RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NATIVE SHRUB AND PERENNIAL BEDS

Wildflower/native beds and mixed shrub/ perennial beds are plantings located within defined mulch beds used as borders, buffers, or screens.

These traditional planting beds are to be used at strategic locations as required to enhance the user experience and/or to serve as a component of branding or wayfinding.

  • Native perennials and their cultivars, and woody shrubs.
  • Non-native plants that are adaptable may be used for 10% of the overall plant installation.
  • Significant quantities of flowering perennial forbs should be used for best visual appearance.
  • Such beds require the highest maintenance, but result in highest visibility.

APPLICATION:

Landscape beds should be used sparingly, but strategically.

  • Edge: A defined bed edge should always be present. Permanent edges are preferred, with planting beds contained in paving areas being ideal. Vertical edging or edge restraints should be avoided where mowing will occur. See edging.
  • Lower growing plants should be placed in the first 18” to 3’-0” of the planting bed adjacent to edges, with taller plants being placed in the center or back of the bed depending on conditions.
  • A grass/forb planting without shrubs may permit the use of mowers for maintenance of these beds, reducing maintenance costs. Other vertical features should also be omitted from beds that will be mower maintained.

NATIVE SHRUB AND PERENNIAL LIST:

  • FLOWERING DOGWOOD Cornus florida
  • REDBUD Cercis canadensis
  • ELDERBERRY Sambucus nigra
  • BLACKHAW VIBURNUM Viburnum rufidulum
  • ARROW VIBURNUM Viburnum dentatum
  • PINCHERRY Prunus pensylvanica
  • SMOOTH SUMAC Rhus glabra
  • NINEBARK Physocarpus opulifolius
  • AMERICAN HAZEL Corylus americana
  • AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRY Calicarpa americana
  • JUNIPERS Juniperus virginiana ‘Grey Owl,’ J. ‘Mint Julep’
  • NORTHERN BAYBERRY Myrica pensylvanica
  • MIDWINTER FIRE DOGWOOD Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’
  • OAK LEAF HYDRANGEA Hydrangea quercufolia
  • RED SPRITE WINTERBERRY Ilex verticillata ‘Red Sprite’
  • JIM DANDY WINTERBERRY Ilex verticillata ‘Jim Dandy’
  • ROSE Rosa rugosa
  • SWITCHGRASS Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’
  • FEATHER REED GRASS Calamagrostis x acutifolia ‘Karl Foerster’
  • BLUESTARS Amsonia spp.
  • ASTERS Symphiotrichum spp. (improved cultivars)
  • PHLOX Phlox paniculata ‘Robert Poore’
  • SHASTA DAISY Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Becky’
  • BLACK-EYED SUSAN Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldstrum’
  • WINDFLOWER Anemone spp.
  • BLUE FLAG IRIS Iris versicolor
  • YARROW Achillea ‘Moonshine’
  • RUSSIAN SAGE Perovskia atriplicifolia (improved cultivars)