In the long, long ago, a poor Ojibwa Indian lived with his wife and children in a remote part of the present state of

Stinging nettle (U. dioica) young shoots and tender top leaves can be gathered (using gloves) and dried for a potherb. Boiling the nettle destroys the irritant

Christmas fern is an evergreen fern that provides year round visual interest and provides protective cover for birds and other wildlife year round. Dense plantings offer the most protection for

A compact ground cover for dry, soil with loose clusters of dainty white flowers and glossy evergreen leaves. The leaves have two notches in the tips that form three rounded teeth. Leaves turn wine

'Coronation Triumph' is a heavy blooming selection with bright yellow flowers on a dense mounded plant. The flowers bloom from mid-spring until the first frost and are a great nectar source for

This deciduous azalea blooms in summer. The abundant white flowers have a spicy, clove-like fragrance that fills the garden. The flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Plants grow into

The single pink flowers are quite pretty and fragrant. They are 2" across, bloom in mid-summer and provide nectar for native bees and butterflies. The flowers give way to smooth red hips (fruit)

Hundreds of small deep gold flowers with brown centers bloom for almost three months. This plant is very resistant to drought, heat and pests. Butterflies and other pollinators like the nectar and

Silvery flowers, resembling 1" long bottlebrushes, bloom in late winter. The flowers provide pollen for native bees very early in the season and are conspicuous because they bloom on bare stems,

Showy flowers grow 1224" tall and bloom with lavender blue, nectar-rich flowers in spring. The American Goldfinch and other songbirds go for the seed in summer and early fall. 'Purple Knockout' has

American elderberry is a thicket-forming shrub with large flat-topped clusters of small, fragrant white flowers in spring. The flowers are a good source of nectar for small insects. Big clusters of

Cool gray-blue foliage and strong upright stems make 'Prairie Blues' an excellent choice for massing in native gardens. The stems and foliage are perfect for bird nesting and cover while the seeds

This is an excellent native grass for the garden. It is an upright, clump-forming grass with slender, blue-green leaves. The foliage turns a striking red-orange in the fall, excellent in massed