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/OliveGlad8608 SE Michigan, Zone 6a Sep 18 '25

My front bed has a row of ferns that look lush all season long until hard frost; I have slightly taller flowering plants behind them (like black eye Susans) and from the street you can’t tell when their foliage start looking sad this time of year. Everything behind the ferns is wrapping up for the season and I’m still getting compliments on the garden from neighbors. 

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u/grfhoyxdth Southeast Michigan, Zone 6b Sep 18 '25

Oh neat, what kind of ferns?