Before you head out to buy your flowers this year, consider planting these three pollinators around your home. Since they occur naturally in Connecticut, they are well adapted to the soil and weather conditions. This allows them to thrive with little to no maintenance.
Blue-stemmed goldenrod is beautiful anywhere in your garden. The bright yellow provides a nice contrast against many of the red and purple flowers also often found in gardens. They are also especially great for bees as an important source of both nectar and pollen. This is most bountiful in late-summer when there is plenty of warmth, sun, and moisture.
Eastern purple coneflower is great for those who love to watch wildlife! The long stems are capped with violet petals and a gold center. They attract butterflies, pollinators, and are a reliable food source for birds like goldfinches in the fall. If you want to collect seeds for next year, do so after the birds have had their fill.
Finally, a relatively maintenance free, Connecticut staple, is of course Witch-Hazel. The yellow, red, and pink flowers are a source of nectar for bees in early spring, as well as an excellent habitat for butterfly larvae. It has been used for centuries as a remedy for various skin ailments. Today, it is still an essential component of the cosmetic industry.
These are only a few of the various native plants that will create a diverse food and shelter source for,”10-15 times more species of birds, butterflies and other local wildlife than non-native plants,” according to Audubon Connecticut. They rarely require pesticides or fertilizers, which will save you time and money too!
~Ada Snodgrass, Stewardship Coordinator