Spring Garden Guide - Southern Ontario

It's that time of year again! Bursts of sunshine between seemingly never-ending rain are upon us. What better time to get started on some spring gardening? The bees will certainly thank you. 

There are over 4,000 species of bees that are native to North America, all of which rely on plants for nectar and pollen. Bees love early blooming plants - such as tulips - and especially love plants that are native to the area they are in. In Southern Ontario, and the areas surrounding the Great Lakes, I have selected some of our (and the bees) favourite native plants in Southern Ontario and the areas surrounding the Great Lakes. Here is a summary of how to help them thrive! 

Botanical Name: Agastache scrophulariifolia

Common Name(s): Purple giant hyssop, Hummingbird Mint

Planting: The best way to plant these is from a 6-inch cutting. The cutting can be planted directly in soil from mid-march to the end of April. If planting by seed, the seeds will need a period of cold stratification for 1-2 months prior to planting. To do this, the seeds will need to be kept in a moist environment between 1 to 3 degrees celsius. Plant in early spring.

Care: Full sun, well-drained soil, water occasionally

Botanical Name: Desmodium canadense

Common Name(s): Showy tick trefoil

Planting: To plant these flowers from seed, you must scarify the seeds. To do this, you can either rub the seeds between sandpaper until you see the white seed inside, or soak in water for 24 hours. Then, they can be planted in soil and kept moist, in partial sun for 2-3 weeks for germination. Plant before the weather is consistently above 10 degrees celsuis.

Care: Full sun or partial sun, moist to dry soil, water lightly

Botanical Name: Gentiana clausa

Common Name(s): Closed bottle gentian

Planting: To plant these flowers from seed, they must go through a period of cold stratification for 60 days. Following this, they should be tossed on top of soil and gently pressed in. They will germinate slowly, and should be gently watered to ensure the seeds are not disturbed or washed away. Plant in early spring or fall. 

Care: Partial shade to full sun, moist well-drained soil, water occasionally

Botanical Name: Woodland Sunflower

Common Name(s): Helianthus divaricatus

Planting: The seeds of this plant can be directly planted into soil! They will self seed and spread. Plant in early summer.  

Care: Partial shade to full sun, average to dry soil, water lightly

Botanical Name: Rosa Blanda

Common Name(s): Smooth wild rose

Planting: Plant by propagating a stem cutting of the plant. The seeds of this plant can be directly planted into the soil! They will self seed and spread once established. Plant in early summer.  

Care: Full sun, moist soil, water often

We hope you enjoyed our guide and learned something new! With all of these wonderful new plants, the bees will be buzzing!

Love&Light,

Rea and Marisa Vriends

Twinkle Bees Natural Products

References 

Aloi, P. & Hassani, N. (2023). How to Grow and Care for Agastache. The Spruce. https://www.thespruce.com/agastache-plant-profile-5191192

Campaigne, S. (2022). Agastache scrophulariifolia: Essential Oils and Honeybees. University of Minnesota. https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/254812/Agastache%20scrophulariifolia%20Sabre%20Campaigne%20Campaigne.pdf?sequence=1

G. D. Bebeau. (2022). Bottle Gentian Plant [Photograph]. The Columbus Dispatch. https://www.dispatch.com/story/lifestyle/home-garden/2022/09/10/bumblebees-attracted-to-late-summer-blooming-bottle-gentian-plant/65550661007/ 

Hawthorn Farm (2024). Showy Tick Trefoil [Photograph]. https://hawthornfarm.ca/products/copy-of-canada-showy-tick-trefoil

Potterfield, T. (2012) Agastache Scrophulariifolia (Purple Giant Hyssop), Inflorescence. Haddon Township NJ. 

Saxhuag, K. F., Jungers, J. M., Hegeman, A. D., Wyse, D. L., & Sheaffer, C. C. (2020). Cultivation of Native Plants for seed and Biomass Yield. Agronomy Journal 112(2), 1815-1827.