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The Best North Carolina Native Plants for Bordering Walkways
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items When it comes to creating beautiful, lasting landscapes around your home, few things are as satisfying as lining your walkways with the perfect plants. A thoughtfully planted border not only frames your paths with color and texture—it also gives your...
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Full Sun Walkways (6+ hours of direct sunlight)
Partial Sun Walkways (3–6 hours of sun)
Shade Walkways (Less than 3 hours of sun)
Full Sun Walkways (6+ hours of direct sunlight)
Walkways in full sun can get intense, especially during North Carolina’s hot summers. You'll want plants that can handle heat, drought, and a lot of light without wilting.
🌱Known for their bright, daisy-like flowers, Coreopsis plants bloom abundantly from late spring through summer. They’re incredibly low maintenance and tolerant of drought once established. Choose from yellow, pink, or bi-color varieties to add a che...
Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.)
🌱In early spring, Eastern Bluestar produces clusters of soft blue flowers that look stunning along garden edges. In fall, its foliage turns a brilliant golden-yellow, offering a second season of interest. 🌱Height: 24–36 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Spring ...
Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
🌱Coneflowers are the quintessential sunny border plant. Their bold purple-pink petals and prominent centers create structure and height variation along a path. 🌱Height: 24–48 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Summer 🌱Bonus: Their seed heads provide winter food...
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
🌱Don’t let the name fool you—this is a beautiful, compact plant with clusters of vivid orange flowers. It's essential for monarch butterflies, providing a critical host for their caterpillars. 🌱Height: 12–24 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Summer 🌱Bonus: Thr...
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
🌱No North Carolina garden feels complete without Black-Eyed Susans. Their sunny golden petals with dark centers create a striking, classic look that naturally suits walkways and cottage-style gardens. 🌱Height: 18–36 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Summer to e...
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Partial Sun Walkways (3–6 hours of sun)
Partial sun borders often benefit from cooler temperatures and slightly moister soil, opening the door to plants that prefer some protection from the heat.
🌱These whimsical, red-and-yellow flowers look almost fairy-tale-like. Columbine thrives in partial sun, and its delicate form makes it ideal for softening the edges of pathways. 🌱Height: 12–24 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Spring to early summer 🌱Bonus: At...
Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
🌱Also known as Cranesbill, this native geranium spreads politely and creates a soft green carpet sprinkled with light purple-pink blooms. 🌱Height: 12–18 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Spring 🌱Bonus: Beautiful, lobed leaves turn red in fall.
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
🌱Foamflower is a low-growing woodland plant that forms a gorgeous, textured groundcover. It sends up spikes of tiny, foamy white or pink flowers in spring, brightening shady pathways. 🌱Height: 6–12 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Spring 🌱Bonus: Evergreen lea...
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)
🌱With its shaggy, firework-like blooms in pink, red, or purple, Beebalm is a show-stopper. It loves a partially sunny spot where it can show off without baking in full sun. 🌱Height: 24–36 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Summer 🌱Bonus: Aromatic leaves can be ...
Beebalm (Monarda didyma)
🌱For a more graceful, arching form along shaded or partly sunny walkways, try Solomon’s Seal. Its dangling, bell-like flowers are subtle but beautiful, followed by blue-black berries in fall. 🌱Height: 18–36 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Spring 🌱Bonus: Adds...
Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
Shade Walkways (Less than 3 hours of sun)
Shaded paths can be absolutely magical when paired with the right plants. Think lush foliage, soft flowers, and plants that thrive under tree canopies or beside north-facing structures.
🌱Christmas Fern stays green throughout the winter and adds year-round texture to the landscape. It grows well in dry to medium soils under shade. 🌱Height: 12–24 inches 🌱Bloom Time: None (foliage plant) 🌱Bonus: Low maintenance and evergreen.
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
🌱This charming, low-growing groundcover produces cheerful yellow flowers over dark green foliage. It's perfect for tucking along shady path edges where you want a little brightness. 🌱Height: 6–8 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Spring through fall 🌱Bonus: Gre...
Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)
🌱Wild Ginger offers thick, heart-shaped leaves that form a dense mat of green. It's an excellent groundcover under heavy shade, and while its flowers are small and hidden, the foliage alone is stunning. 🌱Height: 4–8 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Spring (flo...
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
🌱This delicate, lacy fern brings a soft, almost ethereal quality to shaded walkways. It prefers moist, rich soils but tolerates typical garden conditions once established. 🌱Height: 12–24 inches 🌱Bloom Time: None (foliage plant) 🌱Bonus: Absolutely...
Northern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum)
🌱Looking for a little color in the shade? Crested Iris sends up gorgeous lavender-blue flowers in early spring and naturalizes into low, attractive colonies. 🌱Height: 6–8 inches 🌱Bloom Time: Spring 🌱Bonus: Great for woodland garden edges.
Crested Iris (Iris cristata)