Sounds like Deer Heaven to me. I did this in the area around my leach field, but moved before it matured. I had all the trees and shrubs caged in wire or tree tubes and it wasn't a pretty sight. Hard to find things that the deer won't eat, but I was trying calycanthus, lindera, assorted cornus, sambucus and spirea (in case everything else got eaten!) plus the white oaks, the nyssa sylvatica and a sourwood.

I don't think spot treating is going to give one an attractive wildflower meadow. Its going to look clumpy - IMPO. And most bulbs are not native, not sure if that is important to your planting or not. Round up is not as safe as claimed above. IT can hurt animals, particularly fish and amphibians, when not used correctly. I do think roundup is safer than most other herbicide alternatives, but it needs to be used wisely and in accordance with directions. If you are starting with lawn, I would either smother it with newspapers and mulch and plant the area in plugs. Or I would kill the area with round up, wait a few weeks, mow the dead turf off and then overseed the area with a quality wildflower mixture, right into the dead turf. You can get quality seed mixtures from places like Prairie Nursery, Prairie Moon Nursery and Ion Exchange. Those are US sources, you may be able to find a Canadian equivalent. The Prairie Nursery website contains some good instructions on how to prepare a site. I would suggest you read that also.

I won't be able to come. We will be in Oregon that weekend. I was hoping we would be leaving the following Sun or Mon, then I could come, but we're leaving on the 12th.

Xiangirl, that's a great idea -- to pinch them back. I wish I'd thought of that. Next year, for sure, as I imagine its too late for this season. I have an old fashion, single pink perennial mum that I try to remember to pinch back in early July for otherwise it gets very lanky. That mum begins to bloom in October and goes until snow or a hard frost knocks it down. It's one of the few things blooming in late October. Pollinators love it. I'd be happy to send you some if you don't already have it.