Native to Northern New England 

 and Proud of It 



CHERYL LOWE 



New England, relatively small in size compared 

 to other regions of the United States, neverthe- 

 less holds a number of incredibly diverse and 

 fascinating natural habitats and plant communities. 

 These special natural landscapes are part of our re- 

 gional identity — the alpine areas of our highest peaks, 

 the coastal plain, rocky outcrops and hilltop balds of 

 exposed granite, bogs and swamps, and, of course, the 

 boreal forest and eastern deciduous woodlands that 

 dominate much of our region. How sad that some of our 

 local urban and suburban landscapes look like Any- 

 where USA. Bringing New England's native plants into 

 the landscapes of our homes and businesses can help 

 us define a regional character and remind us of local 

 places we treasure 



At Garden in the Woods, the New England Wild 

 Flower Society (NEWFS)'s headquarters and botanical 

 garden, our horticultural displays incorporate natives 

 from all over temperate North America, even though 

 our conservation and education programs emphasize 

 New England. But we, too, are beginning to think 

 more regionally as we create displays like the New 

 England Garden of Rare and Endangered Plants. We 

 are also beginning to work with regional educational 

 institutions such as the Cape Cod National Seashore 

 and the Appalachian Mountain Club to develop other 

 demonstration landscapes which reflect the character 

 of local plant communities. 



Our new joint venture with the Appalachian Mountain 

 Club is to redesign part of AMC's Pinkham Notch Visitor 

 Center landscape in Gorham, New Hampshire. This site 

 offers a wonderful opportunity to display native plants 

 of New Hampshire and educate thousands of visitors 

 about the wonders of the region's native flora (and how 

 to care for it when using the region's trails.) 



The landscape design process is just beginning. The 

 Pinkham Notch staff has identified the sites most in 

 need of attention. These include the existing display 

 garden, foundation plantings around several buildings, 

 and the open field over the new septic leach field. 

 Planning and implementation will be done in phases — 

 our estimated completion date depends on successful 

 fund-raising and the efforts of volunteers working with 

 NEWFS' New Hampshire Chapter as well as staff and 

 volunteers from AMC. 



We are using only plant species native to New 

 Hampshire, so we developed a working list of plants 

 suitable for this northern New Hampshire site. Whether 

 or not we plant all of these at Pinkham Notch, the fol- 



lowing may be of interest to other northern New En- 

 gland landscapers looking to bring a little of their re- 

 gional landscape closer to home. Although some of 

 these may be available in the nursery trade already, 

 others are uncommon, but worth the search. 



HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS AND GROUNDCOVERS 

 Gorham, New Hampshire, is in USDA Hardiness Zone 3, 

 but herbaceous perennials sheltered under a layer of 

 snow (in most winters) are actually experiencing a win- 

 ter typical of Zone 4 or 5. This may not apply for ex- 

 posed sites, but microclimates are a fact of nature and 

 of landscape design. 



For moist, shady sites where soils tend to be on the 

 acid side, native woodland wildflowers like Actaea alba 

 and Actaea rubra (white and red baneberry), Arisaema 

 triphyllum ||ack-in-the-pulpit), Clintonia borealis (bluebead 

 lily) and Cornus canadensis (bunchberry) extend the sea- 

 sonal interest with colorful fruits in summer and fall. In 

 moist, more well-drained sites, Hepatica americana (round- 

 lobed hepatica) heralds spring, a welcome sign for all 

 New Englanders. 



Although their spring flowers are fleeting, the dark, 

 shiny texture of Coptis Irifolia var. groenlandka (boldthread) 

 or the interesting leaf shapes of Sanguinaria canadensis 

 (bloodroot), Polygonatum pubescens (Solomon's seal), or a 

 smaller, more compact Smilacina stellata (starry false 

 Solomon's seal) add variety to any woodland garden. 

 These have great potential as an eye-catching ground- 

 cover when planted en masse. 



For moist, sunnier sites. Aster macrophyllus (large- 

 leaved aster) can give you that big bold-leaf look, while 

 Lilium canadense (Canada lily) lends an air of vertical 

 grace. Chelone glabra (white turtlehead) is another peren- 

 nial for sunny areas Better suited to more well-drained, 

 sunny sites are Solidago puberula (downy goldenrod) with 

 its compact habit and bright yellow summer flowers, 

 Baptisia linctoria (wild indigo), or the low-growing Potentilla 

 tridentala (three-toothed cinquefoil) with its bright red 

 fall color. 



Most people are familiar with Adiantum pedatum 

 (northern maidenhair fern). We can never stock enough 

 of this fern favorite to supply our visitor/customer de- 

 mands. Other less familiar ferns suitable for northern 

 New Hampshire include Deparia acroslichoides (silvery 

 spleenwort) with its narrow, light green fronds, the ever- 

 green vase-shaped Dryopteris marginalis (marginal wood 

 fern) and the tall, beautiful semi-evergreen fronds of 

 Dryopteris clintoniana (Clinton's wood fern). 



APRIL. MAY. 1998 



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