By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Liatris is a beloved genus of herbaceous wildflowers known as Blazing Stars or Gayfeathers in the family Asteraceae (Asters). These lovely wildflowers occur in prairies, open meadows, along open woodland edges and roadsides and are loved for the tall, slender spikes of feathery purple florets that are…Read more

By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society In Fall, many of our native ssters literally light up the landscape with their daisy-like flowers that are vivid lavender violet, blue violet, pale blue or even white. These late season bloomers are critical food sources for migrating Monarchs and other late butterflies, as well as pollinators…Read more

By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society In late summer the vanilla-scented flowers of Sweet-scented Joe-pye-weed fill the garden and landscape with billowy clouds of long-lasting blooms covered with bees and butterflies. This gorgeous tall perennial can reach 4 – 7’ high topped with large dome-shaped pink to purple inflorescences up to 12 –…Read more

By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society I am always dazzled by the vibrant, long-lasting blooms of Fall or Garden Phlox as they emerge in July attracting dozens of butterflies, skippers, clearwing moths, hummingbirds and other pollinators to their showy blooms. The large, fragrant pink to red-purple, lavender or rarely white flower clusters (actually…Read more

By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Milkweeds are wildly popular in many gardens but most of us grow only two or three species, including Butterflyweed and Swamp Milkweed and possibly Common Milkweed. There are thirteen species of milkweed in Virginia and one of my favorites blooms in late May and June, Redring or…Read more

By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society The cheerful flowers of our native Common Blue Violet are one of the most anticipated signs of spring, bringing joy to both gardeners and pollinators alike. Blooming from March to June, with occasional rebloom in fall, our Common Blue Violet reaches only 3 – 8” tall with…Read more

By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Plantain-leaved Pussytoes is one of our most charming perennial groundcovers and begins blooming this month with fuzzy white, tufted flower heads that resemble the toes or paws of kittens. Other names for this appealing groundcover are Pussytoes, Everlasting, Mouse Ears, Ladies’ Tobacco, and even Dog Toes. Who…Read more

By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Chapter One of the earliest signs of spring is the bloom of the Round-lobed Hepatica or Liverleaf, Hepatica americana. The lovely small flowers of this woodland wildflower look fragile but this hardy perennial blooms in the face of winter often as early as February. An array of…Read more