Benefits of a Wild Flower Garden
If you have a large area to plant, or are just looking for an alternative to buying plants from the garden center, you should consider planting a wild flower garden from seed. There are many benefits to a wild flower garden. Low cost is a major benefit of wild flower gardening. Since your meadow will be started from seed, you could get hundreds of plants for a fraction of the cost of buying them individually from a garden center. Another benefit is hardiness and low maintenance. Since the basis of a wild flower garden is native plants, once established the wild flower meadow will need very low maintenance. Just as in nature, there aren't sprinklers, mulch and fertilizer to contend with. Be sure to note however, low maintenance does not mean no-maintenance. Just like in the wild, weeds will take over if you don't spend some time managing your weeds. A third benefit is scale. If you have a large area to plant, starting with seed will allow you to cover a large area quickly. Plus as you go through seasons, your perennials will drop seed, naturalize, and cover more area in your garden. A fourth benefit is the natural environment you are planting will create an environment for birds, butterflies, and other creatures. You'll have a little slice of nature right in your back yard.
Choosing Your Seed
The first step to getting started is choosing your seed. Understand your zone, and match that zone to a wild flower blend that is designed specifically for your zone. Equally important is your sun level. If you are going full sun, make sure you have at least 8 hours of full mid day sun. Remember wild flower seed blends are designed to mimic nature. Think about a wide open prairie of wild flowers, that prairie gets much more than 8 hours of sun! Always err on the side of enough sun for your selection, don't try to stretch into a sun situation which puts you in the minimum needed range. Weak sun for plants that need full sun will result in weak plants. Buy your seed in bulk. An obvious and terrific source of inexpensive bulk seed is the internet, try searching for "wild flower seed". Another key tip is in your first year is to consider buying some annual seed, like cosmos, zinnia, etc… Not all perennials from seed will flower in year one, and filling in your first year with annuals will give color and satisfaction. However, some seed mixes will be blended already with annuals to help you through the first year of getting established.
Planting Time, Spring or Fall
The next step is to decide when to plant. There is no "right choice" between the two options, early spring and late fall. What they have in common is "weed defense". When you plant will marshal your strategy against the enemy of wild flower planting…the weeds. In both planting scenarios, you will want to expose as much bare dirt as possible and deal with your weeds. First, expose as much dirt as you can. If you do this in the spring, wait two weeks after digging, and you will see weeds starting to sprout. These weeds should be killed off using a weed spray, or "picked" out which will require a bit more growth. Your goal is to get a relatively "weed free" soil. If you plant in the fall you do you will sow directly in the soil in the late fall after your weeds have died. Fall planting means your seeds will be competing with weed seeds in the spring. With fall planting, try to "pull" as many weeds as possible prior to sowing. Being as vigilant as possible with your pre-weeding will ensure more success.
Final Step, Sowing and Watering
Once you have worked to become weed free, mix your seeds in with some playground sand, 75% sand, 25% seeds. This will make it much easier to sow, and you'll be able to see where you are dropping your seeds. Don't skip this step. The seeds are tiny, and it is very easy to create un-even seed sowing without the sand trick. You wouldn't drive in the dark without headlights, right? Once your seeds are sown, you will need to water for about 10-14 days. The key is to watering is keeping the soil evenly moist. If you have sown in the spring, there's a good chance mother nature will help you with rain. To keep evenly moist, you'll need to water two times per day. Within three weeks you will have seedlings and you will be on your way to a beautiful meadow. When the plants are young, you can water as needed, but once established you should never have to water. The last step is enjoy your new wild flower gardens!
 | Flower gardens are a classic landscaping choice that will add beauty to your home and give you a new connection with the earth. |
 | Spring flowering bulbs exuberantly herald the end of winter with bright blasts of color like fireworks in slow motion. When we squirrel away these gems in the fall, we almost forget about them. Then they pleasantly surprise us as they emerge the following spring when everything else is still drab and barren. |
 | Tall perennials play a number of roles in the landscape. A tall perennial makes a great accent plant, calling attention to itself as it towers over the garden. A mass of tall perennials makes the perfect backdrop for a well-designed bed. Tall perennials are also perfect for covering bare walls or fences. Tall perennials can also form natural screens or borders to create private outdoor spaces. |
If you are interested to know how to prepare your garden bed for annuals, don't worry it is not a difficult task and you will find it very easy and interesting job. It requires a little art and creativity to have blooms in your garden bed with a variety of colors such as pink, red, orange, purple and yellow. |
Flower shows are an invaluable resource for gardeners, from the novice to the most experienced. |
