ESIGNER - Association of Professional Landscape Designers

THEDESIGNER. SPRING 2004 9
Going Native (Part 2)
Marge Hayes
Continuing in our series of information on designers' favorite
natives in their landscapes, we begin with Clemence
Corriveau, Ecological Landscape Designer in Hartford, CT.
Clemence enjoys using a variety of ferns for their wide
range of color, height, and texture. As for natives to avoid,
he really hasn't experienced a native he doesn't like. He
strives to research plants and their needs and performs a
thorough site analysis, including soils, prior to design. By
doing this, he's rarely, if ever, disappointed with the outcome.
His "bibles," referenced in the accompanying table,
are wonderful for suggesting native alternatives to exotics.
Check them out.
Judy Nauseef designs with natives in eastern Iowa. She
cites three perennials as favorites - Baptisia australis (Blue
False Indigo) for its dark blue spring color and seed pods
that persist into winter; Aster novae-angliae (New England
Aster) for its dependable splash of color in the late summer
and fall; and Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver's Root),
featuring lovely white flowers which Judy likes to use as a
highlight in front of evergreens or grasses. New England
Aster does get leggy as the season progresses so Judy uses
nt material around the base to hide dying leaves. Farite
trees include Amelanchier spp. (serviceberries), Cereis
canadensis (Redbud), and Quercus rubra (Red Oak). Redbud
can be difficult to establish in clay soils. Having a sensitive
root system, it likes to stay put once planted and dislikes
cultivation and compaction around its root zone. Judy
cautions against using one native, Viburnum trilobum
(American Cranberrybush Viburnum), due to its size in
residential landscapes. It can become quite large and even
its compact form can be imposing. In large landscapes, its
white spring flowers, brilliant fall color, and bright red fruit
are attractive features.
R. (Bob) Vix Kennedy is a certified arborist, consultant,
and nurseryman in Michigan. Native trees are a specialty.
His favorite is Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam
or Musclewood) for its adaptability to light conditions,
pH, slope, moisture and most soils. It's very easy to grO\v,
has nice structure, and beautiful fall color. This tree needs
well-drained soil, disliking clay and compacted soils. One
drawback, Bob adds, is that it is not readily available in
3"+ calipers in his area so he must travel to Ohio to get
this and other large native shrubs. Tsuga canadensis (Eastern
Hemlock) is a tree Bob loves for its structure and overall
character, but he must be careful when he acquires plant
terial because woolly adelgid has been a problem in his
a and several other states in the northeastern U.S. He
asks for and gets proof
of source before buying.
Suzanne Arca designs and builds native gardens in northern
California. Eriogonum grande var. rubescens (Red flower
Buckwheat) rides highest on her list of favorite plants. Says
Suzanne "Buckwheats are suitable for the dry garden and,
in bloom, they have a rugged beauty. (They) have a deep
rosy bloom and the leaf is mid-green above and a frothy
white tomentose below supplying added interest ... ". A
native that Suzanne has had problems with is Fremontodendron
californicum (Flannel Bush). The problem was not with the
plant itself, for it is an attractive large shrub with felty leaves
and bright yellow flowers, but rather that it should be left
on the dry side. With both plants, overwatering can kill.
Clients tend to think the plants need more water than they
actually do and, in the case of flannel bush, the plant wilts
in response to the excess water. Suzanne works to educate
her clients on the needs of their new landscapes.
Nancy Claire Guth of Artistic Garden Concepts in Washington
designs native schemes with "an adventuresome
twist." She loves native plants of all kinds and strives to
combine them in artistic ways with other natives or exotic
"friends." Her favorites are Acer eireinatum (Vine Maple)
and Pofystichum munitum (Western Swordfern) for their elegant
characteristics and suitability to both formal and
more naturalistic settings. Gaultheria shallon (Salal), an evergreen
beauty, can be picky about soils. Once planted, it
may take several seasons to establish itself before spreading
into its legendary colonies. Nancy takes her cues from
Mother Nature by observing how light plays on the forest
understory, how wind and rain make music, and how the
myriad tones of green and foliage textures create a desired
mood.
These native plant experts emphasize the importance of
knowing the site and choosing suitable plant material. Educating
clients about plant requirements may even be wise
prior to installation. The resource table on the next two
pages features reference information used by APLD designers
who regularly employ native plants in their plans. I
encourage those of you who aren't so familiar with your
regions native flora to review these- publications and see
where you can incorporate some of these natural beauties
into your landscapes.
Continued on page 10