A Landscaper's Natural Garden

The plant: Hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 8, this deciduous, multi-stemmed native shrub produces white, bottlebrush-like flowers that are honey-scented. The bristles of the flowers, which appear on bare branches in spring, are actually stamens, not petals. The shrub occurs in the wild in the moist woodlands of the Allegheny Mountains and southward through Virginia, the Carolinas and west to Alabama. The plant spreads by suckers and grows from six to 10 feet tall with an upright habit. Fall color is outstanding.
How to use it: Grow fothergilla in a woodland garden or naturalistic setting. Plant in masses or in a shrub border.
Cultivation: Grow in moist, leafy acidic soil (this shrub will not tolerate lime) that is rich in humus. Site in part shade to part sun (more shade in South).
Source: Digging Dog Nursery

The plant: In April or May, this native herbaceous perennial produces white, occasionally pink or purple, pointed blooms with highly reflexed petals. The 10- to 20-inch flower spikes rise from basal leaves that are large and oblong (measuring from three to 12 inches long and up to four inches wide). "Shooting star" refers to the configuration of the flower, which points down with petals sweeping upward, much like a cyclamen bloom. Native from Pennsylvania to Georgia and Texas, the flower is hardy in USDA Zones 4 to 9. This plant is listed as endangered in some states, due in part to over-collecting. It reproduces easily from seed, however.
How to use it: Plant along a trail in a woodland garden. The ideal would be to plant in masses, although the flower may be hard to find and can be difficult to grow. Care needs to be taken in digging in areas around shooting star because the flower goes dormant later in the season.
Cultivation: The flower requires moisture during its growing season and needs dry conditions when it's dormant. Plant only in rich, well-drained soil and partial shade.
Source: Sunshine Farms (E-mail owner Barry Glick from his website and say you read about it on HGTV.com. He'll give you a discount from the normal $5 per plant. To e-mail Sunshine Farms, click on "Request Information" button on the left side of Sunshine Farms' website home page.)