Sun or shade? It is moist, I assume? I can't see the picture.

How about this... it is wet in the spring and will dry up in August

No picture :-(

The link to the picture is on your hard drive. Links won't work for anyone else unless the image is on an internet site.

Thanks for your help...I feel stupid.......
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There is a test forum for you to practice uploading pictures directly. Only forums with a camera icon next to them (in the forum list) support uploading pictures up to 60K. For all other forums, like this one, you have to store your picture on an internet picture hosting site and then point us to it with a URL.

Here is a link that might be useful: Test Forum

I hope this photo came through.....let me know....I can see it on the test page.{{gwi:1353454}}

Sorry, I can't see any of your pictures.

Here we go again
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How about some of the native willows?

Joan

I'd go to a local park, or maybe further up or down the stream, with a plant guide and see what grows naturally around it. It can be a lot of fun to see the possibilites... any display gardens nearby?

I planted marsh marigold at the water's edge. (Caltha palustris.) It blooms brilliantly every spring, I just love it and keep putting in more to line the whole water's edge. My creek dries up in the summer too, it doesn't seem to matter. I also have ferns, hostas, cattails, and most interesting, tall yellow ligularia which blooms in summer. Also water irises, and up on the banks, some large azaleas. No maintenance whatsoever. I planted all of these except the cattails which came in by themselves. Sorry don't have a photo yet but trust me, it looks great.

do a search on the web for planting riparian areas or a riparian buffer planting...see what that gives you...

also native prairie flowers are great along creek banks...many thrive in variable moisture conditions from very wet to very dry and they have a deep fibrous root system to help hold soil in place when the creek is running full...

shrubs like buttonbush and flowers like blue flag iris would be great along this area...

Here is a link that might be useful: guide to riparian area management

Stahlmaster, your little creek is beautiful. I think Cotoneaster would look great draping over your bank.
We have a dry creek running through our property but ours is dry most of the year. We have large trees with exposed roots which we don't want to damage. Since we've cleared out some of the under growth we now have ferns there. Some other things I want to try are Galtheria procumbens (winterberry), Galex urceolata, Sweet flag, Iris ensata, and cornus canadensis if I can find it.
Doing research on things that won't take over. No ivy or Chameleon plant!!!!
Good luck. Would love to hear what you decide to plant.

Where can I get Cotoneaster seeds or plants here in Michigan? I'd like to plant this fall.

Sedges, like Carex stricta, would help stabilize the banks and prevent erosion. Add some joepye weed and you get something like this

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Other plants typical of this type situation include new england aster, blue lobelia, Iris virginica, Eleocharis sp., Juncus sp., Scirpus sp., mountain mint, boneset, liatris spicata, blue vervain, marsh marigold, marsh skullcap, sneezeweed, and others.