First flowers of spring in the native bed

Spring plants emerging in the native plant bed

As the 2013 planting season comes to an end, an attempt will be made to document the plants blooming in the native plant garden throughout the seasons to enable comparison year-to-year to track the spread and elimination of different species.

Trillium

Large Flowered Trillium Trillium grandiflorum Sun: Partial,Shade  Soil: Sand,Loam,Clay  Moisture: Dry,Medium  Height: 1'-2'  Bloom Time: May-Jun  Color: white  Root: Rhizome  Zone: 3  Spacing: 1'   No woodland garden is complete without this beloved spring wildflower! Large Flower Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) is easy to grow and returns year after year. It can spread slowly by seed if it finds your site to its liking. Limited availability, so please order early. Hardy to Zones 3 - 7. Prairie Smoke

Prairie Smoke Geum triflorum Sun: Full  Soil: Sand,Loam  Moisture: Dry,Medium  Height: 6"  Bloom Time: May-Jun  Color: pink  Root: Rhizome  Zone: 4  Spacing: 6"   A rock and sand garden favorite, Prairie Smoke is one of the most distinctive and best loved prairie plants! The unique feathery pink seedheads make this a star of the springtime flowers. Geum triflorum spreads slowly by rhizome to form a low growing groundcover. Excellent for hot, dry spots, it thrives in any well-drained soil. Hardy to Zones 3 - 6. Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass Prairie Blue-Eyed Grass Sisyrinchium campestre Sun: Full,Partial  Soil: Sand,Loam  Moisture: Dry,Medium  Height: 6"-1'  Bloom Time: Apr-Jun  Color: blue,white  Root: Fibrous  Zone: 3  Spacing: 6"-1'   Prairie Blue Eyed Grass, Sisyrinchium campestre, is a grass-like member of the Iris family. Perfect for rock gardens, dry sandy soils, and any well-drained garden soil, the dainty blue to white flowers literally dance on the spring breezes! Plant with Prairie Smoke and Harebell for a lovely combination. Hardy to Zones 3 - 8.

Amsonia Tabernaemontana

Common Bluestar

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Sun: Full,Partial 

Soil: Sand,Loam,Clay 

Moisture: Medium,Moist 

Height: 2'-3' 

Bloom Time: May-Jun 

Color: blue 

Root: Fibrous 

Zone: 3 

Spacing: 1'-2'  

Treasured for its charming sky blue flowers, Common Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana) is a spring blooming beauty. Long-lived and adaptable, it grows in medium to moist soil, in full sun to partial sun. A woodland native with a range from Illinois to New Jersey and south to Texas and Florida, it is hardy to Zones 3 - 8.

Blue False Indigo

Blue False Indigo  Baptisia australis Sun: Full,Partial  Soil: Sand,Loam,Clay  Moisture: Medium  Height: 3'-5'  Bloom Time: Jun-Jul  Color: blue  Root: Taproot  Zone: 4  Spacing: 2'-3'   Clusters of deep blue flowers surround this perennial favorite in late spring. Deep rooted and very long-lived, it forms a large 'bush' at maturity. Makes an excellent specimen plant, planted individually or in groups, spaced three feet apart. Hardy to Zones 3 - 10. Perennial Plant Association 2010 Plant of the Year!

Phlox in left lower corner

Downy Phlox Phlox pilosa Sun: Full  Soil: Sand,Loam  Moisture: Dry,Medium,Moist  Height: 1'-2'  Bloom Time: May-Jun  Color: pink  Root: Fibrous  Zone: 4  Spacing: 1'   The bright pink flowers of Downy Phlox (Phlox pilosa) really light up the spring wildflower garden! A favorite nectar source of hummingbirds, it makes a great addition to hummingbird gardens. Downy Phlox is also known as Prairie Phlox - it grows in well-drained sand to slightly damp loam. Hardy to Zones 3 - 9. Native plant bed at back of property viewed from the deck My husband has suggested we add more spring-flowering plants to the native bed.  Since many of the showiest native plants bloom later in the year and the spring-flowering plants tend to have smaller, more delicate blossoms, the challenge will be to find plants that will have blooms visible at a distance to enjoy when viewing the bed from our deck.