Expert: C.L. Fornari - 4/15/2009

Question
Hi There-
I live in western mass.  I am looking for plants that will do well in a northern exposure with soil that has a lot of clay in it.  I would prefer indigenous plants.
Thank you very much!

Answer
Trevor,
I'm assuming that since you prefer indigenous plants you're looking for perennials or shrubs. In terms of perennials, Lady Fern (Athyrium filix femina) is a great one - very pretty, clumping fern that gets about two feet tall and three feet wide.  Foam flower, (Tiarella species) is a shorter native perennial that blooms from May into July.  There is a native bleeding heart Dicentra eximia that is nice, and Stylophorum diphyllum, commonly called Celandine Poppy self seeds around the garden and has pretty yellow flowers in spring. In terms of shrubs, Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) is a good one for clay - it blooms in July, has fragrant flowers, and great yellow leaves in the fall. Clethra grows to about 5 feet high but there are short ones such as 'Sixteen Candles' if you want them smaller.  Other shrubs that would be nice are Fothergilla (white flowers in spring) and 'Pee Wee' Oak Leaf Hydrangea. (Pee Wee is more compact so suitable for near a house.)

I hope this helps!

all the best,
C.L. Fornari
www.gardenlady.com