Now that summer is here, most wildflowers are in full bloom, turning the forests, fields and hills of Connecticut into beautiful displays of color. While you shouldn’t take any plants that you find in the wild, you can replicate the effect by planting nursery-propagated flowers that are native to Connecticut. Native plants will normally do well in a garden in natural soil; after all, they thrive just fine in the wild! One of the best things about planting native wildflowers is that they are perennial, meaning that they’ll come back year after year with no effort on your part. Here are some to consider planting in your home garden:
If you live in a wetter area and your soil tends to stay moist or even swampy much of the time, the
marsh marigold is a great choice for your garden. Cute yellow flowers start blooming in April, bringing a touch of color to your garden during the early spring that will last until June.
The
cardinal flower is a great choice to plant alongside your marsh marigolds, as they grow well in the same wet conditions. Just as the marigolds are past their peak, the bright red cardinal flowers will begin to bloom, attracting hummingbirds to your garden.
If your soil is dry or sandy, the pale pink bells and bright red fruits of the
bearberry shrub will probably do well from May to July. These should be planted in a sunny area, and they don’t require much water; you probably won’t need to provide any more water than the sky already does.
If you’re looking for a colorful vine, the climbing bittersweet might be right for you. It grows up to 30 feet tall, and features bright reddish-orange berries. One caveat: some nurseries will sell Asiatic bittersweet labeled as climbing bittersweet. Although it, too, is a climbing vine, the Asiatic variety is very aggressive and will compete with climbing bittersweet in the area. For this reason, it’s important to purchase from someone knowledgeable.
Ferns add a feathery, soft addition to your native wildflower garden. There are several types that do well, depending on how much sunlight you have available. If you are planting in a sunny area, consider the
cinnamon fern, which grows up to six feet tall. The
marginal woodfern does well in shadier, damper areas, and you can often find them on slopes near wooded areas.
To find more wildflowers and plants, check out the chart of Connecticut native perennials, compiled by the Connecticut Botanical Society. You can look for flowers by color, size, or sun and soil requirements, to find the plants that will thrive best in your home garden. Remember to shop from ethical nursery or greenhouse owners, and don’t buy plants that simply say “nursery grown;” look for the ones that are labelled “nursery propagated,” as this means that they were not removed from their native habitats.
What native wildflowers have you had good luck with, and where in Connecticut do you live?
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