The unseasonably warm weather has me itching to play around in the garden. I know however that doing so can disrupt native pollinators and other beneficial insects so I’ve been holding off. I did however celebrate the Spring Equinox by removing the burlap I pinned down to protect from heavy road salt use. I was pleasantly surprised to see some green beneath. Most of it seems to be from some weeds like pennycress but others seem to be last year’s plants returning. I’m excited to see what survived. An adage about native plants is that the first year they sleep, the second year creep, and the third year leap. This will be the second year for most of my plants so top growth will likely stay small as they continue to put their energy into growing resilient root systems.
That of course didn’t stop me from placing orders in the dark of January for more plants from Prairie Nursery and Prairie Moon. I planted some Ohio Spiderwort late last year and am excited to add Prairie Spiderwort as well. Despite it being the Illinois state flower, I’ve had trouble establishing common blue violet so I’ve ordered some more. I’ve ordered seven more species to add in May and it can’t get here soon enough.
- Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia)
- Eastern beebalm (Monarda bradburiana)
- Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
- Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
- Prairie Spiderwort (Tradescantia bracteata)
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
- Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
Since I’m still learning how to identify plants, I’m going to hold off on weeding until it grows enough to be better identifiable. Especially since I spread the seeds of the hyssop and vervain that did so well. Also by removing the protective burlap I realised that I’ve basically “opened up the salad bar for the local rabbits” as my best friend quipped. Sigh, it’s all important to supporting the local ecosystem.
Birchwood Butterfly Corner 