You love local food, music, business, and art — so while you’re planning your garden this year, why not choose local plants, too?
Native plants are naturally adapted to the local climate, provide sustenance to native wildlife, and save water by thriving on normal rainfall. Plus, they’re more visually diverse than, say, lawn grass.
Consider planting some Washington flora this summer. We’ll get you started.
Pacific bleeding heart
Dicentra formosa
Water needs: Consistently moist soil
Light needs: Partial to full shade
Season of interest: Late spring to mid-summer
Attracts: Hummingbirds, caterpillars
Growing tips: Make sure to give this plant a little more love during hot and dry periods. They’ll quickly die without enough water.
Western trillium
Trillium ovatum
Water needs: Consistently moist soil
Light needs: Full shade
Season of interest: Spring
Attracts: Bees, moths, beetles
Growing tips: These plants get a lot of their nutrients from rotting plant matter, so don’t be afraid to let twigs and leaves build up underneath them or use a leafy mulch to help them out.
Vine maple
Acer circinatum
Water needs: Prefers moist soil, but can tolerate dry spells
Light needs: Partial shade
Season of interest: Year-round
Attracts: Squirrels, chipmunks, birds
Growing tips: While these trees grow up to 30 feet tall, they’ll stay around 12-14 feet in most gardens, making them an excellent ornamental tree. They also partners well with western bleeding hearts.
Red-osier dogwood
Cornus sericea
Water needs: Moist to wet
Light needs: Full sun
Season of interest: Year-round
Attracts: Birds, butterflies
Growing tips: This shrub loves wet soil, so it does well next to any sort of water features you may have. But also note that this plant spreads once mature, so give it a little room or watch for any new plants.
