Did You Know?? Gardening Info
Welcome Pollinators
BASIL
Humans aren't the only basil fans - pollinators also go gaga for it. Some types are bred specifically for their abundant blooms. Magic Mountain and Wild Magic flower all summer, attracting bees and others. Culinary basil, such as Genovese is tastier but it does not have the same flowering power.
PENSTEMON
There's a penstemon (aka beardtongue) for every garden, whether you want something bright orange or pale purple, petite or towering. It's a draw for various pollinators, but red flowers will attract the most hummingbirds. Smooth penstemon are prevalent in the East.
ASTER
Asters' daisy-shaped faces pop out right when many flowers close up shop in late summer and fall, making them an important source of nectar for butterflies, moths and bees when food is in shorter supply. Try planting smooth blue aster in the East and Midwest.
LUPINE
In shades of blue, purple, white and yellow, these tall flower spires-which bloom atop gorgeous textured foliage-are a major draw for all types of bees and many butterflies. Perennial (wild) lupine is most common in the East.
MILKWEED
Milkweed is the only host plant for the monarch butterfly, meaning it is the one place females lay their eggs and young caterpillars feed. It offers nectar to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds too. Consider planting swamp milkweed and butterfly milkweed.
The last flowers of 2021
Perennial Chrysanthemum
Autumn Crocus
Spring Sightings in Littleton
2021
Primroses
Pieris Foresti
Chionodoxa
Wind Flower
Dandelion
Double Bloodroot
Striped Squill
White Forsythia
Trout Lily
Lady Slipper
Aconites
Snowdrops
Crocuses
Lenten Rose
Blue Hyacinth
Corydalis
Dutchman's Breechers
Pasque Flower
Trillium
White Violets
Ocean of Hostas
Fritilana
Hobble Bush
Foam Flower
Allium
Previous Years
Coltsfoot appears to be the first perennial spotted in the senior center garden by the river in Littleton. We think of it as being the first perennial wildflower.
Pulmonaria is the first perennial that is not a bulb or corm. There are four different varieties in this bouquet. It is called pulmonaria because the first botanical namers used to name plants after parts of the body, if they saw some resemblance. The spotted leaves of pulmonaria seemed to resemble lungs. Hence its common name lungwort. The variety that has pink and blue flowers on the same head, is also called Mary and Joseph which can also be found in the senior center garden.
Squill, Scilla siberica is a bulb but it also spreads through seeds. It often pops up in open countryside and lawns so that sometimes you will see a whole lawn of brilliant blue in front of a house. White Scilla, which is in fact pale blue, is seen more often in flowerbeds.
Pussy willow, is the male catkin of the willow tree, Salix Discolor. It is one of the earliest signs of spring. If you find pussy willow do not put it in water and it will last indefinitely
The daffodils are a sweet miniature daffodil, that blooms early and is called tête-à-tête because it can have two or three flowers on one stem. It is fragrant and perfect for a rock garden or a little nook in a flower bed. The botanical name for daffodils is narcissus, the names daffodil and jonquil ultimately can be traced back to Greek and Latin words for a rod.
A beautiful little plant that originates in Asia and seeds all over the place.
Johnny-jump-ups, an all time favorite
Bluets that are often more white than blue.
Visit the National Gardener, now fully digital at
Check out NH Blooms at
This website provides resources for flower identification and you can submit your observations of what you see blooming. You can print out an observation sheet to keep track of when you find flowers blooming and whether you’re seeing pollinators
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