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Meadows & Prairies

What should I include in my flower garden?

Kristen Hallock

19 years ago

I'm replanting my wildflower garden. I originally planted it 2 years ago with a mix + grey headed coneflower, cosmos, maximillion sunflowers. But last year it got overgrown with weeds and wasn't so colorful since I didnt reseed with annuals last year.

So this week I dug up all the grass that was overtaking my garden and last night I reseeded. I put down a Northeastern mix, black-eyed susans, dame's rocket, forget me nots, cosmos, and baby's breath. I still have alot of the maximillion sunflowers growing at the back of the garden. I heard those can take over sometimes! Anyone have experiance with them?

Is there a perennial or annual that I can throw down (either once of each year) that will help take over the garden so that weeds and grass dont? The soil is heavy clay and I do live next to a marsh, although the spot isn't wet.

Thanks.

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Comments (3)

franeli
19 years ago
Ox-eye daisies? Seeds of purple cone?
I winter sowed some and planted them in my meadow. They are doing well!
In the wild, the ox eyes are getting ready to bloom.
How about some lupin? They will self sow. People are really into putting the purple ones in their meadows and open spaces. Throw seeds around and they will grow this summer and bloom next spring.
Joe Pye weed and milk weed near the marsh?
Queen ann's lace is taking over parts of my meadow.
I threw some birds foot trefoil into my grass mix and that is awesome this year. Little yellow pea shaped flowers poking up through the grass with purple clover.
Yarrow? I have some nice clumps
john_mo
19 years ago
I think you are a bit, uh, optimistic to think that you can 'throw down' some seeds and end up with a colorful wildflower garden free of weeds.

You do have some aggressive species in your mix, such as the sunflowers and the often-invasive exotic dames rocket. They might be able to fend for themselves against invading turf grasses.

There really is a choice that needs to be made between having a wildflower GARDEN, which needs to be weeded and cared for like any other garden (weeding, mulching, re-planting, etc) and a balanced meadow HABITAT that is more self-sustaining. The latter choice should include lots of native grasses, which will limit invasion by weeds and turf grasses. Such a meadow is lower-maintenance, needing only occasional mowing or burning once established, but it will not live up to the expectation of an annual flower show.
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Kristen Hallock
Original Author
19 years ago
Ok JohnMO. I guess I didn't describe my hopes exactly. I realize you cant just throw down seeds and hope everything comes up hunky-dorey. The reason it got overgrown last year is because I was too busy with my wedding all summer to spend alot of time gardening. I would like to change that though. Which is why I dug up everything this year to start over. There has to be some flowers that spread faster than others, right? I was wondering what those flowers might be, thats all. Of course I will still need to dig up grass and weeds and pay some attention to the garden. It is in my front yard so I would prefer a colorful display that requires some work rather than a meadow that has more tall grasses.

I know blue lupines seem to spread fast, and I have another garden with 100+ of those right now. So maybe I should consider transplanting a few to my wildflower garden. Thanks for your help.

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