Gardening with Heart & Mind

“Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are” - Alfred Austin 

Our gardens are a reflection of who we are. They give us pleasure, can be a form of therapy, and allow for self-expression. In a garden we are free to try new things, fail, learn, and try again. It’s a living classroom where the learning never ends. So what if this year, we garden with more heart, thought, and intention? This is what I mean:

When selecting plants to add to a space, let’s really get to know the plant. What does the plant offer beyond it’s lovely flower? Does it have interesting foliage or attractive seedhead? What type of conditions will make it thrive? What kind of neighbors will it get along with?  Which pollinators will it attract during the growing season? Will some insects benefit from it standing over winter? When we ask these kinds of questions and do some research, we make better choices and everyone benefits, especially the plants and the pollinators.

Epimedium beginning to leaf out

As I have matured as a gardener and a designer, I consider foliage to be just as important as flowers. This is a must especially with perennials and woody plants whose bloom time is brief. With a nod to February as American Heart Month, here are three plants with heart-shaped leaves and the pollinators that love them: 

• Epimedium grandiflorum (Barrenwort). The species in the Epimedium genus is much more wide and varied than what is represented at retail garden centers - which is not their fault. My eyes were opened a few years ago to a whole world of Epimedium and I was smitten. These shade plants are extremely hardy in SE Wisconsin and grow well in dry shade - even among tree roots. Their heart-shaped leaves are some of the first to green up in spring and take on lovely autumn hues well into November. The flowers are charming and dainty and come in almost every pastel color. The shape of the leaves give it the name 'Fairy wings' and seem to flutter in the breeze. Bumblebees and leaf cutter native bees are attracted to the spring flowers. 

 

•  Brunnera macrophylla (False Forget-me-not) is another great plant for part-shade. The heart-shaped leaves are rough to the touch and have a fresh green color with some variegation depending on the cultivar. I’m especially fond of it’s petite blue flowers in spring that look very much like forget-me-nots. The true forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica) is on the Wisconsin DNR’s restricted list, so Brunnera is a good alternative. The blue flowers attract mainly bees, but moths and other early pollinators will visit. Both Brunnera and Epimedium are Black Walnut and deer tolerant.

 

• Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud). Native to the US, the redbud can be a bit finicky here in SE Wisconsin unless planted in a protected spot. That being said, back when I was taking horticulture classes, I grew one from seed and it still stands 20 years later. Redbuds are a smaller understory tree with a graceful habit. They are most loved for their purplish-pink flowers that emerge in spring before the attractive heart-shaped leaves. This native tree supports several types of pollinators including honeybees, bumblebees, mason bees, and is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae.  

Redbud 'Covey'

Redbud leaf

I hope you’ll give more thought to your plant choices this year. Don’t be wooed only by the blossoms - learn all you can about the plant’s needs and what it offers before adding it to your garden. Then continue to observe, learn, and make adjustments. And remember to find joy in the process.​