Indiana Dunes National Park in northeastern Indiana is full of unique ecosystems created by the tall sand dunes along the shore of Lake Michigan. Lots of people visit this park for the beautiful sandy beaches, but hikes through the surrounding landscape are a must for any plant lover.

South of the dunes are wetlands and moist woodlands full of interesting moisture-loving wildflowers, like this stunning Lilium michiganense (Zones 4–8). In the wild, this lily usually grows in low, wet areas, though it doesn’t demand those conditions to thrive in a garden.

Red bee balm (Monarda didyma, Zones 4–9) is a common garden plant, but it’s very cool to see it growing in the wild, the showy bright red flowers attracting every hummingbird in the neighborhood.

If you hike up the dunes, the landscape changes completely. The hills of pure sand let water drain away instantly, so the forest is replaced by grassland, full of completely different wildflowers.

Most people don’t associate cactus with Indiana, but eastern prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa, Zones 4–9) thrives here in the dry sand, blooming like crazy in early summer.

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosus, Zones 5–9) enjoys the dry soil as well—a clue to keeping this beautiful plant happy in the garden. It really prefers good drainage and will rot out in soil that stays too moist.

With a view of the lake, hairy puccoon (Lithospermum caroliniense, Zones 3–8) covers itself with intense yellow flowers over a long period in early summer.

In late summer, Euphorbia corollata (Zones 3–8) puts out clouds of airy white flowers. Think baby’s breath, but native and blooming from June to September. I’m not sure why this fantastic perennial isn’t grown in more gardens; it is so beautiful!

And the reward for any hike at the park is a view of beautiful Lake Michigan itself, nearly as lovely as all the wildflowers that grow along its shores.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

D&X Garden Sprinkler

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- The Sprinkler is made of durable ABS Plastic, Base connector: Approx. 1/2" ; Side connector: Approx. 3/4"
- 12 flexible nozzles that you can set in any direction, simply bend hoses to customize new watering patterns - 360 degree coverage of 3000 sq. ft area
- 3.5 x 4 x 6 inches

Buy at Amazon

Plant Covers Freeze Protection 10 ft x 30 ft Floating Row Cover 0.9oz/yd²

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Lightweight and Breathable MATERIAL Good for protecting Plant: the plant frost cover material is 0.74 oz/sq non-woven polypropylene fabric, which is lightweight, breathable, and durable. The plant blanket frost protection allows sunlight reach the plants, perfect for protecting plants from the damage of freeze or frost. Wide Application In your Garden Work. The plant row cover not only can work as a barrier against frost, but also can be a great tool for germination and good for rapid seedling growth. By using the fabric plant covers over your plant, you can start the plant earlier in the spring and extending the growing season of your plants. How to Use the Plant Covers: you can cover the plant covers for freeze over your the plants loosely directly and then secure the plant frost blanket with soil, stones or staples. You can also support the floating row covers with a hoop, make enough room for plants to breath and grow. You could also cut the plant covers into different sizes for different purposes.

Buy at Amazon

Hunter Industries MP-1000-90 Hunter Nozzle

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- 8' to 15' radius with an adjustable arc of 90° to 210°, radius can be reduced by up to 25% to fit landscape needs
- Double-pop technology flushes the nozzle during start-up and shutdown to prevent clogging
- Wind-resistant, multi-directional streams provide even coverage

Buy at Amazon