Wildflowers for Wildlife

This past Saturday I attended a workshop at my local nature preserve. This class taught to the topic of adding wildflowers and other native vegetation as a means of attracting and supporting wildlife. I have been gradually adding to our home's stock. We inherited an extensive trumpet creeper growth, among others, and have successfully added Green Headed Coneflower and Lamb's Ear, and just now planted some Eastern Columbine (shown above: a favorite of Ruby Throated Hummingbirds) and additional coneflowers. We have tried others but our shade cover is very discouraging to many plants. Next in the plan are some Stokes Aster for our newest full sun garden and Trout Lily for the often wet sink in the far back yard. It seems so little right now. However, a little here and a little there over time leads to a vibrant wildflower community that will be ever inviting to our avian friends and their insectoid prey.