When I posted the Native Plant Pollinator garden ideas on Instagram this week I got a question about planting ideas for sandy soils. Seeing as much of Wasaga, and anyone on the beach, deals with this I thought I’d put together some options for sandy sites. 

Josh and I actually have an extremely exciting project on the go parsing native plants for the South Georgian Bay area into an interactive spreadsheet that allows us to sort based on soil conditions, pollinators of preference, bloom times, local supplier etc. It’s going to make garden consults even easier. All you need to do is tell us about your site and very quickly we’ll be able to get back to you with what is best suited based on your criteria. But, that is in the works so for right now …

My intention is to present weeklyish The Friday Five. 

This will be 5 native plants biologically suited to the South Georgian Bay area. That means if you are honest about your sun/shade/moisture/soil conditions and choose one of these plants they will thrive. This is naturally their home. 

Does that mean we have to toss our roses and peonies?

Some people choose to go all out native. Others like the 70/30 rule of thumb. They try for 70% native species but have the 30% that they absolutely love and could never be without. Others chose to make a small corner of their yard pollinator friendly. It's your yard. 

Let’s start with sandy soil and sun. It sounds beachy, it smells of hot summer days and cool bay water. 

Onwards and upwards my pollinator pals. 

Full Sun / Some Shade

1. Candle Anemone 

(Anemone cylindrica)

Flowers: June to July

Greenish, white blooms with a green cone center. Pretty green, lacey leaves. 

Height: 24- 36 inches

Habitat: Open sandy woodlands in full to part sun. Prefers moist to average sandy soils. 

Family: Buttercup

Notes: Excellent for native restoration projects. Produces an interesting thimble shaped seed head hence the common name Thimbleweed. The seeds provide wildlife food and nesting material.

Sold Nearby: 

Plants

Elmvale - Return of the Native

2. Old Field Aster, Frost Aster

(Symphyotrichum pilosum)

Flowers: August to frost

Copious white blooms that are a great attraction to bees. 

Height: 12-36 inches

Habitat: Prefers average to dry sandy soils. Will tolerate some clay. Enjoys full to part sun.  In disturbed soils it will outcompete alien weeds.

Family: Aster

Notes: An insect magnet. Great food source for wildlife at the end of the season. Freely self sows. 

Sold Nearby: Not that I could find

3. Red or Cut-Leaf Anemone 

(Anemone multifida)

Flowers: May to June

Dark pink/red blooms with white and yellow centers. The leaves are green and deeply cut to form a lacy pattern. Forms a clump. 

Height: 10-20 inches tall

Habitat: Found along the shores and rocky banks of South Georgian Bay in dry to moist and sandy to average soils. Prefers full sun to light shade. 

Family: Buttercup

Notes: Self sows.

Sold Nearby: Not that I could find

4. Smooth Aster, Smooth Blue Aster

(Symphyotrichum laeve)

Flowers: August to October

Blue or violet blooms on a tall, attractive plant. 

Height: 24-48 inches

Habitat: Well drained average or sandy soil. Can be found in rocky places as well. Often seen in open Oak or Jack Pine woodland. Prefers full sun to light shade and is intolerant of taller competition. Colony forming. 

Family: Aster

Notes: Deer resistant. Good for prairie type restoration projects. Wildlife magnet. 

Sold Nearby:

Seeds 

Kilworthy (near Gravenhurst) - Hidden Habitat

Plants

Kilworthy (near Gravenhurst) - Hidden Habitat

Elmvale - Return of the Native

5. Wild Bergamot, Purple Beebalm

(Monarda fistulosa)

Flowers: All summer

Long lasting lavender/purple frilly flowers. Gets bedraggled late in the season, can be cut back. 

Height: 24-48 inches

Habitat: Dry to moist, sandy, well drained soil. Found in open woods of Oak or Jack Pine. Can tolerate clay. Enjoys full to part sun. Flops over if the soil is too rich. 

Family: Mint

Notes: Deer resistant. Prone to mildew if crowded. Divide as often as necessary to provide good air circulation for each clump and don't crowd with other plants. Good for restoration projects.  A Xerces Society favourite. Magnet for its own specialist bee Dufourea monardae, as well as other bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Can be aggressive in favorable conditions. 

I planted Wild Bergamot in my garden last year and am looking forward to seeing it bloom this year.

Sold Nearby:

Seeds

Elmvale - Return of the Native

Kilworthy (near Gravenhurst) - Hidden Habitat

Palmerston - Hawthorn (where I got my seeds last year)

Plants

Elmvale - Return of the Native

Mulmur - Not So Hollow Farm

Kilworthy (near Gravenhurst) - Hidden Habitat