I wanted to take this post to look at some of the plants I've been learning: Blephilia ciliata - Downy Wood Mint a member of the mint family is an often overlooked plant with a pagoda-like flowering habit. Phlox pilosa - Downy Phlox often eschewed in favor of its over-used cousin Garden Phlox, this beautiful native is more delicate and shade tolerant than the latter species. Anemone canadensis - Canada Anemone can become aggressive and as aresult has potential as an excellent native alternative to some the more aggressive and over-used Eurasian groundcovers. Sisyrinchium spp. Blue-eyed Grass sp. a diminutive member of the iris family this little plant is true to its name. It looks like grass until the its blooms open revealing its true nature Stylophorum diphyllum - Wood Poppy is a much more attractive native relative of the invader Chelidonium majus. It bears large yellow flowers which give way to ornamental, prickly-looking seed pods as the plant matures. Polystichum acrostichoides - Christmas Fern got its name from the practice of colonists going out in winter to collect its evergreen fronds for use in Christmas Wreaths. I'm hightlighting is rusty spore bodies in this shot and showing off its stocking-like frondlets. Viola striata - Striped Cream Violet like all violets has edible leaves and flowers with a peppery bite and mucilaginous texture. Carex grayi - Gray's Sedge named for famed botanist Asa Gray, it adds interest to the garden with its morning star-like seed heads. This unique feature combined with its ability to tolerate a broad range of sun/shade and soil moisture make it an excellent choice for almost any garden.