The Morning Garden is the plantings to each side of my front door in St. Louis, Missouri, USA (Zone 6b). Garden is on the north side of the house. There is a wide variety of sun exposure in this small space.
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) | This specimen was purchased at the spring MoBot plant sale at Shaw Reserve around April 2012. It lived and flourished next to the back walk. In spring 2013, however, a neighboring White Sage colony that I planted at the same time started growing rapidly and choking the Yarrow. It was a shadow of its former self. I moved it to the Morning Garden (east side) in July 2013. Grow Native! label. MoBot Database USDA Database |
 Achillea 'Moonshine'(Yellow Yarrow) Image by Logan Wall, July 2013. | Two specimens, one on each side of steps. Really awesome color May - June. Faded and flopped over by early July, and I cut down some of the flopped stalks. MoBot Database |
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) | Purchased November 2012, east side of Morning Garden, one specimen. Label Ritter. This died over the winter and never grew or bloomed. I'd like to try Butterly Weed again. I'm not sure why it didn't thrive. | USDA Database MoBot Database
Baptista hybrid "Solar Flare Prairieblues TM" (False Indigo) | One specimen on west side. Bloomed briefly in June. On closer inspection of the label, I notice it says "Unauthorized Propagation Prohibited" and it has a patent number. Yuck. I prefer my plants open-source. I will consider replacing this one with a Grow Native! specimen. Listing on www.perennials.com |
 Calamintha nepeta nepeta (Savory Calamint) Image by Logan Wall, July 2013. | Lovely, neat habit. Smells like mint. I would like to try making calamint tea. On east side of steps. Planted November 2012. Can't find nursery on label, label refers to Missouri Botanical Gardens plantfinder website (www.MBGplantfinder.org) USDA Database |
Coreopsis lanceolata 'Walter' (Tickseed, Lanceleaf Coreopsis) | One specimen on east side of doorway. Purchased November 2012, Garden Heights Nursery. Cultivar. Has bright red stalks. As of July 2013, this specimen is not thriving. Its single stalk is lying on the ground. There are spent flowers, but I didn't notice while it was blooming. USDA Database |
 Echinacea leilani (Yellow Echinacea). Image by Logan Wall, July 2013. | Two specimens, one immediately east of steps, one immediately west of steps. They are about equally developed and healthy, despite slightly different sun. This is a cultivar. Purchased at Garden Heights Nursery, planted around November 2012. Label says "Willoway Nurseries, Avon , OH" "Novalis Plants that Work". |
Heliopsis 'Loraine Sunshine' (False Sunflower) | One specimen on east side of doorway, in the middle of the flowerbed. Purchased November 2012, Garden Heights Nursery. As of July 2013, this is still only four inches high and no blooms. On examination, there was a new stalk that withered at some point. It has very pretty variagated leaves. Expected height is 30 inches. Label is Blooms of Bressington, the company the developed it, according to Dayton Nurseries' site. |
 Hypericum calycinum (St. John's Wort, Aaron's Beard) Image by Logan Wall, July 2013. | Three specimens, purchased at different places and times during summer 2012. Originally planted in the strip next to the sidewalk. Next moved to the rosebush flowerbed on the NW corner of the property. Finally moved to the Morning Garden in July 2013. Recommended by my MIL. Not to be confused with the shrub Hypericum prolificum. Flourishing despite the abuse. USDA Database MoBot Database |
 Ludwigia alternifolia (Seedbox, Rattlebox) Image by Logan Wall, July 2013. | This was a freebie at the Shaw Reserve plant sale in spring 2012. It grew near the White Sage in the back until the White Save devoured everything in sight. I became charmed by the tiny yellow flowers and little seed pods - this is one of my favorites. In July 2013 I transplanted what had become a small shrub to the east side of the Morning Garden. I discovered several seedlings nearby, and I transplanted three of them as well - one of the west, and two on the east side of the Morning Garden. MoBot Database USDA Database |
Platycodon 'Astra White' (Balloon Flower) | Two specimens, purchased at Garden Heights around November 2012. Originally planted in rosebush flowerbed on NW corner of property. As of July 2013, I intend to move them to Morning Garden when they are done blooming. They are supposed to be white, but one is producing both white and purple flowers! One of my few purchases that is not a native or native-cultivar; native to Asia. Label Ritter. | USDA Database MoBot Database
Sedum 'Border Beauty Mix' | Purchased at Bowood Farms Nursery around December 2012. About five of them across the front next to the walkway. A favorite of the household. Description from the label: "Blue spruce: succulent blue leaves; yellow flower Angelina: succulent golden-yellow leaves; yellow flowers, Tricolor: green leaves, dappled with pink and creamy-white; clusters of soft pink flowers." Bowood Farms description |
 Sedum ternatum (Missouri Native Sedum, Stonecrop) Image by Logan Wall, July 2013. | Two specimens, purchased at Garden Heights, label "Ritter Perennials", around November 2012. Originally planted in a flowerbed in front of the rosebush on the northwest corner of the property. Transplanted to Morning Garden in July 2013. Looks like tiny, green roses. USDA Database MoBot Database |
Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink) | One specimen, purchased April 2012 at Shaw Reserve, label Grow Native! This was the wildflower of the year. It didn't grow much in 2012, but it grew a lot and bloomed a lot in 2013. Originally planted in back next to White Sage monster. Will move to Morning garden (east side) when it is done blooming. USDA Database MoBot Database |
Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver's Root) | Three specimens on east side, back row, one specimen on west side. The west side specimen gets more sun and is thriving - beautiful blooms in mid-June. The other three are leaning forward, I presume to catch more sun. I will move them forward after they finish blooming. Label is "Grow Native". Planted November 2013. USDA Database |
 Zizia aptera (Golden Alexander) USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 642. | Four specimens, all on east side of doorway. Purchased around November 2012, probably from Garden Heights. Label is "Grow Native". Lots of blooms in April/May 2013, then they flopped over. Trimmed some of the flopped stalks in July 2013. USDA Database |