As we prep our gardens for fall, which normally means putting things to bed and saying goodbye to the growing season for a while, there are still things you can plant in the ground right now. Granted, September is typically better than October to plant bulbs, but if the fall keeps being mild enough, you can get some great native spring-flowering bulbs in now, and feed the pollinators early in the season.
Here are the best native bulbs to plant:
Bluebells!
This plant is native to moist woodlands and likes shade to part shade, but is very flexible to normal garden conditions. In fact, I have a few of them in my own part-shade garden bed. Like most woodland habitats, it does like rich, loamy, moist soil. It can’t thrive in part sun, but the more sun it receives the more water it will need.
All the Alliums!
So many alliums, so little room in my garden. Alliums are native onions, but don’t let that stop you from planting these lovelies. Bees adore these puffy-bright flower balls, and they bring strong color and design elements to any garden bed. There are so many kinds of alliums-from prairie onions that like sun, to nodding woodland onions that like shade.
Spider Lily!
These flowers look tropical and exotic and grow very tall. They are native to the southern half of the country, except for the water species which I believe has a larger native footprint. They like the sun and thrive in the cold zones between 7-10.
Consider Spring Ephemerals to plant this fall
Beyond bulbs, bare root stock of spring ephemerals can be planted in late fall, for those early spring flowers. What is a spring ephemeral, you may ask? It’s a delicate flower that comes up and then disappears back into the ground again, with a short life cycle. This group of plants is usually woodland natives. If you plant them in your garden, be aware that they will leave an “open spot” in your design once they are done with their life cycle. Plan to put some later blooms around or in front of these delicate flowers so you keep a full-looking garden, and you also feed the pollinators all season.
Bare root stock can get settled in the soil, regardless of those early frosts happening above ground. That’s why spring bulbs work so well, too. Mulch the area for good measure, with wood chips and leaf mulch. And watch the early natives pop their sweet little heads out in March and April. Here are my top favorite ephemerals which you can plant now, with their rootstock. These are pollinator FAVORITES, and it is very important to have early blooms to feed them. They either have just woken up or migrated from warmer climates, and either way, they are hungry and ready to work! Early spring isn’t filled with abundant blooms, yet. Spring ephemerals are key to getting the spring food-web supported.
Here is my favorite spring ephemerals list for fall planting:
Celandine Poppy
This gives you little bursts of color in a part shade garden. Similar to its name, the flowers do look like poppies with its four petals.
Shooting Stars
The flower’s petal clusters fall back and come together very much like the tail of a shooting star.
Spring Beauty
Each flower features five petals in either pink or white colors with dark pink veining.
Trout Lily
Each stalk bears one bright yellow flower, shaped like a lily. Called a trout lily, on account of the speckled pattern on its leaves that look like trout fish.
Dutchman’s Breeches
This woodland favorite features flowers that look like doll-sized, Victorian pantaloons, hanging upside down drying on a clothesline
***********
For more of my very own Illustrations (above), and much more information on these and other native flowers and plants to help pollinators, check out my books.
-
Midwest Native Flower Guide
-
Midwest Native Flower Guide
-
Native Plants for Containers
-
Native Plants for Containers
If you like my illustrations and want to decorate your wall with some of these pretty bee favorites, check out my wildflower poster, a best-seller on Etsy.
Also, to see some of these woodland natives, and other native plant favorites in their habitat, check out my “Flora and the Bees” video series.
- Sugar-Free, Low-Carb, Olive Oil Chocolate Hazelnut Tart - February 18, 2023
- Easy Slow Cooker French Onion Soup - November 28, 2022
- Recipe: Chicken Vindaloo with Whole Foods Vindaloo Curry Powder - January 22, 2022
