The Cottage Garden Set

A Cloud of Autumn Stars

Native to much of the eastern and central United States, Boltonia asteroides rises in late season with a luminous haze of daisy-like blooms that seem to float above the garden like a field of pale stars. Its airy habit softens wetter plantings beautifully, bringing movement, lightness, and an almost wild grace to the rain garden just as summer begins to turn. A generous late bloomer for pollinators and people alike.

• Height: 3–6 ft
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Bloom: August–October
• Wildlife Value: Bees, butterflies

Evergreen Architecture for Wet Ground

An ancient, striking species with prehistoric charm, Equisetum hyemale brings bold vertical structure to the garden with its deep green, bamboo-like stems and year-round presence. It thrives where soils remain consistently moist, lending clean lines and a distinctly architectural character to rain gardens, pond edges, and wet borders. Graphic, textural, and quietly dramatic, it is the backbone of the planting even when little else is in bloom.

• Height: 2–4 ft
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Bloom: Evergreen / non-showy
• Wildlife Value: Shelter, structural habitat

Southern Drama in Bloom

A bold native of the southeastern United States, Hibiscus moscheutos brings oversized flowers and lush summer abundance to the rain garden. Its broad, theatrical blooms open through the warmest months, drawing the eye from across the bed while offering a welcome nectar source for pollinators. Flourishing in moist soils, it adds richness, color, and a sense of high summer extravagance to the planting.

• Height: 3–6 ft
• Light: Full sun
• Bloom: June–October
• Wildlife Value: Bees, butterflies

Spring Grace at Water’s Edge

Native to the southeastern United States, Iris virginica sends up elegant blue-violet blooms above sword-like foliage from early spring into early summer, bringing poise and clarity to wetter places in the garden. Its upright leaves remain handsome long after flowering, adding texture and rhythm to the planting. Refined yet resilient, it is one of the season’s first signals that the rain garden is waking.

• Height: 1–3 ft
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Bloom: Late March–June
• Wildlife Value: Pollinators, habitat value

A Violet Spire for Pollinators

Native to moist meadows and streambanks across much of North America, Verbena hastata sends up slender, tapering spikes of violet bloom that weave effortlessly through the summer garden. Its upright habit adds lift and movement, while its long bloom season makes it a favorite of bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Airy, elegant, and quietly hardworking, it brings a naturalistic ease to rain garden plantings.

• Height: 2–4 ft
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Bloom: June–October
• Wildlife Value: Bees, butterflies, beneficial insects

Royal Purple for the Late Season

A commanding native perennial of moist meadows and low grounds, Vernonia noveboracensis rises tall in late summer with rich purple flowers that bring depth and drama just as many other plants begin to fade. Its strong vertical presence anchors the back of the planting, while its nectar-rich blooms provide an important late-season resource for pollinators. Bold, stately, and unmistakably wild at heart.

• Height: 4–6 ft
• Light: Full sun to part shade
• Bloom: August–October
• Wildlife Value: Bees, butterflies