This Week in Wildflower Gardening

It's simple. When you prepare the ground for wildflower seeds this fall, plant bulbs at the same time. October is the one month of the year that is recommended for wildflower seed planting in every region of the US, and of course, it just happens to be a big month for planting bulbs, too. So choose perennial bulbs like the wild tulips, crocus, camassia, species daffodils, species iris, and any other "wildflower bulbs", pop them into the loose soil, spread your wildflower seed, and you'll have a meadow garden all set to bloom from early spring (the bulbs)on through summer fall (the wildflowers). Best of all, your bulbs and perennial wildflowers will be back to greet you for years. Happy fall planting.

For years, we have searched for a source of nursery-propagated woodland wildflowers and ferns for our members. Finally, we've found it. A very reputable North Carolina native plant nursery is supplying several woodland favorites for fall shipping, so we now are featuring those on the website. One is Hepatica, which is shown in the lovely photo, used graciously by permission of Dr. Brian Klinkenberg, the photographer. Take a look. All shipping will be in late September when these hard to find wildflower plants and ferns are dormant. All are priced at just 8.95 for two roots. New Woodland Wildflower Page.

These two photos are from John St. John, a member in New Hampshire. Mr. St. John planted our wild perennials last year, and this summer, he's enjoying the bloom, species by species. He writes, "In June it was the Lupines. In July, it's the Daisies. I can't wait for what happens next!" His backyard meadow is a perfect example of how our wildflower seed mixtures work. The species are planned for a succession of bloom. The Wild Blue Lupine blooms in June, and then in July, Gloriosa Daisies, which normally bloom that month, filled the exact same space in the meadow, right on schedule. That's how it's supposed to work, and we thank Mr. St. John for sharing his great photos of success. (By the way, "next" is probably Purple Coneflower, which blooms in August.)