Guide to Successful Plantings

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to this Guide

2. Invasive Plants of NH – Prohibited Plant Species and Plant Species Watch List

3. Drought Tolerant Plants for New Hampshire Landscapes

4. Native Plants for New England Gardens Including Sources for Native Seeds

5. Examples of Shrubs, Perennials, Biennials and Annuals

6. Resources and Other Websites of Interest

1. Introduction to this Guide

Spring is typically the planting season. The intent of this guide is for informational purposes only. It is designed to help homeowners with their garden design by providing suggestions, and using examples of the types of plants that may be grown successfully in the Mount Washington Valley.

When designing or maintaining a yard or a garden there are many factors to consider. These are:

• Positions of the sunlight and shade at different times of the day, using temperature-hardy plants for the NH zone,

• Water availability, and knowing the make-up of your garden soil.

• Knowing what not to plant, which are listed in the *list of invasive plants.
  An invasive plant is not native to a particular ecosystem and whose introduction is likely to cause environmental as well as economic harm. It can move aggressively into an area, monopolizing light, nutrients, water, and space to the detriment of native species.

  **Xeriscaping is a practice which requires little or no irrigation and utilizes techniques such as mulching with moisture retaining products like bark mulch, and planting ***native species of New England. A good example of xeriscaping is using bark mulch around plants, trees and shrubs which minimizes evaporation and helps retain and conserve water. With New Hampshire experiencing drought conditions over the last few summers, becoming aware of which plants, particularly native plants that are drought tolerant, follows good water conservation practices.

  There are many plants already found in the Mount Washington Valley that are drought resistant and native. Some have pollinator gardens designed to attract bees and a wide variety of beneficial insects. Others have themed gardens, color gardens, texture gardens, native plantings and boundaries or meadows.

  Take a walk around and if you see a plant you like, ask your neighbor what it is. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, it’s a great way to get to know your neighbors.

  By using plants which are adapted to our environment, you can achieve a beautiful landscape that requires less work, less water and attracts the birds and the bees!

2. Invasive Plants of NH - – Prohibited Plant Species and Plant Species Watch List

Background: New Hampshire’s invasive species regulations currently prohibit the collection, sale, transport, distribution, propagation or transplantation of prohibited invasive plants.

Invasive plants are non-native plant species that spread rapidly by seed or vegetative means and pose a threat to agriculture, forests, wetlands, wildlife, and other natural resources of the state. Many homeowners use “dump dirt” or compost that the town provides free to residents. Please be aware that this may contain many invasive species, particularly knot weed.

Websites for more information:

https://www.agriculture.nh.gov/divisions/plant-industry/invasive-plants.htm

https://extension.unh.edu/resource/alternatives-invasive-landscape-plants-fact-sheet

3. Drought Tolerant Plants/Xeriscaping for New Hampshire Landscapes

Background: Xeriscaping uses drought resistant native plants to save water. It also requires less maintenance when properly mulched. Avoid the use of non-porous plastic, rubber, gravel, marble chips or stones in the garden. These materials should only be used for walkways because they act as heat sinks, drying the soil underneath. Other water conscious gardening practices include: collecting water by installing rain barrels to save water for later use, and the use of compost to amend the sandy soil, allowing it to retain water for longer periods of time.

Websites for more information:

https://extension.unh.edu/resource/drought-tolerant-plants-new-hampshire-landscapes-fact-sheet

https://www.des.nh.gov/blog/april-2019-xeriscaping-natural-lawns-are-new-green

4. Native Plants for New England Gardens

So, what are the benefits native plants can bring to the owner of the garden? Well, native plants do not require fertilizers since they are well adapted to live in the region. They also require fewer pesticides because they are naturally resilient to the garden pests that inhabit the area. Less need for pesticides can promote an increase of beneficial insect and bird populations, promoting biodiversity. Native plants need to be watered less often, too, because they have adapted over time to rely on the natural amounts of rainfall that occur in the region. Because of the benefits brought by native plants, you could save both time and money by establishing a New England native garden.

Website: for more information:
https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/

PLANT LISTS

(source: Native Plants for New England Gardens by Mark Richardson)

Top Plants for Pollinators

Common name / Genus Species

Pennsylvania sedge / Carex pensylvanica
Aster Eurybia / Ionactis, Symphyotrichum
Joe Pye weed / Eutrochium spp.
Wild strawberry / Fragaria spp.
Spicebush / Lindera benzoin
Cardinal flower / Lobelia cardinalis
Cherry / Prunus spp.
Oak / Quercus spp.
Goldenrod / Solidago spp.
Highbush blueberry / Vaccinium corymbosum

Top Plants for Sunny Gardens

Common name / Genus species

Bearberry / Arctostaphylos uvaursi
Milkweed / Asclepias spp.
Flowering spurge / Euphorbia corollata
Bluets / Houstonia caerulea
Wild bergamot / Monarda fistulosa
Black-eyed Susan / Rudbeckia spp
Little bluestem / Schizachyrium scoparium
Three-toothed cinquefoil / Sibbaldiopsis tridentat
Prairie dropseed / Sporobolus heterolepi
Bird's-foot violet / Viola pedata

Top Plants for Shady Gardens

Common Name / Genus Species

Black cohosh / Actaea racemosa
Maidenhair fern / Adiantum pedatum
Twinleaf / effersonia diphylla
Mountain laurel / Kalmia latifolia
Solomon's plume / Maianthemum racemosum
Virginia bluebells / Mertensia virginica
Wild blue phlox / Phlox divaricata
Great rosebay / Rhododendron taxitn
Rue anemone / Thalictrum thalictroides
Foamflower / Tiarella cordifolia var. cordifolia

Top Plants for Dry Sites

Common Name / Genus Species

Butterfly milkweed / Asclepias tuberosa
Stiff aster / Ionactis linariifolia
Spotted beebalm / Monarda punctata
Fragrant sumac / Rhus aromatica
Black-eyed Susan / Rudbeckia hirta
Little bluestem / Schizachyrium scoparium
Wild senna / Senna hebecarpa
Downy goldenrod / Solidago puberula
Blue wood aster / Symphyotrichum cordifolium
Lowbush blueberry / Vaccinium angustifolium

Top Plants for Moist to Wet Sites

Common Name / Genus Species

Chokeberry / Aronia spp.
Rose milkweed / Asclepias incarnata
Pawpaw / Asimina triloba
Atlantic white cedar / Chamaecyparis thyoides
Witch hazel / Hamamelis virginiana
Inkberry / Ilex glabra
Spicebush / Lindera benzoin
Cardinal flower / Lobelia cardinalis
Purple pitcher plant / Sarracenia purpurea
Blue vervain / Verbena hastata

Top Plants for Songbirds

Common Name / Genus Species

American spikenard / Aralia racemosa
Woodland sunflower / Helianthus divaricatus
Eastern red cedar / Juniperus virginiana
Scarlet beebalm / Monardadidvma
Black cherry / Prunus serotina
White oak / Quercus alba
Flowering raspberry / Rubus odoratus
Red-twig dogwood / Swida sericea
Highbush blueberry / Vaccinium corymbosum
Viburnum / Viburnum spp.

Top Groundcovers

Common Name / Genus Species

Bearberry / Arctostaphylos uvaursi
Pennsylvania sedge / Carex pensylvanica
Wild strawberry / Fragaria virginiana
Barren strawberry / Gum fragarioides
Canada mayflower / Maianthemum canadense
Long beech fern / Phegopteris connectilis
Woodland phlox / Phlox divaricata
Mayapple / Podophyllum peltatum
Three-toothed cinquefoil / Sibbaldiopsis tridentata
Foamflower / Tiarella cordifolia var. cordifolia

Edibles and Herbs

Common Name / Genus Species

Ramps / Allium tricoccum
Shagbark hickory / Caryaovata
American hazelnut / Corylus americana
Woodland strawberry / Fragaria vesca
Sunchoke / Helianthus tuberosus
Fiddlehead fern / Matteuccia struthiopteris
Wild bergamot / Monarda fistulosa
Red raspberry / Rubus idaeus
Highbush blueberry / Vaccinium corymbosum
Fox grape / Vitis labrusca

Plants with Dramatic Fall Foliage

Common Name / Genus Species

Black chokeberry / Aronia melanocarpa
American hazelnut / Corylus americana
Flowering spurge / Euphorbia corollata
Sweetgum / Liquidambar styraciflua
Blackgum / Nyssa sylvatica
Sourwood / Oxydendrum arboreum
Fragrant sumac / Rhus aromatica
Sassafras / Sassafras albidum
Blueberry / Vaccinium spp.
Witherod / Viburnum nudum

Plants with Strong Winter Interest

Common Name / Genus Species

Striped maple / Acer pensylvanicum
Yellow birch / Betula alleghaniensis
Shagbark hickory / Caryaovata
Wintergreen / Gaultheria procumbens
American holly / Llex opaca
Winterberry holly / Llex verticillata
Fiddlehead fern / Matteuccia struthiopteris
Christmas fern / Polystichum acrostichoides
Three-toothed cinquefoil / Sibbaldiopsis tridentata
Red-twig dogwood / Swida sericea

Several wildflower seed companies specialize in individual seeds packets as well as seed mixes formulated for wet or dry meadows, pollinators, and erosion control suitable for
northern New England.

Websites and Sourcing for Native Seeds:

https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2018/09/seed-sources-new-england-meadows

https://www.ernstseed.com/product/facw-wetland-meadow-mix/

https://www.edenbrothers.com/products/northeast_wildflower_seed_mix

5. Examples of Shrubs, Perennials, Biennials, and Annuals Currently Found in Hale Estates

Shrubs

Ninebark

PJM Rhododendron

Azalea, native pinkster

Viburnum

Witch Hazel

Blueberry, high and low

Holly

Red Twig Dogwood

Hydrangeas

Perennials/Biennials (incomplete list)

Ajuga
Artemesia
Aster
Astilbe
Black Snakeroot
Black/Brown-eyed Susan
Butterfly weed
Catnip or catmint
Clethra
Columbine
Coreopsis
Dianthus
Echinacea
Euonymus
Euphorbia (perennial)
False Sunflower
Gaillardia
Heliopsis
Hens and Chicks

Annuals (incomplete list)

Ageratum
Begonia
Calibrachoa
Coleus
Euphorbia
Impatiens
Marigold

6. Resources and Other Websites of Interest

(links open in a new window)

ASK UNH EXTENSION (MASTER GARDENERS & EXTENSION SPECIALISTS)
Email: answers@unh.edu
Phone: 1-877-EXT-GROW (1-877-398-4769)

Garden Centers:

Sullivan’s Garden Center, Lancaster, NH https://www.sullivangreenhouse.com

McSherry’s Nursery, Conway, NH www.mcsherrysnurseries.com

Lucy Hardware, Intervale, NH. www.lucyhardware.com

NH Native Perennials, Madison, NH www.nhnativeperennials.com

Stephen’s Landscaping Garden Center, Moultonborough, NH www.stephenslandscaping.com

Xerces Society Pollinator-Friendly Plant Lists
https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/pollinator-friendly-plant-lists

Xerces Society Pollinator Plants of the Northeast Region
https://xerces.org/publications/plant-lists/pollinator-plants-northeast-region

American Beauties Native Plants
https://abnativeplants.com

New Hampshire Hostas
https://www.nhhostas.com