Spring has sprung and it’s time to start your spring gardening!

When planning and planting your spring garden, you want to keep several things in mind.

Make sure you plant something that is non-invasive. You don’t want your yard or garden taken over by an aggressive plant.

Avoid poisonous plants. Believe it or not, there are many plants where some or all parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested. Keep this in mind if you have children or pets that will be in your yard. Know the plants you are planting, and find out if they would be a danger in your yard.

Try to stick with native plants. Native plants are well suited to your soil and climate. In North Carolina, the widespread use of non-native plants is threatening the population of native plants.

There are a variety of natives that are not only just as gorgeous as foreign ornamentals but they also provide cover for and attract local wildlife. Here are few favorites and who they attract:

• Wild geranium (Geranium carolinianum) - known for its small, five-petal flowers that come in white and pale pink. Wild geraniums seeds attract mourning doves, bobwhite quail and white-tailed deer. The nectar attracts butterflies, bees and other insects.

• Eastern red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) - a very flashy, red-yellow flower. The blooms attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and hawk moths. The seeds are eaten by finches and buntings. The plant is a larval host for the Columbine Duskywing butterfly.

• Carolina phlox (Phlox carolina) - A tall weedy plant, with small blooms. The nectar attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.

Remember the old adage, “The first year a garden sleeps. The second year it creeps. The third year it leaps.” Remain patient with your gardens. It usually takes three or more years to see the full results of your landscaping efforts and to see your native plants being used by local wildlife.

Want more backyard gardening tips? Be sure to stop by the Museum this Saturday for Earth Day Play Date.

Mecklenburg Extension Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer backyard gardening questions and provide lots of ideas for gardening with children. Kids will get to fill a newspaper pot with seeds and soil to take home.

By Mary Wells, Naturalist, Charlotte Nature Museum