells, red campion, ragged Robin (more of a boggy species) foxgloves, wild garlic for woody shade look. Maybe native honeysuckle or sweet dog rose for rambling structure if you have a trellis or fence.

For native shrubs crab apple is a good choice, or wayfaring tree, guelder Rose. Hazel or elder could also work, but all species will need to be kept as shrubs or the will of course try to become trees. In shade you'd be better of sticking to the species that do well as understory plants, so again the rambling roses, honeysuckle or maybe holly (but you need both a male a female plant for berries)

Was also going to say it's worth using specialist suppliers for the best selection. Lots of good copies for seeds, but many do plug plants too. I like: emorsgate, Boston seeds, plant wild, grow Wilder, meadow mania.

Foxgloves are biannual,I think, first year rosette of leaves low flat to ground, next year flowers.
Same with honesty, which is worth growing.
Hardy geraniums, or cranesbill, I think our native wild one needs a sunny spot but I've some garden varieties that do well in shade, along with primroses.

There are some hellebores that are native & like shade & flower in winter/early spring - very good for queen bees as they come out of hibernation.
Ferns like shade, lots of native species.

Hardy geraniums, or cranesbill, I think our native wild one needs a sunny spot Which native one? I can think of at least 8 native cranesbills

wood cranesbill would be fine in shade, as would Geranium robertianum (Herb Robert) which also comes in white, Hedge cranesbill, in mauve and white, though I think that’s naturalised not native. Another naturalised one (I don’t think it’s native) is Geranium phaeum.

Mecanopsis cambrica, Welsh poppy, also is OK in shade.

Is astrantia native? That seems to do well in damp shade. I've seen a white variety of rosebay willowherb which is lovely. The dark dissected leaved version of elder Sambuca, var. Ravenwing(?), can be kept reasonably small. Frothy white flowers then berries. Ajuga repens (bugle, blue flowers) is native, only low growing but iirc will act as ground cover. I think there maybe fancy domesticated varieties with variegated leaves. Yellow archangel, spikes of yellow flowers, white patched leaves, about knee height.

I love these ideas and they're tempting me in, too. FWIW, though, J C van Tol is a self-fertile holly - a really nice one, because it has smooth leaves, not prickly. I'm sure it's not exactly native, but I don't think anything eating holly berries will really mind.