The front-and-center gardens at the Beaver County Courthouse are lush and inviting - and all plants are native to Pennsylvania!
Black-eyed Susan, Purple Coneflower, and Garden Phlox combine to create a stunning summer display at the courthouse. Photo by Lyndsay Feather
The demonstration garden at the Beaver County Courthouse was developed by Master Gardeners at the request of the county commissioners in 2021. Master Gardeners brainstormed several design ideas, and the one chosen by the commissioners was the Pennsylvania Natives Garden, designed by Abby Dowling.
Why native plants?
Native plants are those that have been growing in our region since before European settlement. By contrast, introduced species are those that were brought to the region from Europe, Asia, or other parts of the world. Native plants play a critical role in our ecosystem because over a millennia, they evolved to develop important, specific relationships with other native plants, animals, insects, fungi, and more. Planting natives thus encourages native biodiversity to thrive, feeding an ecosystem that is teeming with life. Exotic, introduced species, on the other hand, usually do little to provide food for pollinators, birds, butterflies, and other organisms.
Native plants tend to be easier to maintain over the long term than introduced species. After a couple of years of tending and watering to become established, native plants typically need very little supplemental water and usually no fertilizer, compared to introduced species which rely heavily on garden inputs. Native plants tend to have more robust root systems than exotic species, so they can soak up a lot of rainwater and mitigate excessive runoff and erosion, and also are better able to survive periods of drought or stress.
See this article to learn more about using native plants.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Why was it chosen? | Bloom time | Ecosystem benefits | Growing Conditions | Height | Width | Spacing | Deer resistant (Y/N) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Redbud | Cercis canadensis | Fast growing deciduous small tree or large shrub. The bark is thick, and the leaves are tough, making it difficult for deer to eat. | May-April, rose-pink to magenta flowers for about two to three weeks. In early fall inner leaves turn yellow while outer leaves remain green creating a wonderful contrast. | Attracts birds and some insect pollinators |
Medium moist soil, full sun to partial shade. | 15 - 25 feet |
30 feet |
6-8 feet away from structures | Y |
| Inkberry Densa Holly | Ilex glabra | Slow growing. Spreads gradually by root suckers. Deer resistant. Great native alternative to boxwood. | May-June, small white insignificant flowers. This plant is evergreen | Berries of the female inkberry plants are eaten by some songbirds and small mammals. | All soil types including clay, from dry to periodically wet, full sun to medium but not dry shade. | 5-8 feet | 8-10 feet | space the plants about 4 feet apart to form a hedge or give them 5 feet or more of space if using them as individual specimens. | Y |
| Red Twig Dogwood | Cornus sericea | Fast growing, multi-stemmed, deciduous upright-spreading shrub. Somewhat deer resistant, but tolerates harsh pruning, meaning the plant will easily bounce back | May- June, white flowers. Leaves change to shades of red/orange in fall and reddish stems turn bright red in winter. | Flowers change to clusters of whitish fleshy fruit that is very attractive to birds and butterflies. | medium to wet soil, full sun to partial shade. | 6-9 feet | 7-10 feet | 5-10 feet apart | Y/N |
| Seersucker Sedge | Carex plantaginea | Grows in dense clumps. Slow growing, easy to grow ground cover. Leaves are about 1-3 inches long, shiny, and bright green. Deer resistant. | May-June, red/burgundy flowers. | Attracts butterflies, pollinators, and songbirds. |
Tolerates wet planting sites. Partial shade to full shade. | 3 feet | 1 foot | 10-12 inches apart | Y |
| Spreading Sedge | Carex laxiculmis | Grass-like plant that will slowly spread and form a clumping low maintenance ground cover. Arching grass-like leaves are about 12 inches long and blue green in color. Deer resistant. | May-June. insignificant yellow or white flowers. | Provides erosion control and winter interest. | Medium to wet soil, partial shade to full shade, heat tolerant. | 6 inches - 1 foot | 1 foot | 10-12 inches apart | Y |
| Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosa | Fairly slow to establish. Upright, clumping easy to grow plant. Deer resistant. | June-July, long lasting yellow orange flowers. | Flowers are a nectar source for butterflies and insect pollinators, larval host plant to monarch butterfly. Attracts hummingbirds. | Average, dry to medium, well-drained soil, full sun. Drought tolerant | 1-2 feet tall | 1 foot | 18-24 inches apart | Y |
| Green and Gold | Chrysogonum virginianum | Low growing fast spreading ground cover. Deer resistant. | March - April, showy star shaped small gold/yellow flowers in spring | Flowers are attractive to bees, pollinators, and butterflies. Seeds are eaten by songbirds. | Average, medium moist soil, partial to full shade. Will tolerate full sun if enough moisture is provided. Evergreen ground cover. | 1 inch – 2 inches | 1 – 2 feet | 8-18 inches apart | Y |
| Purple Coneflower | Echinacea purpurea | Fast growing, long blooming and easy to grow. Deer resistant. | July – September, purple/lavender 3–6-inch size flowers. | Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Songbirds eat the seeds (especially American goldfinches). | Adaptable to various soil types. Drought tolerant, heat resistant. Full sun to partial shade. | 3-4 feet | 1–2 feet | 1-3 feet apart | Y |
| Dwarf crested iris | Iris cristata | Low growing rapidly spreading mat of narrow, pointed, green leaved ground cover. Deer resistant. | April - May, small, light violet-blue or pale blue flowers. | Flowers are attractive to hummingbirds and bumblebees. | Average soil. full sun to partial shade. Will require more moisture if grown in full sun. | 4-7 inches | inches – 1 foot | 3-5 inches apart | Y |
| Garden Phlox | Phlox paniculate | Clump forming, moderate growth rate, multi-stemmed plant. Flowers come in various colors. Highly fragrant and long blooming. Somewhat deer resistant, but not deer-proof. | July – August, pink-purple, blue, lavender, white flowers are densely packed in large clusters. | Attracts hummingbirds, bees, butterflies. | Moist and well-drained soil, full sun to partial shade. Needs to be watered in dry summers. | 2-4 feet | 2 – 3 feet | 18 inches apart | Y/N |
| Calico Beardtongue | Penstemon calycosus | Moderate to rapid growing, beautiful, tall, slender plant. Deer resistant | June-July, showy pink, white, purple-ish flowers | Attracts long-tongued bees and other pollinators like hummingbirds | Well-drained soil, full sun to part shade. Partly drought tolerant. | 1-3 feet | 1 foot | 1-2 feet apart | Y |
| Black Eyed Susan | Rudbeckia hirta | Fast growing and easy to maintain. Moderately deer resistant. | June – September, showy gold-yellow flowers. Long-lasting cut flowers and cutting encourages the plant to send out more blossoms. | Provides nectar to butterflies and other pollinators. | Average, well-drained soil. Full sun to partial shade. Drought resistant. | 2-4 feet | 1-2 feet | 18 inches | Y |
