February brings winter weather but also hints of seasonal change to come. Snowy gardens are covered with animal tracks and scattered wind-blown twigs and branches. Melting snow provides a glimpse of past activity in the subnivean zone – vole trails in turf and nibbled, yet undamaged, native grass crowns – and a preview of mud season. Garden planning continues throughout the month. Considering what we know about our site (and even small “microclimates” near buildings or in low areas), we can make informed decisions about which, and how many, plants to order. From each season of planting, caring for, and observing the garden, we learn more about our site, the plants, change, and resilience.

One benefit of gardening with native plants local to your region is that they support native wildlife. They are the basis of food webs and provide shelter and spaces for life cycle stages. Deep rooted perennials cover and hold soil, even in times of excess precipitation or drought. When diverse native flowering plants are grown, diverse pollinators have adequate pollen and nectar sources, and generalist or specialist insect species may find larval food.

If you have space, woody species will provide abundant floral resources, larval food (leaves), and fruits and seeds as the plants grow to full size. When the tree or shrub is small, I recommend caging it to protect it from animals browsing. Caging may not be necessary in later years.

Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) grows to ten feet tall and bears clusters of white flowers early in the season, attracting small bees and flies during bloom. Its fruits are attractive to many birds, and its multi-stem form provides good bird nesting spots. In the native plant garden, we often see catbirds in these large shrubs.

Bladdernut (Staphlyea trifolia) blooms early in the season. Its pendulous flowers attract native pollinators like bumble bees, halictid (sweat) bees, and andrenid (mining) bees, as well as bee flies and other fly species. It has dry, not fleshy, fruits. Both species grow in partial shade to shade, in medium to moist soils. These and other beautiful and beneficial woody species are available in the Friends of the Arboretum online plant sale.

If garden space is limited, native plants can be grown in containers. Suggestions from container gardeners include using patios, sturdy balconies, and even driveways that aren’t used for cars. One gardener re-purposed raised beds they were no longer using for vegetables. To select plants for containers, assess the amount of sunlight at your site as usual. Group plants with similar moisture needs in the same large pots. This will simplify watering if necessary. For example, in the FOA Patio Prairie Container Garden Kit, you could group swamp (red) milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), blue vervain (Verbena hastata), and great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) with a sedge suitable for moist soils. This combination will do well in full sun and moist soil conditions. A total of eight plants would grow well in a ten-gallon container. From the same kit, aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium), spotted bee balm (Monarda punctata), and purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) could be planted together. They are of similar stature and all grow well in full sun and dry or dry-mesic soils. Containers will give gardeners a chance to experiment with placement (in sun or shade), watering, and which species you would like to try. Feel free to send a gardening question as your planning continues.

Enjoy February planning while anticipating your spring garden.

–Susan Carpenter, native plant garden curator