Do you have a challenging spot in your garden?

You’re not alone. I’ve never encountered a landscape that doesn’t have at least one area that’s difficult to grow plants. Mine is a highly visible spot on the corner of my house that experiences a variety of extremes during the growing season. When it rains, water from the hardscape and gutters collects in this area, temporarily becoming incredibly soggy. This spot

is where the basement sump pump outlet is located. A western sunbeam beats down on nearby walls and paths, and the resulting reflected heat keeps this area warmer than the surrounding garden, even late at night. The soil is compacted from previous construction projects, and there are inches of rocks and gravel from a former deck pad. In addition, this area has received decades of road-salt contamination.

Thanks to the superpowers of native perennials, this difficult spot is teeming with plant life. By combining the growing challenges of this garden with similar ecosystems, I was able to find plants that thrive here beautifully. The key is to choose natives that are suited to the ever-changing extremes of the site.

1. Amsonia tabernaemontana var. illustris

The central United States Shining Bluestar is sure to be a garden powerhouse, adaptable to most conditions and with three solid seasons of interest. This plant emerges in late spring with elegant emerald shoots adorned with clusters of sky-blue flowers. This species in particular is covered in blue for several weeks.

The flowers are then replaced by emerald-green, glossy foliage, eventually forming a dense mound. In fall the entire plant turns a glossy, vivid yellow and keeps its leaves until a hard frost (internment). As the plants age, they can be cut back in half immediately after flowering to prevent reseeding and to keep the plant small. A favorite of large bumblebees, Shining Bluestar also attracts butterflies while being inedible to herbivores. Plant it as a specimen in a perennial border, or scatter it through a lawn or cottage garden for a stunning display in spring and a golden cloud of foliage in fall.

Native to moist clayey meadows, prairies, and marshes, this plant thrives in most soil types and adapts to a variety of moisture levels. Try it in areas that are too moist for other perennials.

2. Artemisia ludoviciana and cvs.

With common names like “white sage” and “silver wormwood,” this is one of the best choices for adding sparkle to the garden. Easy to grow in most locations, this clumping perennial emerges in spring on upright stems of gray, elegant foliage. The aromatic leaves are not pruned and can be cut back to keep the plant in the desired shape.

The silvery color comes from the dense, fuzzy hairs on the surface of the leaves, making the entire plant soft to the touch (a great feature near paths). The flowers are attractive but not showy, and are small, lime-green to yellow clusters. A low-maintenance plant, it becomes a ground cover over time, and white sage can even tolerate mowing. Because

some selections are considered aggressive, try to find dwarf or well-behaved garden varieties of white sage, such as Garden Ghost™, 'Silver King' or 'Valerie Finnis'. Native to dry slopes and dry meadows, it is an excellent choice for controlling erosion, covering steep hillsides, or for a fall effect over walls and terraces.

3. Galium boreale

Cleaver or Catchweed Bedstraw (G. abarine, annual), northern bedstraw is a creeping perennial ground cover that can add a lot of interest to a woodland, shade or cottage garden. Fine-textured, evergreen and dense, it produces clouds of airy white flowers in early summer. Spreading slowly by rhizomes and seeds, this plant will fill in the space between other perennials over time. Plant in a mass for a stunning carpet effect or splay out in the shade for a more natural look. The aromatic leaves make this plant a good candidate for drying or use in arrangements. Bedstraw has traditionally been used as stuffing for cushions and pillows. Native to woodlands, woodland edges, and meadow swales, northern bedstraw can tolerate some sun if kept moist, but prefers to be at the base of a mature canopy. Use this plant to control erosion on dry slopes or as a ground cover in dry shade. Please help.

4. Aralia racemosa

With an incredible native range from northern Mexico to Canada, this adaptable perennial will eventually grow to almost shrub-like size in the garden. Large, rough-textured, green leaves and red stems create architectural elements in the shade. A true herbaceous perennial, the plant’s impressive size is achieved each season before dying to the ground. Spikes of fluffy, green to white flowers appear all over the plant in mid-summer, before developing into very attractive purple berries (inflorescences).

A favorite of many species of birds, the berries can also be used to make jelly. Native from the moist forests of the eastern United States to the coniferous forests of the Southwest, American spikenard can tolerate a surprising diversity of growing conditions. Fun fact: The roots of this plant were once one of the traditional ingredients used to make root beer.