There is a long list of possible plant species to use, and to narrow it down, more information about the planting site is needed. If you prefer to browse lists of native plants (though they are not exhaustive), we'll include links to some helpful pages below.

• Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • you can use what is essentially a web version (and searchable and filterable) of this via the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay's Native Plant Center
• Native Plants of Maryland by UMD Extension
• Landscaping with Native Plants by the Maryland Native Plant Society
• Native Plants for Northern Virginia (written for a NoVA audience, but still suitable for your area)

Can you share a photo of the area in question? Is the courtyard fully enclosed, or open on one side that might allow deer (or rabbits, etc.) to browse on the plants? You mention full sun...does the planting area get 6-8 hours of direct light daily in summer, or a bit less? Does the soil drain well, tend to stay dry, or stay wet for a while after heavy rain? Both lavender, rosemary, and even fig appreciate drier-than-average soil and don't tolerate poor drainage, but we don't know if those conditions apply to the entire area, or if they are growing in a raised bed, which tends to improve drainage.

How much space is available? In other words, what is the maximum height/width for any new plants you wish to install? (Do you want any small trees or shrubs, or just perennials?) Do you want anything evergreen, or flowering at a particular time of year? Few native plants are evergreen, but those that we do have grow in different conditions, so not all would be suitable for the same planting area. Do you have a preference for the native plants to attract butterflies, pollinators in general, or birds? While there can be lots of overlap in what wildlife plants support, sometimes certain species are more appealing to some animals over others.

We're happy to share some ideas for species to consider growing once we have more of the information above.

Miri