Happy spring! Have you thought about adding native woodland wildflowers to your garden? Here's a gallery of easy-to-grow shade-loving favorites that bloom in the spring.
They love areas that will get some shade under trees and tall shrubs, and soil that has organic material like shredded leaves and compost added. Spring species bloom early to take advantage of the higher levels of sunlight available while trees are still budding and have not formed full canopies yet. Those that fade after blooming are known as "spring ephemerals". Others synchronize their flowering time with the activity of key pollinators and are an important support for these wildlife species as they become active after the long winter. These beauties are perfect nestled against logs or rocks, and many can function as effective shade groundcovers as well.
***Never remove native plants from wild sites - they are readily available from growers at local native plant nurseries in the GTA.
Top row:
Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum, Virginia Waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum, Solomon's Seal Polygonatum biflorum, Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
Middle row:
Large Flowered Bellwort Uvularia grandiflora, Canadian Wild Ginger Asarum canadense, Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum, Golden Alexander Zizia aureum
Bottom row:
Starry False Solomon's Seal Maianthemum stellatum, Trout Lily Erythronium americanum, Foam Flower Tiarella cordifolia, Red Trillium Trillium erectum