How It’s a Win-Win When We Follow Nature’s Calendar

Working with the seasons helps us create landscapes that are as beautiful to nature as they are to us.

Every spring when the snow melts, ferns start appearing like clockwork flat against the ground. Nature’s timing is impeccable – these plants leaf out to catch some rays before the tree canopy closes.

Phenology is just a fancy word for nature’s calendar – when plants emerge, flower, set seed and go dormant. Working with these natural rhythms rather than fighting them makes gardening in the Highlands both easier and more rewarding. At Grounded, these patterns are key to creating landscapes that work year-round.

Spring: The Rush of Renewal

Spring in Haliburton isn’t gradual – it’s a rush. After months of snow, everything happens at once. The action starts in our woodlands, where spring ephemerals, such as Trilliums, bloom while the trees are still bare. Plants such as violets also flower, followed by Early Meadowrue and Wild Blue Phlox.

As spring rushes onwards, upland and shoreline plants leaf out and flower. Red Columbine’s trumpet-like flowers are timed for when the hummingbirds arrive. Wild Strawberry, whose green leaves we see soon after the snow melts, blooms with tiny, white flowers.

Summer: Peak Production

By June, the garden shifts into high gear. Last summer, I watched a patch of Black-eyed Susan at Lucas House become so busy with pollinators that the plants seemed to vibrate.

July is Milkweed month. The sweet scent of Common Milkweed fills the air, while Swamp Milkweed lights up damp areas with pink flower clusters. I’ve counted several insect species on a single plant, again at Lucas House – not just Monarchs, but native bees, beetles, and other butterflies too.

By late August, some plants have set seed. I leave spent flowers standing rather than cutting them back. Those seedheads will feed birds well into winter, and they look fantastic against snow.

As August turns to September, it’s the turn of the goldenrods and asters. Canada Goldenrod is famous for its abundance (a little too vigorous for most of our gardens) but it has plenty of other interesting siblings. Pale blue asters line our roadsides.

Fall: The Harvest Season

Fall in Haliburton is famous for a reason. Our maples start turning in September, but a natural garden offers more than leaf color. This is when fruits and seeds take center stage.

It’s fascinating to watch Milkweed pods split open, releasing seeds when winds will carry them.

Winter: The Subtle Season

Winter reveals some of the most beautiful moments, even though most people don’t think about gardening then. After fresh snow, seedheads become delicate sculptures. Red Osier Dogwood twigs stand out against white. Even Pearly Everlasting’s papery heads catch light in ways they don’t during summer.

By April, the cycle begins again. Maple buds swell weeks before flowering. Evergreen groundcovers green up as snow melts. These subtle cues signal spring’s approach long before obvious signs appear.
This resilience makes native plants so valuable in Haliburton. They’re adapted to our climate extremes. They know when to grow, flower, and go dormant. All I have to do is work with their natural rhythms instead of fighting them.

Next time you’re at your cottage, notice what’s happening in the natural world. What’s flowering? What’s fruiting? What insects are visiting? These observations are the first step toward creating landscapes that work with nature’s calendar rather than against it.

They’re how we create a garden or shoreline that is interesting to us and to nature – all year round.