Invasive Plants vs. Native Plants in New Jersey Woodland Gardens
The first challenge for gardeners who want to grow woodland wildflowers is to learn how to identify invasive plants. Invasive plants (which are almost always non-native) crowd out native species and disrupt the natural balance in the environment. Rutgers Master Gardeners, located in almost every county in New Jersey, have publications about invasives that are a problem in our area. This service is free and the extensions can be found on the Rutgers website www.njaes.rutgers.edu/county. At Live Oak Landscape, our Landscape Architects and Garden Designers and Rutgers trained Master Gardeners will be happy to answer questions you might have.
Among the most troublesome invasives in this region are japanese barberry (Berbis thunbergii), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides).
English Ivy- this hearty climbing vine thrives in small spaces. It also fares well in rooms with little sun. Its dense foliage excels at absorbing formaldehyde, the most prevalent indoor pollutant which shows up in wood floorboard resins and synthetic carpet dyes.
Lady Palm -this simple to grow tree like species, lady palms feature oversize fan-like leaves. Easy on the eyes, this plant targets ammonia, an enemy of the respiratory system and a major ingredient in some cleaners, textiles and dyes.
Poinsettias- Most people associate this beautiful holiday plant with extreme toxicity, but this is not entirely true. The sap of poinsettias is considered to be mildly toxic/irritating and will probably cause nausea or vomiting, but not death. It is better to err on the side of caution, though, and keep pets away from this plant.
Mistletoe and Holly – A couple of holiday plants are considered to be moderately to severely toxic and you should call your veterinarian or poison control center immediately for specific advice.
Lilies and Daffodils- Additionally, plant bulb kits featuring amaryllis and other plant family in the lily family, narcissus and other plants in the daffodil family are popular gift items at this time of year. Pet owners should be aware that these plants are toxic to pets, sometimes with severe symptoms of gastrointestinal signs, cardiac arrhythmia and tremors and convulsions.
Christmas Tree – Christmas trees are considered to be mildly toxic. The fir tree oils can be irritating to the mouth and stomach, causing excessive drooling or vomiting. The tree needles are not easily digested either; probably causing GI irritation, vomiting, obstruction or puncture. As noted earlier, the amount of trouble depends on how much is consumed.
Ferns have been with us for over 300 million years! There are amazing fossil impressions of fern or fernlike foliage, especially from the Coal Age, also referred to as the Age of Ferns, that were a dominant part of the vegetation at that time. Today, there are over twelve thousand species of ferns in the world, the vast majority inhabiting wet tropical forests.
It is not complicated to develop a fern garden, but there are three main requirements that must be met: 1. Shade, 2. loose, rich soil and 3. moisture. Most ferns grow well in a soil with good drainage, rich in organic matter and slightly on the acid side. Few ferns prefer some lime in the soil or grow on limestone rocks.
In landscape design there are many ways ferns can be used in the garden, either in small groupings or larger plantings. While some ferns are lacy and soft, others are leathery and glossy. Some ferns remain evergreen in winter, frost sparkling on their fronds; other go dormant. But nearly all have unusual forms that make them intriguing statements in the garden.
A few favorites: Hart”s Tongue Fern, Japenese Painted Fern, Tassel Fern, Ostrich Fern, American Maidenhair Fern, and Sensitive Fern…just a few of the twelve thousand! Live Oak Landscape Architects and Garden Designers will be happy to recommend some of these beautiful plants to create your own Eden!
Our gardens need native plants to support a diverse and balanced food web essential to all sustainable ecosystems. Native plants have always had symbiotic relationships with birds by providing food and shelter. In addition to using fall grasses for a beautiful winter landscape, grasses are invaluable for winter birds. In New Jersey, many birds do not migrate during the winter months including:
Black-capped Chickadees eat half seeds, berries and other plant matter along with half animal food such as insects and spiders. Cardinals eat mainly seeds and fruit, supplemented with insects. Common fruits and seeds include dogwood, wild grape, buckwheat, mulberry, blackberry, sumac, tulip tree, and corn. House Finches eat almost exclusively plant materials including seeds, buds and fruits. Wild foods include seeds of wild mustard, knotweed, thistle and many other grasses. 
Tufted Titmice eat mainly insects during the summer but in the winter rely on seeds, nuts and berries including acorns and beech nuts. White-throated Sparrows eat seeds of grasses and weeds including ragweed and buckwheat as well as fruits of sumac, grape, cranberry, mountain ash, rose, blueberry, blackberry and dogwood. Mourning Doves- 99 percent of their diet includes cultivated grains as well as grasses, weeds, herbs, berries and occasionally, snails. And the list can go on and on.
Ornamental grasses surpass all other garden plants in their luminous qualities. The flowers and foliage are highly translucent and are often most dramatic when back-lit or side-lit by the sun. The low angle of sunlight in late autumn and winter accentuates this radiant effect, bringing a welcome vibrancy to the landscape at times when typical flowering plant are at their lowest point.
Rich autumn foliage tones of grasses parallel those of eastern deciduous forests. The green summer leaves of Miscanthus ‘Purpurascens’ become a kaleidoscope of deep salmon, orange and red.
Snow cover reveals the grasses to be the most colorful aspect of a winter landscape that is otherwise a study in browns, grays and black.
It is still not too late to create a beautiful spring garden . Hardy spring-blooming bulbs require a chilling period and should be planted in early fall.This gives them time to develop a good root system before the ground freezes. 
