Spring Plantings for the Mind, Body & Soul
By Dawn Slack
The best option for your property greenspace is a beautiful place to immerse yourself, family and friends. Everyone’s ideal space is different, and Helping Nature Heal strives to create the space that you want it to be!
Some individuals enjoy a landscaped area with winding pathways and designated seating areas while others love an area which is left to grow back as nature’s meadow. Either way, the feelings everyone seeks from their tranquil area is the same; a place to relax, calm the mind, listen to music, play washer toss or read a great book, the use of your space is up to you.
My family is very fortunate to have lots of space on my property. Each year I plant a vegetable garden for my family; we look forward to new potatoes during the summer and fall months, string beans, snow peas, zucchini and peppers.
We also fulfill our gardening hobby with designated perennial gardens of varying shapes and enjoy watching our natural meadow produce plants and flowers for our pet goats to munch and to provide the smaller critters and various pollinator visitors habitat and much deserved meals!
If your family lives in an urban setting, don’t fret; you can also grow your own fresh vegetables and flowers to enjoy the pollinators as they visit. Planters on your patio or balcony are great ways to incorporate nature in your space.
Try using cement blocks and other leftover construction materials as planters; set them in an arrangement you like and plant within to add some color by your driveway.
Native plants
Native plants are such a hot topic these days and for great reason!
Have a look around your property and take notice of new species you’ve not witnessed before.
Another wonderful way to bring color into your space is to purchase native plant species from your local nursery.
Although native species can be a bit tricky to find at your local nursery, more requests from the public entice vendors to make these plants available to you! Do your research and find which plants are native to your property and chose accordingly.
What is a Native plant?
According to the National Wildlife Federation,
“Native plants have formed symbiotic relationships with native wildlife over thousands of years, and therefore offer the most sustainable habitat. A plant is considered native if it has occurred in a particular region, ecosystem, or habitat without human introduction.”
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“Native plants help the environment the most when planted in places that match their growing requirements. They will thrive in soils, moisture and weather of your region. That means less supplemental watering, which can be wasteful, and pest problems that require toxic chemicals. Native plants also assist in managing rainwater runoff and maintain healthy soil as their root systems are deep and keep soil from being compacted.”
My Favourites
Echinacea ‘coneflower’ Echinacea purpurea
They are a favorite source of nectar for butterflies, bees & hummingbirds. They provide gorgeous bright colorful additions to any garden or meadow.
These beautiful flowers bloom for approximately two months during summer and can re-bloom in the warmth of fall. During the fall months, the large seed heads attract goldfinches.
The roots are fibrous therefore shallow cultivation allows for more vigorous plant growth. These plants are adaptable to different garden conditions such as those with acidic pH levels.
Leaves, flowers & roots have been used as medicine to decrease inflammation and increase the body’s immune response. Historically this plant has been used to treat headaches, soothe sore throats and even treat snake bites.
Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
Monarch butterflies exclusively lay their eggs on this plant; when the caterpillars emerge, they feed on the leaves. The plants extrude a toxic milky substance when the stems and leaves are broken; this substance helps protect the growing monarch caterpillars from predators.
Large quantities of milkweed is toxic to livestock and humans, therefore take care by washing your hands well when dealing with the plant as well, keep these plants away from the hay of grazing animals.
The flowers appear like clusters of tiny stars which contain nectar for monarchs, hummingbirds, bees and moths.
Although this plant cannot be consumed by humans, it is very important to support monarch butterfly lifecycles. It is a beautiful, tall addition (up to 1.5 meters) to your landscape.
White ‘common’ Yarrow Achillea millefolium
A wonderful perennial herb groundcover choice as it grows in a range of soil types, reseeds and spreads quickly.
It has fern-like leaves with large clusters of tiny white flowers and grows up to one meter tall. It is attractive to butterflies as it has somewhat spicy and floral smelling blooms from June to September. The flowers can be used as fresh cut or dried arrangements.
These plants are very hardy, often found in meadows and their ability to thrive along roadsides enables them to be a beneficial ally to bank stabilization.
Tribes of North America used the fresh crushed plant for wounds and burns. Dried leaves can be used in a tea to treat headaches, fever and colds.
Northern Bayberry Myrica pensylvanica
This deciduous shrub typically grows one to two meters high and produces glossy green leaves which are very aromatic when crumbled. The aroma can be described as slightly peppery and citrus. The plant produces small wax coated berries which has been extracted for use in candles and soap.
Resistant to deer, these shrubs are wonderful choices to add to your shrub layer. The berries are eaten by birds and small mammals.
Northern bayberry make wonderful hedgerow colonies in areas with high winds and salt spray. The roots of the shrub are ideal for erosion control and thrive within woodlands. It is a nitrogen fixing shrub therefore can thrive in acidic soils provided by dunes and wetlands.
Bee Balm ‘Bergamot’ Monarda didyma
This herbaceous perennial grows approximately one meter tall and typically blooms from July to August. The flower heads can self-seed and spreads to create larger colonies via its rhizome roots. Blooms come in shades of pink, purple, red, white and lavender.
These brightly colored flowers can be enjoyed as cut flowers or left outside to attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your property. This is a great choice to ward off deer and rabbit from eating your plants. Plants tolerant to wet and clay soil but loves humic soil in direct sunlight.
Bee balm is part of the mint family which can be determined by their square shaped stems. The leaves smell of oregano and were once used by Native Americans to help treat coughs, lung congestion and fevers.
Aster
There are five common aster species of aster native to Nova Scotia.
Native to eastern north America it grows at varying elevations such as sea level to 600 meters above sea level. It tolerates wet soils from ditches to bogs, lakes and creeks. It also grows well in open meadows, sphagnum bogs and along forest edges.
Stems and roots of the aster can be prepared in a poultice to help relieve pain and entice wound healing. It is said to be helpful for congestion, asthma, seasonal allergies and muscle spasms. Among its medicinal benefits, the roots simmered for hours and made into a strong tincture can be used to prevent eruptive skin diseases.
Goldenrod
There are twenty known species of goldenrod existing in Nova Scotia.
Known for its bright yellow clusters of tiny flowers, goldenrod grows in vast habitats including along roadsides, meadows, ditches, rain gardens and will also tolerate dry and sunny conditions. This plant prefers clay, loam, or sandy soils.
The flowers are essential sources of nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The seed heads produce food for finches and other birds as well as foraging animals such as deer, sheep, horses and cattle.
According to Northern Bushcraft, the flowers and seeds are edible raw, and plants can be cooked.
WebMD indicates the plants have been used for urinary tract infections (UTIs) among other ailments as it may kill bacteria and fungi.
*Please contact a healthcare professional such as a pharmacist or healthcare provider prior to consuming any of the plants in this writing.
Helping Nature Heal has a vast variety of species in our plant nursery which we use for our clients’ landscaping and coastal projects.
Contact us for a site assessment!
We commonly travel all around the Maritimes and will come to you wherever we’re needed.