Klara Schempp ’25
EE Staff Writer
Spring is approaching, and along with it comes the gorgeous blooming of flowers and all types of nature. However, the real question is how to plant for nature’s takeover of spring.
Spring is not only a time for all floral nature but different types of gardens are also a significant piece of this breathtaking season. First off, non-floral gardens such as vegetable gardens are a great taste of spring. These gardens do not have to be big either, compact gardens are a popular choice for people who want the spring feel but do not need an immense amount of food.
Usually, these gardens contain delicious crunchy cherry tomatoes, basil plants, parsley plants, and any type of pepper. These are also great plants to start off with if you are a beginner, and they have amazing health benefits, being healthier than any store-bought vegetable. Not to mention these plants are practical for a variety of different needs in the kitchen such as flavoring or key ingredients.
Along with the vegetable garden, another great garden that brings in food is a fruit garden. On a small scale, popular choices for a fruit garden include blueberry bushes, strawberry bushes, and blackberry bushes. Of course, if berries are not your favorite you may want to look into dwarf plants that do not contain berries like apple or peach trees. Just like the vegetable garden, fruit gardens also are very healthy for you and make great dishes for the warmer spring days, such as fruit salads. In addition, sparkling fruit water is trending and these fresh fruits are a perfect ingredient. Lastly, the smell of fresh fruit lingering in the air gives the complete feel of spring.
On the other hand, floral gardens are always a go-to if food gardens or plants are not an interest. Great plants for this include tulips which are a symbol of spring, the well-known and loved daffodils, paperwhites, snowdrops, and Petunias. These require care such as watering once to twice a week, weeding invasive plants, mulching properly, and making sure they are planted where there is enough sunlight. Doing all of these things should provide an ideal floral garden, where bouquets can be made out of these flowers as gifts or just used for decoration in homes.
One type of garden that is unique, yet beautiful and perfect for spring is the butterfly garden. These gardens contain bushes with beautiful flowers that attract spectacular butterflies and bees to and create a garden busy with these insects. These are great as they embrace the insect aspect of nature and welcome and nourish these species. Another amazing part of this garden is that they often attract hummingbirds as well. Specific plants to include in this garden are aster, bee balm, black-eyed Susan, Egyptian star flower, and lantana. These are just a select few of the many great flowers for butterfly gardens, and the reason they are so admired is because they have flower heads that are large enough for butterflies to rest on and allow maximum nectar access.
All in all, this upcoming spring season is a perfect time to try out some of these awesome gardens to get the all around spring experience. Whether its a unique butterfly garden or a simple vegetable garden it will make a perfect addition to any outdoor space.