The use of mid-sized native flowering perennials in a meadow garden adds color, texture, and biodiversity while blending well with the grasses that characterize a meadow. In addition, the plants attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and provide food and shelter for birds and beneficial insects. The plants in this list range in height from 24″-36″, like full sum, and grow in a wide range of USDA hardiness zones. They vary in bloom time and specific water requirements but all like moist soil. Photo Credit: Sten, Wikimedia Commons
Northern blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor)
Native Range: North eastern US from Maine to Minnesota, south to Virginia
Height: 24″
Width: 24″
Bloom Time: Spring to early summer
Bloom Color: Violet blue
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-7
Photo Credit: Cliff, Wikimedia Commons
Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
Native Range: Eastern US from New Jersey to Michigan and south to Florida and Louisiana
Height: 36″
Width: 12″
Bloom Time: Late summer
Bloom Color: Red-purple
USDA Hardiness Zones: 2-7
Photo Credit: Hedwig Storch, Wikimedia Commons
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Native Range: Ontario to Nova Scotia south to Georgia and Alabama
Height: 36″
Width: 18″
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Bloom Color: Scarlet, white, rose
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Photo Credit: HandyPlants, Wikimedia Commons
Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Native Range: Eastern US from New Jersey to Michigan and south to Florida and Louisiana.
Height: 30″
Width: 14″
Bloom Time: Late summer to fall
Bloom Color: Blue
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8
Photo Credit: H. Zell Wikimedia Commons
Golden Alexander (Zizia aurea)
Native Range: Atlantic coast to the Great Plains
Height: 26″
Width: 20″
Bloom Time: Mid spring to early summer
Bloom Color: Yellow
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Photo Credit: Fritzflohrreynolds, Wikimedia Commons