Pollinator-Friendly Spring Garden Plan

When bees emerge in the early spring, they’re hungry and there’s very little for them. Planting spring-blooming flowers that attract bees will help the bees get off to a good start.

Don't Pull That Dandelion Spring has sprung in many parts of the country, and hungry pollinators are on the wing, looking for food. From the moment, they wake up in the spring to the time that they hibernate or migrate in the fall, pollinators need to eat. And we’re not just talking about honey bees, but also native bees, butterflies, moths, birds and bats, beetles, flies, and the list goes on.

We can save the pollinators during a vulnerable time — early spring. This can be a tough time for pollinators. They need a tremendous amount of pollen and nectar to grow the next generations of pollinators.

Planting early blooming perennials is one of the easiest things for a gardener to do. The reward is in those delicate first early blooms after the rugged and bleak landscape of winter. Bonus – early bloomers are some of the toughest and easiest care plants around since many can handle cold.

Some of the earliest flowering plants are often bulbs that overwinter in the ground.

Bulbs are usually planted in the fall; and as a general rule, bulbs are planted at a depth of three times their height with the pointy side up.

Fall can also be a good time to sow seeds that you would need to be stratified for spring planting. Many flowering perennials can also be planted in the fall.

If you’re buying seeds or plants, make sure they are not treated with neonicotinoids (neonics), which are a group of insecticides that are related to nicotine. The insecticide is absorbed by all parts of the plants to ward off sucking insects such as aphids. However, the insecticide is also found in the pollen and nectar of the plant making it harmful to bees and other pollinators.

At this time, many nurseries are phasing out plants and seeds that are treated with neonicotinoids and most are clearly labeled. So, check the label on all plants but especially the plants that attract bees to be sure you’re not planting plants that will harm pollinators.

19 Wisconsin Native Spring Garden Plants

Bishop's Cap Height: 1-2 feet Bloom:: Apr Sun: Part Shade, Shade Zones: 3-7 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Medium, Dry Color: White	Description: Bishop's Cap (Mitella diphylla) is a woodland species that is found in high quality mesic forests growing on moist, mossy ledges and north-facing slopes. The basal foliage of this plant has long, finely hairy stalks, a cordate shape, and serrated edges (up to 4 inches long).
Bloodroot Height: 6-9 inches Bloom:: Spring Sun: Part Shade, Shade Zones: 3-9 Soil: Loam Moisture: Medium Color: White, Yellow, Pink	Description: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a stemless, rhizomatous, native wildflower which blooms in early spring in rich woods and along streams. Typically rises 6-10 inches tall and spreads over time in the wild to form large colonies on the forest floor. Each flower stalk typically emerges in spring wrapped by one deeply-scalloped, grayish-green, basal leaf. As the flower blooms, the leaf unfurls.
Blue Cohosh Height: 2-4 feet Bloom:: Apr Sun: Part Shade, Shade Zones: 3-8 Soil: Clay, Loam Moisture: Medium Color: Yellow	Description: Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) is a native perennial which grows 1-3 feet tall on strong, upright stems. It is valued not for its flowers but for its lacy, ternately-compound, blue-green foliage and its erect clusters of blue, fruit-like seeds. Leaves appear at mid-stem, emerging a smoky blue in spring and turning bluish-green.
Chokecherry Height: 12-30 feet Bloom:: Apr, May, Jun Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade Zones: 2-7 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Dry, Medium, Moist Color: White	Description: Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a small deciduous tree typically growing to 20-30 feet tall with an irregular, oval-rounded crown. It also may be found in shorter heights as a large shrub. Fragrant, cup-shaped, 5-lobed, white flowers in elongated clusters to 3-6 inches long bloom in mid-spring.
Columbine Height: 1-3 feet Bloom:: Apr, May Sun: Part Shade, Shade Zones: 2-8 Soil: Loam, Sand Moisture: Dry, Medium Color: Red, Yellow	Description: Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) occurs in rocky woods, slopes, ledges and open areas. Features drooping, bell-like, 1-2", red and yellow flowers (red sepals, yellow-limbed petals, 5 distinctive red spurs and a mass of bushy yellow stamens).
Jack-in-the-Pulpit Height: 1-2 feet Bloom:: Apr, May Sun: Part Shade, Shade Zones: 4-9 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Normal, Moist Wet Color: Green	Description: Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) is a spring woodland wildflower usually growing 1- 2 feet tall. Flower structure consists of the spadix (Jack) which is an erect spike containing numerous, tiny, green to purple flowers and the sheath-like spathe (pulpit) which encases the lower part of the spadix and then opens to form a hood extending over the top of the spadix.
Lanceleaf Coreopsis Height: 1 - 2 feet Bloom:: May, Jun Sun: Full Sun Zones: 2-9 Soil: Loam, Sand Moisture: Dry, Medium Color: Yellow	Description: Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) is easily grown in dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Thrives in poor, sandy or rocky soils with good drainage. Tolerant of heat, humidity and drought. Prompt deadheading of spent flower stalks encourages additional bloom and prevents any unwanted self-seeding.
Lupine Height: 1 - 2 feet Bloom:: May, Jun Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun Zones: 3-8 Soil: Sand Moisture: Dry Color: Blue	Description: Lupines (Lupinus perennis) are 1-2½ feet tall and compactly branched. The stems are light green to reddish green, angular or terete, and canescent-hairy. The upper stems terminate in narrow racemes of flowers about 4-10 inches long. The flowering stalks are light green to reddish purple.
Prairie Smoke Height: 6-18 inches Bloom:: Apr Sun: Full Sun Zones: 2-7 Soil: Loam Moisture: Dry Color: Pink, Purple	Description: Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) is a native prairie plant whose most distinguishing feature is not the reddish pink to purplish, nodding, globular flowers that bloom in late spring, but the fruiting heads which follow. As the flower fades and the seeds begin to form, the styles elongate to form upright, feathery gray tails.
Pussy Willow Height: 10-20 feet Bloom:: March Sun: Full Sun Zones: 3-8 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Moist, Wet Color: White	Description: Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) are typically found growing in moist to wet soils in meadows, swamps and along lakes and streams, but also will be found in some drier conditions. It is a large multi-stemmed shrub to 6-15 feet tall, but is less frequently found as a small tree to 30 feet tall.
Shooting Star Height: 1 - 2 feet Bloom:: May, June Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun Zones: 4-8 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Medium, Moist Color: White, Pink, Lavender	Description: Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia) is a much beloved wildflower that typically occurs in open woods and glades, rocky wooded slopes, bluff ledges, meadows and prairies. This is one of the most beautiful spring wildflowers in the prairie. A colony of these plants in bloom is a sight not to be missed.
Smooth Penstemon Height: 2-3 feet Bloom:: Jun, Jul Sun: Full Sun, Par Sun Zones: 3-8 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Medium, Moist Color: White	Description: Smooth Penstemon (Penstemon digitalis) typically grows 3-5 feet tall and occurs in prairies, fields, wood margins, open woods and along railroad tracks. Features white, two-lipped, tubular flowers borne in panicles atop erect, rigid stems. Flowers bloom mid-spring to early summer.
Sweet Fern Height: 2-5 feet Bloom:: Apr, May, Jun Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun Zones: 2-8 Soil: Loam, Sand Moisture: Dry, Medium, Moist Color: Green	Description: Sweet Fern (Comptonia peregrine) is an upright, deciduous shrub (typically growing 2-4 feet tall) which features simple, narrow, lustrous, pinnatifid, deeply notched, olive to dark green leaves (to 4 inches long). Insignificant, yellowish green flowers appear in spring and give way to greenish brown, burr-like nutlets.
Virginia Bluebells Height: 1 - 2 feet Bloom:: Apr, May Sun: Part Shade Zones: 3-9 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Medium, Moist Color: Blue, Lavender	Description: Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are one of the most beautiful species of spring ephemerals are Virginia bluebells. These lovely plants are relatives of other familiar species like Forget-me-not, Lungwort, and Comfrey.
Wild Ginger Height: 1-2 feet Bloom:: Apr, May Sun: Part Shade, Shade Zones: 4-7 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Normal, Moist Wet Color: Green	Description: Canadian Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) is a native spring wildflower which occurs in rich woods and wooded slopes throughout the State. Basically a stemless plant which features two downy, heart-shaped to kidney-shaped, handsomely veined, dark green, basal leaves (to 6 inches wide). Cup-shaped, purplish brown flowers appear in spring on short, ground-level stems arising from the crotch between the two basal leaves.
Wild Hyacinth Height: 1-3 feet Bloom:: Apr, May Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun Zones: 4-8 Soil: Loam, Clay Moisture: Medium Color: Blue, White	Description: Wild Hyacinth, (Camassia scilloides) Wild Hyacinth, Camassia scilloides, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial that typically grows to 1-2 feet tall. It is native to a variety of habitats including low rich woods, wet open woodlands, open meadows, stream banks, limestone glades, ledges, rocky slopes and prairies
Wild Strawberry Height: 4-7 inches Bloom:: Apr, May, Jun Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun Zones: 3-8 Soil: Loam, Sand Moisture: Dry Color: White	Description: Wild Strawberry, (Fragaria virginiana) is a ground-hugging herbaceous perennial that typically grows to 4-7 inches tall but spreads indefinitely by runners which root to form new plants as they sprawl along the ground, often forming large colonies over time.
Yellow Trout Lily Height: 6-18 inches Bloom:: Apr Sun: Part Shade, Shade Zones: 2-9 Soil: Clay, Loam Moisture: Medium, Moist Color: Yellow	Description: Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) is a spring wildflower that occurs in moist woods, on wooded slopes and bluffs, and along streams. A single, nodding, bell- or lily-shaped yellow flower blooms atop a naked scape sheathed by two glossy, tongue-shaped, tulip-like, basal leaves (to 6 inches long) in early spring.