Experiment with native plants

Natives for season-long interest

Spring
Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum)
Full sun Zone 2

Red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)
Full sun to part shade Zone 6

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Part to full shade Zone 3

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)
Part shade Zone 3

Late spring/early summer
Spotted geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Full sun Zone 4

Twinflower (Linnaea borealis)
Full sun to part shade Zone 2

Blue phlox (Phlox divaricata)
Part shade Zone 4

Midsummer
Tickseed (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Full sun Zone 4

Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Full sun Zone 3

Late summer
Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis spp.)
Full sun Zone 4

Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana)
Full sun to part shade Zone 4

Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)
Full sun Zone 3

Fall
Bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)
Part shade Zone 4

Prairie dropseed grass (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Full sun Zone 4

Read more in Plants and Native Plants and Wildflowers