Perennial Plant for 2026: The Perennial Plant Association (https://perennialplant.org) has chosen Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’ as the 2026 Perennial Plant of the Year. Also called Blackhawks big bluestem, it is notable for its compact size and dark burgundy leaves, stems, and flowers. It provides vital habitat offering nesting sites, cover for birds, and larval food for several skipper butterfly species. Blackhawks has near-black coloration and strong upright growth, reaching a size of 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Blackhawk is a good choice to add color, texture, and movement to the garden. It is drought tolerant once established and good on slopes for erosion control.
Stones Can Gather Moss: Using mosses, bryophytes, is another way to embrace the shady garden. Mosses are ancient plants going back 450 million years. These primitives are small, flowerless, rootless, non-vascular plants that grow in dense green mats and reproduce by spores. Mosses thrive on shady moist soil, rocks, logs, clay pots, birdbaths, and steppingstones, adding natural charm to any landscape. Lichens, liverworts, and Irish moss are not mosses but still add character to the garden. Specialty retailers sell mosses, or you can collect them from your property or “shady” neighbors and friends but never from the wild.
Birds Are Pollinators, Too: The primary bird pollinator in Ohio is the ruby-throated hummingbird, arriving in late April from Mexico and Central America to feed on red and tubular flowers. Their long beaks and tongues are adapted for sipping nectar from deep, trumpet shaped flowers, transferring pollen in the process. Preferred flowers are bee balm, cardinal flower, red penstemon, salvia, zinnias, trumpet creeper and coral honeysuckle. To attract hummers to your garden, plant some of the above-mentioned plants and hang feeders filled with a 1:4 sugar to water solution. Feeders must be cleaned regularly. Do not add red coloring to the water which is harmful to hummingbirds. Hummers are attracted to the red on the feeder not the water. Then sit back and enjoy the magical darting and hovering of these tiny, beautiful birds.
Crapemyrtles in Ohio ???: If you think crapemyrtles are just for the south, thinkagain. Many are cold hardy to Zone 5. They die back to the ground in winter, but stems will regrow from the base in the spring and bloom late summer on new wood. This growth habit makes the plant a good choice for small areas. Varieties can be seen at the entrance to the Secrest Welcome and Education Center. Look for selections at the Secrest Plant Discovery Day sales every spring and fall.
you can collect them from your property or “shady” neighbors and friends but never from the wild.