Living in the Northeast and want to plant a native garden? Here is the garden inspiration you were looking for. These native plants are easy to find, easy to plant, and will look stunning in Northeastern gardens.
Why plant native in the Northeast?
Planting native plants ensures the plants can thrive in the cold, seasons, and water of the Northeast while saving time (and money!), especially when compared to lawns. Here are four reasons why planting native is worth it:
1. Native plants are built to thrive in Northeastern cold and weather
Native plants from the Northeast are the plants that have existed in their home area for thousands of years. They have seen every blizzard, hurricane, or rainstorm in their area and thrived.
Northeastern native plants are the best plants to grow in all Northeast gardens, since they know and love the area!
2. Native plants take the least amount of care (and water)
Because Northeastern native plants have seen all the weather and soil in the north, they are ready for the natural weather. This means that rainwater should keep them happy in hot summers once they are established.
Being happy with just rain is a BIG difference from non-native plants, which may need lots of extra watering to get through droughts or summer heat. Plant native and save on your water bill!
3. Native plants help butterflies and hummingbirds
Some of our most iconic butterfliesāsuch as Monarchsāonly lay their eggs on one plant.Ā These monogamous plant-butterfly pairings are called host plants. Without these native host plants, these butterflies will not survive.
4. Native plants are gorgeous
Finally, as you’ll see belowānative plants from the Northeast are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. They will quickly become your garden favorites and last for years and years. Find your favorites below, and visit each plant’s link to discover detailed planting information.
Native Flowers for Northeast Gardens
All these flowers are native to the Northeast and are favorites of butterflies and hummingbirds. We’ve organized by bloom-time, so you can plan a garden that supports pollinators from spring to fall.
Native flowers for the spring
Native flowers for the summer
Native flowers for the fall
Native Shrubs for Northeastern Gardens
These shrubs and trees are all native to the Northeast and look amazing in high-profile places like front yards and visible gardens.
Native Vines for Northeast Gardens
Do you have a fence, wall, or trellis? These are the native vines you’ve been looking for!
These native plants are perfect for Northeast gardens
All these plants thrive in Northeast gardens! Every one of these plants is also a perennial, meaning they will come back year after year looking better than ever.
Every one of these plants is easy to grow. After their first year being established, each of these flowers will come back year after year and require nothing fancy to keep going besides rain. Planting native plants ensures our gardens look amazing and our water bills stay low. You donāt have to have a botany degree to have a garden! Plant these easy natives and enjoy a gorgeous yard all year longāand spend 2400% LESS TIME than if you were doing lawn care.
As you go looking for these beauties, you may wonder…
Where can I find native plants for the Northeast online?
Here are recommendations for buying native seeds and plants online in the Northeast:
- Helia Native Nursery (West Stockbridge, Massachusetts)
- Johnny’s Seeds only some natives (Winslow, Maine)
- Native Haunts (Alfred, Maine)
- Pinelands Direct (Columbus, New Jersey)
- Sheffield Seed (Locke, New York)
- Vermont Wildflower Farm (Charlotte, Vermont)
- Wildridge Plants (Alpha, New Jersey)
Local blooms, fewer glooms
Try to find plants and seeds from within 800 miles of where you live.
Plants and seeds from within 800 miles are best suited for your weather, water, and sunshine. This also fosters cross-pollination among locally grown plants, enhancing the resilience of seeds and plants for generations to come. Stay local for a happy garden!
Why are native plants hard to find?
Native plants can be hard to find for a reason: on average, only 22% of plants sold in US nurseries are native to North America. (It’s even worse on the West Coast: the average is 13%.)
We can change this by asking our nurseries for native plants, and buying them when we see them. Supply will follow demand! š±
Best Native Plant Books for the Northeast
Looking for a book? Here are The Plant Native‘s recommendations:
The Northeast Native Plant Primer: 235 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden
Uli Lorimer, 2022
Tons of pictures, and easily organized to focus on singular plants. A quick and inspiring resource.
Deer-Resistant Native Plants for the Northeast
Ruth Rogers and Gregory D. Tepper, 2023
Tons of pictures and clearly organized, if you’re worried about deerāthis one is for you.
A Northerner’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators
Lorraine Johnson and Sheila Colla, 2023
Easy to read with lots of pictures. Recently published with lots of gardening ideas for Northeast gardeners.
And that wraps up our ever-expanding guide to native plants for the Northeast! These gorgeous native options will return years of beautiful landscaping with minimal workāespecially compared to lawns or non-native plants. Looking for more local inspiration? Explore our Native Plant Societies and our expansive FAQ section to find more inspiration and native plant wisdom. Happy planting!