Lindera is a great plant, but I don't know that it will be particularly at home in a formal scheme. It is an understory shrub that likes to reach out into the sun from the edge of the woods. In my yard where it is planted at the back of a part-sun mixed shrub border, it is somewhat rangey and, well, shrubby. The fall color is a nice clear yellow, but I wouldn't say its a primary feature of the plant.

Some other natives to look at, particularly for fall color, are itea and fothergilla. Both come by relatively neat mounding habits naturally, although itea will wander about a bit with enough moisture. Aronia melanocarpa is also a nice native shrub with good fall color -- and, in my experience at least, it has a neater habit and doesn't sucker as much as a. arbutifolia.

Mary, Thank you for your input. It definitely helps! There is a world of difference between the information one receives reading "information" on the internet versus the real world "putting it into perspective" that comes from a real person with real experience. I find I understand lindera better now, and will use it, but in a much different way. Merci!

With a few exceptions, the form, growth habit and appearance of many native shrubs do not lend themselves well to incorporation into more traditional formal or manicured plantings. That does not mean they should not be considered and your reasons for wishing to include them are admirable. Many are attractive to wildlife plus they tend to be well-suited to the locale and tolerant of existing conditions. And generally, pretty low maintenance :-)

My suggestion would be to consider their placement in perimeter plantings rather than in already existing, formally laid out beds or foundation plantings. If your property borders a natural area, creating a looser, more transitional planting area including a mix of natives and more ornamental plants is an ideal situation. Or consider an entry buffer along the road or drive, if that is appropriate.

It may be worth hiring a designer on a consulting basis to help you integrate more natives into your landscape without destroying the more formal character of the existing plantings.

I might differ with you a bit on that GG. I agree that the straight species of many native plants are probably not the best choice in more formal settings. Lindera, as it happens, is one of those wonderful native plants that have few if any cultivars -- if you've got it, you've likely to have the unselected species -- and is also perhaps not the best choice in a more formal setting. That being said, many, many native plants have multiple excellent named cultivars readily available in the retail trade. And, typically, those cultivars have been selected and bred for superior landscape qualities. As a result, many of them are readily used in even more formal landscapes. So, species aronia melanocarpa? Probably not. The right cultivar? Worth considering. Species itea? Probably not. The right cultivar? Worth considering. You get the idea.

GG's suggestion of a perimeter "wilder" area is excellent in any event. My point is merely that you shouldn't necessarily assume you can't include natives in the more formal plantings as well.

I understand your point Mary, but an argument can be made (and often is with native plant 'purists') that selected, named forms of native plants are a significant departure from the native species and often lose some of the attributes that make them valuable in native/natural plantings.

FWIW, I use selected cultivars of native plants consistently in my designs but then the PNW garden style is seldom considered to be very formalized and tends to have a very naturalistic attitude.

I'm certainly aware of the cultivar v. species debate in certain native plant enthusiast circles. I, personally, have a mix of both and use species when I can.

That being said, it is not so much that cultivars lose their appeal/value to wildlife that is the issue. Frankly, IMO, that just isn't a significant issue in this debate. The issue that IMO is valid has to do with the biodiversity of the plant itself. There is, as you both know, a great deal of variation among different plants of the same species. Preserving that diversity in a species is what may be at risk in over-relying on cultivars.

By no means am I saying that cultivars should always be used or that there is no reason to use the "unimproved" species. I'm just saying that judicious use of cultivars easily accommodates an interest in incorporating native plants in a more formal design.

Yes, yes, I'm a native plant enthusiast who prefers species. But, I certainly don't snort at cultivars and still think using cultivars of some of our fine native plants is preferable to not incorporating natives at all -- or, even worse, to using exotic invasives.

That being said, it is not so much that cultivars lose their appeal/value to wildlife that is the issue. Frankly, IMO, that just isn't a significant issue in this debate.

The reason I brought it up is that the OP specifically stated that s/he wanted to attract wildlife. Therefore it is significant in this debate because some cultivars do lose their appeal to wildlife. I am not a landscaper and I am not arguing with you about the use of selected cultivars. I am simply informing the OP that if attractiveness to wildlife is important, to keep this in mind.

Wow! I had no idea that this conversation had continued. Thank you all for your very informative input! I do have another question along these lines: Considering the "species" form of a plant, or even a cultivar of a native tree (an example of this, I think, would be the Autumn Brilliance" form of the serviceberry that seems to be the only form found in nurseries) --what exactly makes it out of place in the more "manicured" garden? Is it only that we're used to seeing it in the wild that makes it so? If so, does using more of these, especially starting out with the cultivars, such as Autumn Brilliace, start to make them "look like they belong" in the more formal garden? In other words, can we eventually make them look more normal and fitting in this environment? I do very much appreciate this information. I hate, hate, hate, to hire someone, but understanding this all is very difficult without formal training! By the way "GG" -I used to live in the PNW and only now, years later, do I realize what possibilities lay in the gardening potential there!