It’s Mother’s Day, and traditionally, that means flowers! Hopefully, you’re shopping locally for your plants and cut flowers, but the chilly, unpredictable spring weather we’ve had has been a challenge for gardeners and nurseries alike. This is where native plants really shine! No need to baby them–give them a suitable location and enough moisture, and they will thrive no matter what the changeable climate throws at them.
This year, why not treat Mom to some beautiful flowers that will last for years, multiply freely, and need no pampering? Flowering perennials such as columbine (Aquilegia canadensis, pictured), wild geranium (Geranium maculatum), coreopsis and coneflower provide color throughout the year. Native shrubs like smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) or sweetspire (Itea virginica) are a good alternative to the traditional potted azalea. And vines like coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) will transform a trellis or arbor while attracting hummingbirds and other long-tongued pollinators.
All will give pleasure for years to come–and you’ll be showing your love for Mother Earth, too!
