Very nice of you folks to comment on the photos, thank you. My wife and I are toiling away trying to photograph as many Saskatchewan forbs as we can, have about 400 species completed. A very fun hobby for us, lots of hiking outdoors, and when searching for rare plants it's rather like treasure hunting. But involves 1000s of km driving in the growing season, Saskatchewan is about the size of California + Oregon. For anyone reading this, would you care to comment on the inclusion of a ruler in the photographs. I think in general it's a good thing to get a sense of scale particularly for small plants. I got the idea to include a ruler from the photgraphic standards for the work-in-progress, Flora of Saskatchewan. I know the USDA states they do NOT want any ruler, coin, etc. included in photos donated for their image database: "Pictures with rulers (coins, knives, etc.) look artificial. We prefer natural-looking pictures since these are more versatile, and plant dimensions can be obtained from floras and other sources. If used, rulers should be limited to supplemental images such as those showing the size of a cone, rhizome, perigynia, or other plant part."

I don't want to discourage you, RonLee2. I'm thrilled you want to grow wildflowers! My own goal is to create a native wildflower meadow. Native plants support native wildlife--from butterflies and other pollinators on up to birds (which feed their young with insects that are attracted to native plants) as well as other animals. Unfortunately, I agree with esh_ga. As soon as I saw the package, I assumed it was a "wildflowers in a can" type. You will likely have some flowers and enjoy it the first year, but from what I've read and heard, it will become a tangle of weeds by the 2nd or third year. I'm trying hard to figure out how to word this, so I don't sound preachy. :-) I strongly suggest that, in the coming years, you grow native plants to support the butterflies and hummingbirds you desire. Providing nectar for butterflies only feeds the adults. To sustain a population of butterflies, you also have to provide the wildflowers (native plants) that their caterpillars need to feed on. Caterpillars must eat from a specific host plant. The adult butterfly will lay its eggs on the host plant, and you will be able to witness all of the stages of a butterflies life cycle. It is very exciting. The most common example of a host plant is the relationship monarch butterflies have with milkweeds. I have planted several species and was thrilled to watch the caterpillars grow. Just today, I saw a spicebush caterpillar hiding in a curled up spicebush leaf (its specific host plant). I'd like you to have the same thrilling experiences. Sorry, I was no help in identifying your plants, but I hope I was helpful with pointing you in the right direction for the goal I think you have in mind. :-)

Thank-you all for your replies! Dandy, I spent half of last yr "winter sowing"! I cut up milk bottles, decanted soil, etc etc. I grew Asclepias sp, columbine, button bushes, spicebushes, magnolias, Monarda sp. etc etc problem is I lost most of the seedlings to drought, strong, fast growing weeds and grass and slugs! I cannot bring myself to use more chemicals. I used some on the bittersweet vines and I feel bad about that. I know that in my case, chemicals are not going to work. I really haven't got the equipment or time to battle the meadow/hay/weed grass so I thought I'd identify the strong, maybe slightly invasive natives that will survive! I'd love to have a mix of native Asclepias but if I can get a few A. tuberosa and/or syriaca to take root in different spots I'll be happy! I will of course take the seed route again 'cause I can't afford plants...just wishful thinking. Maybe I'll try some coneflowers and hyssop....how bad are the sunflowers?

My first question is, who owns the ditch? You may have to get the approval of your local government or utility to do any work in this ditch. If you own it then plug away! As others have said, killing the existing vegetation is the first step. Since this is a ditch then I would say erosion is a concern. Therefore tilling is not a good option (though it works well with repeated disking in less erosion prone sites). Also, as others have said, smothering for small areas, herbicide for large areas. I would use an aquatic approved form of Glyphosate, such as Rodeo, Aqua-Neat or Aqua-Master. You will need at least 2 treatments, one to kill the currently living weeds and a second to kill those that emerge after the first ones die. A third treatment may even be necessary. Give it a month between treatments and watch the weather carefully so you don't apply the herbicided when rain is imminent. Sounds like you could put some wet prairie species in the bottom of your ditch and mesic prairie species along the sides. Rake off all the duff that has accumulated from the dead plants. Rake the soil throughly with a garden rake or dethatcher to prepare the soil as a seed bed. Then carefully distribute your seed, being sure not to spread it too thick in some areas and then run out in others! Once on the ground stomp on the or roll over them with something in such a way that will give you good seed to soil contact. This will be more effective if the ground is moist. For erosion prone areas such as a ditch I recommend putting down erosion control matting material after you throw down your seed. If you are only slightly worried about erosion (little overland flow and little to no water flow in the ditch) a S75 material should be fine (That's Straw with a thickness/density rating of 75). If there is a fair amount of surface water run-off or if there is occational flowing water in the ditch, then use SC150 (Straw and Coir (coconut fiber) materials, and thicker). You will need to use landscaping staples to hold this in place, use as directed by your retailer. Once all this is down, you can plant plugs right through the matting if you wish. Cut a hole in the mating with a razor knife, di stick the plugs in. You will need to add a few staples around each hole you cut in the matting to keep it matted down well on the ground. Mixing plugs into a seeded planting is a great way to get some good progress early on (you will probably get at least some flowers in the very first year) with enough native plant material present to create a solid matrix this will cover bare earth and help fend of the influx of new weeds. Good luck.