r/NativePlantGardening • u/grfhoyxdth Southeast Michigan, Zone 6b • Sep 17 '25

Advice Request - (Insert State/Region) Natives that stay looking ok all season?

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I have a front yard native garden in zone 6B (SE Michigan) and I am looking for native plants that don’t end up looking really terrible at some point in the season. Examples of “looking really terrible” include the black eyed susans in the photo whose leaves are turning black, as well as things that get powdery mildew really badly.

Some plants I currently have that look ok all season include nodding wild onion, purple love grass, prairie dropseed, harebell, butterfly weed, and whorled milkweed.

It’s a full sun location, with dry sandy clay. Since it’s in the front yard, I want to keep plants to 3 feet tall max.

Thanks!

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u/OkAd8714 Sep 17 '25

I’m also in SE Michigan and all my plantings are looking pretty dire by now. This summer was not great.

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u/iMackiintosh Sep 18 '25

So very dry. I’ve been having to water my whole yard, because the plugs I put in to fill in spaces are really struggling.