Today’s Forecast

35º | Cloudy | 15% chance of sleet | Sunrise 7:28 a.m. | Sunset 4:39 p.m.

🌸 Grow big, grow home

Become an expert on native flowers

City Editor Ally spotted these beauties in the Greenbush neighborhood. | Photo by 608today

You love local food, music, business, and art — so while you’re planning your garden this spring, why not choose local plants, too?

Native plants are naturally adapted to the local climate, provide sustenance to native wildlife, and save water by thriving on normal rainfall. Plus, they’re more visually diverse than, say, lawn grass.

Consider planting some Wisconsin flora this spring. We’ll get you started.

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

Water needs: Moist, Dry
Light needs: Sun
Bloom time: March-November

Growing tips: Black-eyed Susan can become aggressive without competition, so consider planting it alongside other plants on this list.

Attracts: Birds, butterflies (Bordered Patch + Gorgone Checkerspot)

Butterfly Milkweed

Asclepias tuberosa

Water needs: Moist, dry
Light needs: Sun, shade, part-shade
Bloom time: May-September

Growing tips: Butterfly weed attracts aphids, which you can deal with by spraying with soapy water, blasting with high-pressure streams, or by leaving the aphids for ladybugs.

Attracts: Hummingbirds, butterflies (Monarch + Grey Hairstreak)

Common Blue Violet

Viola sororia

Water needs: Moist
Light needs: Sun, part-shade
Bloom time: March-May

Growing tips: Violets grow easily in well-drained soil, but watch out for a violet takeover if growing conditions are too ideal.

Attracts: Birds, small mammals — humans can also cook or candy violets to eat

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

Water needs: Dry
Light needs: Sun, part-shade
Bloom time: April-September

Growing tips: Suited to northeast Texas, purple coneflower thrives in lean soil with ~six hours of direct sunlight daily.

Attracts: Hummingbirds, butterflies

Wild Red Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Water needs: Moist, dry
Light needs: Shade, part-shade
Bloom time: February-July

Growing tips: Plant columbine in thin, well-drained soil to ensure a long lifespan. This flower struggles in heat, so plant in the shade before temperatures climb in spring.

Attracts: Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, hawk moths, finches, and buntings

Events

Friday, May 12

Friday Family Films | Friday, May 12 | 6 p.m. | Goodman South Library, 2222 S. Park St., Madison | Free | Catch a free screening of “The Incredibles” with the fam.
The Jimmys | Friday, May 12 | 8 p.m. | Red Rooster Madison, 2513 Seiferth Rd., Madison | $15 | Jam out with this award-winning, high-energy seven-piece blues band.

Saturday, May 13

Wisco Barbell Club Grand Opening Extravaganza | Saturday, May 13 | 12-4 p.m. | Wisco Barbell Club, 539 Tasman St., Madison | Free | Stop by for a celebration of food, fitness, and fun for the whole family.
Acewood Conservation Volunteer Day | Saturday, May 13 | 9-11 a.m. | Acewood Conservation Park, 4499 Leo Dr., Madison | Learn plant identification, conservation methods, and park history.

Sunday, May 14

Midwest Vintage Flea Spring ’23 | Sunday, May 14 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Garver Feed Mill, 3241 Garver Green, Madison | Free | Browse products from 40 regional vintage stores and independent vendors.
“A Woman Is...” | Sunday, May 14 | 3-4:30 p.m. | Diane Ballweg Theatre, 1000 Edgewood College Dr., Madison | $25 | This cabaret about family, identity, and becoming who you are is part of the World Premiere Wisconsin festival.

Monday, May 15

Cocktails 101 | Monday, May 15 | 6 p.m. | Red Rooster Madison, 2513 Seiferth Rd., Madison | $40 | Sample four cocktails and receive instruction from experienced bartenders on how to make each.
Madison Art Guild Virtual Show and Auction | Monday, May 15 | 11:59 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Catch the last day of this virtual auction benefiting Art for All Madison.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Finance

Kick back and retire (yes, please)

SmartAsset matches you with vetted financial advisors in your area. | Photo by SmartAsset

This billion-dollar startup wants to help you retire.

If you’re one of the whopping 110 million Americans over age 50 — or a wise Millennial looking to get ahead — SmartAsset’s no-cost tool makes it easy to find vetted financial advisors who serve your area.

It’s never too late to work towards more radiant golden years. Take this quiz to see if you can retire comfortably.*

Take the free quiz

News Notes

Shop

It’s garage sale weekend in the Madison area. Over 200 sales are listed for the Waunakee Garage Day Sales, which runs through Sunday, May 13. Hit all the sales this Mother’s Day weekend by browsing yard sale search sites or Nextdoor. (NBC 15)

Development

The Lake Monona Waterfront Ad-hoc Committee selected Sasaki for the Waterfront Design Challenge. The design firm will refine its plan based on community input before presenting it to the Madison Common Council in October.

Award

One City Schools kindergarten teacher Tiffany Ortego received the Changemaker Award from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. This award recognizes her introduction of programs that greatly benefit the educational journeys of her students. (Channel 3000)

Community

The Hmong Institute’s annual fundraiser will be held on Saturday, May 20. Community members are invited to enjoy a Hmong dinner, participate in a silent auction, and support the institute’s programs — mental health support for elders, food distribution, and language/culture enrichment. (Madison 365)
Check out Drum Power’s 10th annual Africa Night Student Showcase tonight at the Starlight Theater. Drum Power encourages young people to explore African cultural traditions while developing social-emotional skills. (Madison.com)

Civic

Ian Brown has been appointed as the new Forester for the City of Madison. With 17 years of urban forestry experience, he will lead the Urban Forestry section of the City’s Streets Division — which includes tree planting, pruning, and maintenance.

Featured Deal

Madison Adventure Tours is offering 10% off any Downtown Madison Tour now through Wednesday, Nov. 1. Led by experienced guides, this tour takes you through the city’s vibrant neighborhoods, past iconic landmarks, and along the beautiful shores of Lake Mendota, Lake Monona + Lake Wingra. Use code 608ADVENTURE to snag the deal.*

Kids

Let your kids touch the stove

Summer cooking camps for kids in Madison

Two kids in denim aprons gaze at a counter holding a bowl of flour, chocolate chips, and croissants.

Kids will be whipping up French pastries in no time. | Photo via Sur La Table

Let us explain. We’d only recommend this activity under professional supervision, with detailed instruction and the promise of tasty treats at the end — AKA, everything you get in one of Sur La Table’s cooking camps.

Check out the camps held at Sur La Table (712 N. Midvale Blvd.), perfect for little chefs who’d love hands-on cooking instruction this summer. Bon appétit.

🧁 For kids ages 7-11

Baking 101
This camp will have kids making everything from chocolate marble banana bread to homemade pizzas. Five-day camps are available June 19 through August 25. Browse camps and sign up for 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. slots.

Culinary Excursion
From a chicken dinner to taco night, little chefs will learn a breadth of recipes to make again. Five-day camps are available June 12 through August 18. Browse camps and sign up for 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. slots.*

More camps for kids + teens

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Ally

From the editor

Garage sales are always fun, they’re the perfect combo of two of my favorite things — being nosy and buying things I probably (definitely) don’t need. The Hill Farms Neighborhood Sale looks promising, here’s to hoping that the weather allows us at least one decent day of shopping.

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