The Lower Makefield Township (LMT) Native Plant Demonstration Garden was originally designed by Master Gardener Laura Brandt when she was on the LMT EAC Committee. Master Gardeners lead a redesign in 2023 to incorporate paths and new plants.
Volunteers at work day.
Notes for Visiting: 1100 Edgewood Road, Yardley, PA 19067
The garden is along the walking path between the Yardley Library and the Lower Makefield Township Building, closest to the tax office side. Parking is available on both sides of the building. If visiting M-F 9-5, please park further from the entrances so that residents doing business at the offices have first dibs on the closest parking spots. The garden is open to the public Monday-Sunday, 24/7. Keep your eyes open for bikers and joggers along the path!
The garden was installed in 2009 to beautify the site while benefiting birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Bucks County Master Gardeners are now maintaining the garden for the enjoyment of all LMT residents and visitors. We hope this garden will encourage our neighbors to add some native plants to their home landscapes and community gardens. There are approximately 6-8 volunteers who work in this garden.
The garden was created to benefit birds and demonstrate that native plants could be incorporated into residential and public gardens. Unfortunately, the birds "introduced" some unwelcome foes – invasive and aggressive plants including mugwort, bedstraw, poison ivy, and goldenrod. These plants out-competed many of the original plantings.
The current plans are to restore the garden by trying different methods to suppress the undesirables:
- We laid down a thick layer of arborist wood chips (courtesy of Lower Makefield Township) to suppress the mugwort;
- We've planted new natives to fill in and compete against annual weeds (LMT and Bucks Beautiful paid for the new plants);
- Most importantly, we have developed a Master Gardener committee to watch over the garden – committee members are signing up to take a week and be responsible for watering and weeding and (alas!) monitoring for deer damage.
In the future, we hope to add more plants that were not available in the spring and some signs to explain the garden to the community. This is a public garden along a busy road and a path used by walkers, runners, and bicyclists. The plant list incorporates all of the plants - both scientific and common names - and was used to create the plant labels. There are a few things that have come up which were not on the list such as phlox and willow oak: more bird introductions!
Lower Makefield Township Native Demonstration Garden Plant List (May 2024)
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Flower; Folliage | Wildlife Value* |
| Amsonia hubrichtii | Blue Star | Blue flower; yellow folliage in Fall | Flowers attract butterflies. |
| Amsonia x 'Blue Ice' | Blue Star 'Blue Ice' | Blue flower; yellow folliage in Fall | Flowers attract butterflies. |
| Anemone canadensis | Canada Anemone | White flower with yellow center | Flowers attract bees and other pollinators. |
| Asclepias tuberosa | Butterfly weed | Orange flower | Flowers: nectar source for butterflies. Plant: larval host for monarch and moth caterpillars. |
| Carex pensylvanica | Pennsylvania sedge | Bright green foliage | Supports various butterfly larvae. |
| Carex plantaginea | Plantain-leaf sedge | Bright green foliage | Supports various butterfly larvae. |
| Carex stricta | Tussock sedge | Bright green foliage | Crown used for nesting habitat. |
| Ceanothus americanus | New Jersey Tea | White flower | Flowers: nectar source for butterflies. Plant: Larval host. Seeds: food for birds. |
| Cercis canadensis | Eastern Red Bud | Pink flower; yellow foliage in Fall | Flowers for nectar. Pods picked by birds for seed. |
| Chasmanthium latifolium | Northern Sea Oats | Flat nodding seed heads | Larval host plant. Seeds used by small mammals and birds. |
| Chrysogonum virginianum 'Allen Bush' | Green and Gold | Yellow; bright green foliage | Flowers for bees and butterflies. Seeds for birds. |
| Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam' | Threadleaf coreopsis 'Moonbeam' | Yellow flower | Flowers for bees and butterflies. Seeds for birds. |
| Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb' | Threadleaf Coreopsis 'Zagreb' | Yellow flower | Flowers for bees and butterflies. Seeds for birds. |
| Cornus alba 'Elegantissima' | Variegated dogwood | White flower | Flowers attract butterflies and pollinators. Fruits attract birds. Also provides nesting sites. |
| Cornus alternifolia | Pagoda Dogwood | White flower | Flowers attract butterflies and pollinators. Fruits attract birds. |
| Cornus florida | Flowering Dogwood | White Flower | Berries are food for birds and small mammals. |
| Cornus sericea 'Arctic Fire' | Redosier Dogwood 'Artic Fire' | White flower | Flowers attract butterflies and pollinators. Fruits attract birds. |
| Diervilla splendens 'Nightglow' | Bush Honeysuckle 'Nightglow' | Yellow flower; burgundy leaves | Flowers attract butterflies. |
| Echinacea purpurea | Purple Coneflower | Purple flower | Flowers attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Seedheads attract goldfinch. |
| Echinacea tennesseensis 'Rocky Top' | Tennessee coneflower 'Rocky Top' | Pink flower | Flowers attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Seedheads attract goldfinch. |
| Fothergilla gardenii | Fothergilla | White flower. Fall Orange/red folliage | Flowers provide nectar for bees and pollinators. |
| Geranium maculatum | Wild Geranium | Lavender Blue flower | Nectar from flowers attracts butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Songbirds eat the seeds. |
| Helianthus angustifolius | Swamp sunflower | Yellow flower | Attracts pollinators and songbirds. |
| Heuchera villosa 'Carmel' | Coral Bells 'Carmel' | Lt. Pink flower | Nectar from flowers attracts bees and pollinators. |
| Hydrangea quercifolia 'Pee Wee' | Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Pee Wee' | White flower. Fall Burgundy foliage | Flowers attract butterflies and other insects. Songbirds eat the seeds. |
| Hypericum kalminanum Gemo | Kalm's St. John's Wort | Yellow flower | Attracts pollinators |
| Hypericum prolificum | Shrubby St. John's wort | Yellow flower | Fruits attract birds. |
| Iilex opaca 'Maryland Dwarf' | Maryland Dwarf holly | Red berries fall/winter | Berries are food for birds and small mammals. |
| Ilex verticillata 'Jim Dandy' (male) | Winterberry Holly 'Jim Dandy' | Red berries fall/winter | Male pollinator for Red Sprite Winterberry Holly |
| Ilex verticillata 'Red Sprite' (female) | Winterberry Holly 'Red Sprite' | Red berries fall/winter | Berries are food for birds and small mammals. |
| Iris cristata Powder Blue Giant | Dwarf Crested Iris | Blue flower | Flowers attract hummingbirds and bees. |
| Leucothoe axillaris ‘Rejoyce’ | Dog Hobble 'Rejoyce' | Red foliage spring and fall | Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators |
| Liatris spicata 'Kobold' | Blazing Star 'Kobold' | Purple flower | Flowers attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Goldfinches eat the seeds. |
| Magnolia grandiflora 'Teddy Bear' | Southern Magnolia 'Teddy Bear' | White flower | Evergreen |
| Oxydendron arboretum | Sourwood | White flower | Flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators |
| Phlox subulata 'Emerald Blue' | Moss Phlox 'Emerald Blue' | Blue flower | Flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, skippers, and bees. |
| Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Raspberry Lemonade’’ | Ninebark 'Raspberry Lemonade' | White flower. Chartruese foliage | Attracts birds and bees |
| Polemonium reptans | Jacob's Ladder | Blue flower | Attracts pollinators. |
| Prunella vulgaris | Selfheal | Purple flower | Attracts bees and butterflies. |
| Quercus bicolor | Swamp white oak | Insignificant | Attracts larval moths and butterflies. Acorns feed birds and small mammals. |
| Quercus phellos | Willow oak | Insignificant | Attracts larval moths and butterflies. Acorns feed birds and small mammals. |
| Rhododendron spp | Rhododendron | Purple flower | Flowers attract humingbirds and bees. |
| Rudbeckia laciniata | Cutleaf coneflower | Yellow flower with green center | Nectar and pollen attract butterflies and bees. Songbirds, especially Goldfinches, eat the seed. |
| Ruellia humilis | Wild Petunia | Purple flower | Nectar source for butterflies. |
| Solidago canadensis | Canadian Goldenrod | Yellow flower | Pollen and nectar attract pollinators. Seeds eaten by birds. |
| Spigelia marilandica 'Little Redhead' | Indian pink | Red/yellow flower | Attract hummingbirds. |
| Symphyotrichum n.b. 'Alert' (Aster novi-belgii) | New York Aster 'Alert' | Purple flower | Flowers attract bees and butterflies. Seeds eaten by birds and small mammals. |
| Symphyotrichum o. 'Raydon's Favorite' (Aster oblongifolius) | Aster 'Raydon's Favorite' | Purple flower | Supports many specialized bees. |
| Tiarella cordifolia 'Brandywine' | Foamflower 'Brandywine' | White flower | Flowers attract pollinators. |
| Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur' | Possumhaw Viburnum | White flower | Host for Spring Azure butterfly and hummingbird clearwing moths. Fruits eaten by songbirds. |
| Zizia aurea | Golden Alexander | Yellow flower | Attracts butterflies and bees. |
Lower Makefield Township Native Demonstration Garden Plant List (May 2024)
* Sources:
NC State Extension. Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/
Native Plant Trust. https://plantfinder.nativeplanttrust.org/plant/
Mt. Cuba Center. https://mtcubacenter.org/trials/carex-for-the-mid-atlantic-region/
Missouri Botanical Garden. Plant Finder. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/
