Composting itself needs several items to work correctly; air, water and the proper proportions of green and brown plant material as well as a place where it can absorb the heat energy from the sun to decompose into nutrient rich dirt that plants love. The size of the compost heap should be three cubit feet or three feet high, three feet wide and three feet in length. The first step in creating a composting place for your garden plants is to consider if you want it to be in a compost bin or barrel. If you have room for it to be in the open, that works better and a properly maintained compost heap will not smell a bad as one that is not maintained correctly.

Regardless of the type of container you decide to use, the layers still remain the same for good composting: dry brown material such as straw or larger stalks of plants that have died, (avoid weeds); a layer of green material such as grass clippings; a layer of dirt. The material should be the dampness of a sponge, not saturated. The heat of the sun and moisture combine with the microorganisms in the soil to decompose the plant material into friable dirt for your garden.

If you have a composting bin, then make certain to turn the pile to allow for air circulation, this helps keep odors under control. Do not add any scraps from meat, only plant materials should be added. Newspaper is alright and so is tea or coffee grounds. Avoid any weeds that you pull up and be careful about pesticides as they could be harmful for the compost. Recycling the plant scraps and grass clippings into a healthy soil for flowers and vegetables and you will be helping the environment as well.

Growing native means increasing environmental awareness, having a desire to connect with your garden and planting on a far more personal level, learning about your climate and environment, and another added bonus, it takes less time that you will need to devote to the garden and landscaping project, because they tend to take better care of themselves.

If these are reasons enough to turn to a more natural landscape to inspire your garden project, then take a closer look at the landscape around you, in the wild and really see the beauty that is there. The incredible prairie plants, the everglades, the savannahs and the always changing wetlands are among the most beautiful sights and scents in the world.

Recreating one of these, in your own small garden, is certainly incentive to grow native plants.

There are other benefits that are associated with a well planned and diverse native plant landscape. Too often we simplify things by planting just a limited number of flowers, making them non native and trying to make them grow, which takes far more energy and concoctions than would be necessary if we simply choose to grow native. This takes more effort and chemicals than we might need if we chose native plants. Additionally, growing native means that native species such as birds and butterflies will select our small area to eat and drink from, and to rest in, giving us the opportunity to interact with more than just native plants.

. A diverse landscape with many naturally occurring plant species supports abundant animal life, reduces maintenance and offers year ’round interest.

Too, these plantings are also so much less vulnerable to insects and diseases that can destroy them and seldom need additional inputs such as fertilizer or chemical pesticides.

Growing Native also doesn’t mean growing big, or not being able to use your containers if you’re a container gardener.

Container-grown native plants put in gardens with no weed competition and adequate water usually put on astounding growth the first year and will be fully mature by the third year.

Most native trees, shrubs and vines planted from containers also establish quickly. However, native plants from seed take longer to get going. Wildflowers and grasses planted from seed spend the first year, and sometimes three years, sinking their extensive root systems into the soil. For this reason, you might not see a lot of top growth right away. In this case, with a bit of patience you’re going to be well rewarded. These large root systems are what sustain the plants through drought and harsh winters.

Here is a list of plants which will react will to various types of lighting, are native to many areas of the United States and may be native to your area:

Full Sun List

Annuals
Bur-Marigold (Bidens polylepis)
Partridge Pea (Cassia fasciculata)
Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea)
American basket flower (Centaurea americana)
Plains Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria)
Lemon Horsemint (Monarda citriodora)
Devil’s Claw (Proboscidea louisianica)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Ferns
Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Diplazium pyncocarpum)

Grasses/Sedges
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)
Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
Tussock Sedge (Carex stricta)
Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
Canada Wild Rye (Elymus canadensis)
Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum)
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Eastern Gama Grass (Tripsacum dactyloides)

Herbaceous Peren
Water Plantain (Alisma subcordatum)
Wild Onion (Allium stellatum)
Shining Blue Star (Amsonia illustris)
Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Marsh Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)
Southern Prairie Aster (Aster paludosus)
White Heath Aster (Aster pilosus)
New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)
Heath Aster (Aster ericoides)
Aromatic Aster (Aster oblongifolius)
Smooth Aster (Aster laevis)
Sky Blue Aster (Aster oolentangiensis (azureus))
Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis)
White False Indigo (Baptisia alba (leucantha))
Cream Wild Indigo (Baptisia bracteata)
Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata)
Fringed Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe digitata)
Rose Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua)
White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Fremont’s Leather Flower (Clematis fremontii)
Butterfly Pea (Clitoria mariana)
Prairie Coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata)
Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)
Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)
White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida)
Tall Larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum)
Yellow Coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa)
Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Glade Coneflower (Echinacea simulata)
Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum)
Mist Flower (Eupatorium coelestinum)
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Queen of the Prairie (Filipendula rubra)
Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)
Rose Verbena (Glandularia canadensis)
Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii)
Willow-leaved Sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius)
Western Sunflower (Helianthus occidentalis)
Ox-eye Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)
Mud Plantain (Heteranthera reniformis)
Alum Root (Heuchera richardsonii)
Rose Mallow (Hibiscus lasiocarpos)
Crested Iris (Iris cristata)
Southern Blue Flag (Iris virginica var. shrevei)
Copper Iris (Iris fulva)
Zig-zag iris (Iris brevicaulis)
Eastern Blazing Star (Liatris scariosa)
Rough Blazing Star (Liatris aspera)
Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya)
Michigan Lily (Lilium michiganense)
Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Winged Loosestrife (Lythrum alatum)
Monkey Flower (Mimulus ringens)
Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
Bee Balm, Horsemint (Monarda bradburiana)
American Lotus (Nelumbo lutea)
Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata)
Missouri Primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa)
Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa (compressa))
Wild Quinine (Parthenium integrifolium)
Arrow arum (Peltandra virginica)
Foxglove Beard Tongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Purple Beard Tongue (Penstemon cobaea)
Prairie Beard Tongue (Penstemon tubaeflorus)
Meadow Phlox (Phlox maculata)
Sand Phlox (Phlox bifida)
Downy Phlox (Phlox pilosa ssp. Ozarkana)
Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Pickerel Plant (Pontederia cordata)
Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (flexuosum))
Gray-head Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Missouri Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia missouriensis)
Sweet Coneflower (Rudbeckia subtomentosa)
Wild Petunia (Ruellia humilis)
Blue Sage (Salvia azurea)
Lizard’s Tail (Saururus cernuus)
Sedum (Sedum ternatum)
Prairie Ragwort (Senecio plattensis)
Wild Senna (Senna (Cassia) marilandica)
Fire Pink (Silene virginica)
Royal Catchfly (Silene regia)
Prairie Dock (Silphium terebinthinaceum)
Compass Plant (Silphium laciniatum)
Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium)
Water Parsnip (Sium suave)
Stiff Goldenrod (Solidago rigida)
Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Gray Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)
Cliff Goldenrod (Solidago drummondii)
Germander (Teucrium canadense)
Water Canna (Thalia dealbata)
Ohio Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)
Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)
Ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii)
Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)

Shrubs
Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)
Lead Plant (Amorpha canescens)
Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
American Filbert; Hazelnut (Corylus americana)
Wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus)
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
Vernal Witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis)
Shrubby St. John’s Wort (Hypericum prolificum)
Great St. John’s wort (Hypericum ascyron)
Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata)
Deciduous Holly; Possum Haw (Ilex decidua)
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Corkwood (Leitneria floridana)
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
American jointweed (Polygonella americana)
Chokeberry (Prunus virginiana)
Roseshell Azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum (roseum))
Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)
Flameleaf Sumac (Rhus copallina)
Golden Currant; Clove Currant (Ribes odoratum)
Missouri Gooseberry (Ribes missouriense)
Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina)
Blackberry; Dewberry; Black Raspberry (Rubus sp.)
Prairie Willow (Salix humilis)
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)
Nannyberry viburnum (Viburnum lentago)
Rusty Blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum)
Black Haw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)

Trees
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra)
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
River Birch (Betula nigra)
American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
Pecan (Carya illinoensis)
Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)
Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)
Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii)
Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
American Smoketree (Cotinus obovatus)
Green Hawthorn (Crataegus viridis)
Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum)
Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli)
Littlehip hawthorn (Crataegus spathulata)
Downy Hawthorn (Crataegus mollis)
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanicus lanceolata)
White ash (Fraxinus americana)
Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
American Holly (Ilex opaca)
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Tulip Poplar (Lirondendron tulipifera)
Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Wild Plum (Prunus americana)
Wafer Ash (Ptelea trifoliata)
Shingle oak (Quercus imbricaria)
Black oak (Quercus velutina)
Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
Post Oak (Quercus stellata)
Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
White oak (Quercus alba)
Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii)
Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
Nuttall Oak (Quercus texana)
Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
Red oak (Quercus rubra)
Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
Swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii)
Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata)
Western Soapberry (Sapindus drummondii)
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum)
American Basswood (Tilia americana)

Vines
Cross Vine (Bignonia capreolata)
Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans)
American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)
Virgin’s Bower (Clematis virginiana)
Yellow Honeysuckle (Lonicera flava)
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata)
Sand Grape (Vitis riparia)

Medium Sun/Average Shade List

Ferns
Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
Silvery Spleenwort (Deparia acrostichoides)
Narrow-leaved Glade Fern (Diplazium pyncocarpum)
Ostrich Fern (Matteucia struthiopteris)

Grasses/Sedges
Tussock Sedge (Carex stricta)
Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
Canada Wild Rye (Elymus canadensis)

Herbaceous Peren
Shining Blue Star (Amsonia illustris)
Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Goat’s Beard (Aruncus dioicus)
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
Sky Blue Aster (Aster oolentangiensis (azureus))
New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae)
Water Fern (Azolla mexicana)
Black Cohosh (Cimifuga racemosa)
Butterfly Pea (Clitoria mariana)
Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Yellow Trout Lilly (Erythornium americanum)
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum)
Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Rose Verbena (Glandularia canadensis)
Mud Plantain (Heteranthera reniformis)
Alum Root (Heuchera richardsonii)
Crested Iris (Iris cristata)
Copper Iris (Iris fulva)
Zig-zag iris (Iris brevicaulis)
False Rue Anemone (Isopyrum biternatum)
Michigan Lily (Lilium michiganense)
Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Winged Loosestrife (Lythrum alatum)
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Monkey Flower (Mimulus ringens)
Bee Balm, Horsemint (Monarda bradburiana)
Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata)
Arrow arum (Peltandra virginica)
Foxglove Beard Tongue (Penstemon digitalis)
Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Wild Sweet William (Phlox divaricata)
Sand Phlox (Phlox bifida)
Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans)
Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
Pickerel Plant (Pontederia cordata)
Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Wild Petunia (Ruellia humilis)
Downy Skullcap (Scutellaria incana)
Sedum (Sedum ternatum)
Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus)
Prairie Ragwort (Senecio plattensis)
Squaw-weed (Senecio obovatus)
Fire Pink (Silene virginica)
Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum)
Water Parsnip (Sium suave)
Cliff Goldenrod (Solidago drummondii)
Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica)
Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)
Germander (Teucrium canadense)
Zigzag Spiderwort (Tradescantia subaspera)
Ohio Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)
Ironweed (Vernonia baldwinii)
Golden Alexander (Zizia aptera)

Shrubs
Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)
Lead Plant (Amorpha canescens)
Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
American Filbert; Hazelnut (Corylus americana)
Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americanus)
Wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus)
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
Vernal Witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis)
Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
Shrubby St. John’s Wort (Hypericum prolificum)
Great St. John’s wort (Hypericum ascyron)
Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata)
Deciduous Holly; Possum Haw (Ilex decidua)
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Corkwood (Leitneria floridana)
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
American jointweed (Polygonella americana)
Chokeberry (Prunus virginiana)
Indian Cherry; Carolina Buckthorn (Rhamnus caroliniana)
Roseshell Azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum (roseum))
Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)
Flameleaf Sumac (Rhus copallina)
Golden Currant; Clove Currant (Ribes odoratum)
Missouri Gooseberry (Ribes missouriense)
Pasture Rose (Rosa carolina)
Blackberry; Dewberry; Black Raspberry (Rubus sp.)
Prairie Willow (Salix humilis)
Red-berried Elder (Sambucus racemosa)
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia)
American Snowbell (Styrax americana)
Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)
Nannyberry viburnum (Viburnum lentago)
Rusty Blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum)
Black Haw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium)

Trees
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia)
Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra)
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
River Birch (Betula nigra)
American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)
Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)
Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Roughleaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii)
Parsley Hawthorn (Crataegus marshallii)
Downy Hawthorn (Crataegus mollis)
Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
American Holly (Ilex opaca)
Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Wild Plum (Prunus americana)
Wafer Ash (Ptelea trifoliata)
Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii)
Red oak (Quercus rubra)
Swamp chestnut oak (Quercus michauxii)
Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata)
Shingle oak (Quercus imbricaria)
Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
Black oak (Quercus velutina)
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
American Basswood (Tilia americana)

Vines
Dutchman’s Pipe-vine (Aristolochia tomentosa)
Cross Vine (Bignonia capreolata)
Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans)
American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)
Virgin’s Bower (Clematis virginiana)
Yellow Honeysuckle (Lonicera flava)
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata)
Sand Grape (Vitis riparia)

Spring Ephemeral
Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

Shade List

Ferns
Southern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum capillus-venerus)
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum)
Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
Silvery Spleenwort (Deparia acrostichoides)
Marginal shield fern (Dryopteris marginalis)
Spinulose shield fern (Dryopteris carhusiana)
Goldie’s Fern (Dryopteris goldiana)
Log fern (Dryopteris celsa)
Ostrich Fern (Matteucia struthiopteris)
Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)
Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana)
Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea)
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

Herbaceous Peren
Goat’s Beard (Aruncus dioicus)
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
Black Cohosh (Cimifuga racemosa)
Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)
Yellow Trout Lilly (Erythornium americanum)
Sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
False Rue Anemone (Isopyrum biternatum)
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Wild Sweet William (Phlox divaricata)
Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans)
Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus)
Squaw-weed (Senecio obovatus)
Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)
Zigzag Spiderwort (Tradescantia subaspera)
Woodland spiderwort (Tradescantia ernestiana)

Shrubs
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
Leatherwood (Dirca palustris)
Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americanus)
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
Chokeberry (Prunus virginiana)
Indian Cherry; Carolina Buckthorn (Rhamnus caroliniana)
Roseshell Azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum (roseum))
Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia)
Nannyberry viburnum (Viburnum lentago)

Trees
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia)
American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)
Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)
Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Wafer Ash (Ptelea trifoliata)

Vines
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

Spring Ephemeral
Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)
Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)