April showers bring May flowers, but the first spring ephemerals have already been popping up. Spring ephemerals are flowers that appear for only a short time in early spring and for their pollination, they often depend on the insects that, like them, get an early start to the season. To increase their success at attracting suitable pollinators, these plants have evolved flower shapes, colours and positions that accommodate insect behaviour. Wild ginger (Asarum canadensis) in early spring © Jarmila Becka Lee Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a captivating example: the deep purple-brown fleshy flower rests right on the ground, ready to entice pollinating flies that are emerging from the soil. With a wide opening and an aroma akin to rotting flesh, how can the flies resist?
Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are a welcome source of nectar for early spring insects; the bell-shaped, almost-tubular flowers are pollinated by long-tongued bees as well as pollinators with long proboscises (tube-shaped mouthparts) such as butterflies, syrphid flies (also called hover flies or flower flies) and hummingbird moths¹.
Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) © Michael Lee
Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) is a particular favourite with over-wintering bumble bee queens, which rely heavily on the nectar found in the tightly closed pink, drooping bell-shaped buds. It’s a tight squeeze, but bumble bees find their way into the flower and “buzz pollinate” (collect and shed pollen by vibrating, thus pollinating the plant).
From these examples, we can see that spring ephemerals are important sources of nectar and pollen for insects in the spring, but they aren’t the only ones. Native shrubs including serviceberry (species in the genus Amelanchier), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) and red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) are also notable contributors.
Spring flowers are for the birds and the bees… and the ants? Ants collect seeds from bloodroot seed pods © WWF-Canada / Illustration: Jillian Thalman
Have you ever wondered which wildlife species depend on the plants you see in spring? From a moth in disguise to an army of ants, there’s a lot of action you can spot if you look down. In addition to gardening with native plants, many people support wildlife by enhancing habitat in other ways. Some create rock or twig piles, sculpt small pits and mounds, or leave bare earth for ground-dwelling bees. These habitat features are proven to provide shelter and nesting areas for small mammals, reptiles and insects. The conservation impacts of bat boxes are not as clear.
Based on research in North America and elsewhere, bat boxes might be useful, but require a bit more study. For example, experimental evidence is needed to learn what structural design works best for each species — a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for bats. Urban planning to ensure that bat box programs are carried out at a community scale can also increase their overall success.
More factors need to be considered when setting up bat boxes compared to other popular artificial nest boxes, like tree swallow nest boxes. Microclimate and site selection need to be appropriate for safe, long-term use by bats. It can be especially tricky for new bat boxes to succeed because bats are unlikely to colonize them unless the boxes are in or nearby other habitat and roost sites preferred by bats, like buildings with known roosting sightings.
To sum up, individuals putting up isolated bat boxes are unlikely to make a meaningful impact for bat conservation. However, bat box projects can be great opportunities to mobilize communities and provide community members with hands-on experiences that connect them to conservation. If you’re interested in learning more about bat boxes or becoming involved, reach out to your local naturalist group or conservation authority. Update from the Garden TrackerInformation from your Garden Tracker helps us show the collective impact of our efforts — we appreciate you continuing to share your experiences with us!
In the Zone gardeners love being active in the garden, planting, adding habitat features and observing wildlife. But you also love sharing those activities (and more) with your family, friends, neighbours and garden helpers.
Nearly 200,000 people are directly connected to In the Zone gardens, including the main gardeners, family members and other helpers. And, in 2023 alone, In the Zone gardeners connected with nearly 210,000 more people about their gardens through social media or events!
But, you don’t have to be a social media maven to spread native plant love — seed and plant sharing with neighbours and close-by friends and family are also important ways of growing awareness and participation.
Tell us how you share your garden by updating your Tracker! Plant Portrait: Slender stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis subspecies gracilis) You’re not likely to find stinging nettle (Urtica gracilis subspecies gracilis) at your nearest native plant nursery, but nevertheless, this native plant is an important part of natural ecosystems. Stinging nettle is very common throughout most of North America, and can be found in disturbed places by roadsides, shores and floodplains, as well as in forests and along forest edges. It does well in both sun and shade and prefers moist, rich soil.
Under ideal conditions, stinging nettle can grow very, very tall — up to 2.7 metres (nine feet)! It has square-ish stems, with simple, ovate-shaped leaves growing opposite each other. Both the stem and leaves have stinging hairs (caused by formic acid, the same substance that ants use to paralyze prey and ward off predators!), although the native subspecies has fewer hairs than its European cousin (Urtica dioica subspecies dioica). Stinging nettle has very small green or white flowers in dense clusters.
Stinging nettle’s height and abundant leaves provide some cover for small birds and mammals, but its true value is as a larval host plant for butterflies, including the eastern comma (Polygonia comma), red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and question mark (Polygonia interrogationis).
Humans find the boiled young leaves really tasty and use a tea made of the dried leaves (any age) for all kinds of things, including seasonal allergies.
So, if you happen to have stinging nettle in your yard already — ideally in the back, on account of its height, or in a quiet corner out of the way — consider leaving it. The wildlife will thank you for it! Upcoming events 1. The Expo is back and better than ever!
We’re combining the best parts of the Go Wild Grow Wild Green Expo you know and love with a re-imagined, inclusive vision.
GROW wildlife gardens, GO on a journey, GREEN your lifestyle and GATHER with community. Explore the vibrant activities and ecological solutions making a difference in southern Ontario.
Save! Early bird tickets on sale now!
An all-ages event! Come spend your day connecting with ecotourism adventures, learning how to protect native wildlife, adding to your native plant gardening skills, experiencing wildlife shows, learning Indigenous Stories of this land — and more!
May 4, 2024 at the Western Fair District Agriplex in London, Ontario.
Visit our In the Zone booth at the Expo and connect with conservation experts for more information about native plants and how you can make an impact for wildlife and communities.
2. Where to get native plants this spring Stay tuned for more information in early May about finding Ontario native plants at local Loblaw garden centres!
3. Spring plant sale fundraiser
Friends of Allan Gardens will be hosting a plant sale in Toronto on May 4, 2024, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. This sale will feature native plants and trees, cultural plants and veggie starters.
4. North American Native Plant Society plant sale
This sale will be held at Toronto Botanical Gardens May 18, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thank you for your efforts to help wildlife thrive, one garden at a time. Please get in touch at any time at contact@inthezonegardens.ca.
The In The Zone Team References:
1. Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension. Virginia Bluebells, Mertensia virginica. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/virginia-bluebells-mertensia-virginica/
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