There's another weed/wildflower in my garden that's really pretty in some of its permutations. I've been calling it a "wild geranium" because the leaves sort of look like geranium leaves. I finally found it on the net and it's actually mallow. Several types, to be specific. The prettiest are the "tree mallow" or "hollyhock mallow," which grow to several feet tall (if tops aren't pinched off) and have relatively large, brightly colored (pink, purple, or 'striped') blossoms. Then there is the "common mallow," which has much smaller, white or pale pink flowers and usually spreads out over the ground. Pretty sure these are hardy annuals, not perennials, and it's pretty easy to pull up the unwanted young plants in the spring when the ground is moist. I have a friend whose back yard was abundant with the large, colorful varieties, and I found it easy to harvest the seeds. Mallow is also a widely used medicinal plant/herb. Here are some pics: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/latestpressrelease/2005-42puffins.asp http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/flowers/index.php?action=show_item&id=257&search= http://www.cwss-scm.ca/Weeds/images/Mal2-common-mallow.JPG http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://212.84.179.117/i/Mallow.jpg&imgrefurl=http://212.84.179.117/list.htm&h=300&w=189&sz=17&hl=en&start=11&tbnid=Qhhpso2ryidvJM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=73&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmallow%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D http://212.84.179.117/i/Musk-mallow.jpg http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://aco.ca/acorns/_images/perennial_gardens/Wild-Mallow-Blooms-July-thr.jpg&imgrefurl=http://aco.ca/perennial_gardens.html&h=335&w=350&sz=46&hl=en&start=64&tbnid=bSmecGCNXHPMpM:&tbnh=115&tbnw=120&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmallow%26start%3D54%26ndsp%3D18%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/latestpressrelease/2005-42puffins.asp http://thebegavalley.com/uploads/tx_steverplantgallery/Malva_parviflora_04_small-flowered%20mallow.jpg http://www.easywildflowers.com/quality/cal.di1.jpg http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.naturedirect2u.com/Medicinal%2520herbs/mallowpic4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.naturedirect2u.com/Medicinal%2520herbs/mallowherb.htm&h=387&w=368&sz=42&hl=en&start=137&tbnid=8iP2FaB60KZ36M:&tbnh=123&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmallow%26start%3D126%26ndsp%3D18%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.garten.cz/images_enc/00058/00058C1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.garten.cz/encyklopedie.php%3Flng%3Den%26encid%3D58&h=200&w=150&sz=13&hl=en&start=234&tbnid=9y9Rq8Mivh7YuM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=78&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmallow%26start%3D220%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

I think that you are going to have a wildflower garden that includes some of the grass that was there before you planted. There is probably no way to get rid of it now, and even if you did, it might just move in later. you'll have to accept this, which means you don't have to worry about pulling up all the grass. I would instead try to make sure that really noxious weeds are kept out, and keep pulling larger weeds or trailing grasses which seem ot be crowding out wildflowers. Things like Canada Thistle, Spotted Knapweed, and similar invasive plants that could really take over should be killed. You can pull out the larger clumps of grass, but probably most of the wildflowers will be able to coexist with grass pretty well. I am assuming that the grass is one of the common exotic pasture or lawn grasses - orchard grass, timothy, etc. Eventually you should be able to have a mix of wildflowers, some grasses, and some weeds that still gives you the look and feel of a prairie despite the presence of some non-natives. Keep in mind that it would be almost impossible to have zero non-natives. You are instead trying for a balance that includes all the flowers you want and not too much stuff that you don't want.

Yes, I do see the dandelion leaf in that shot now, I think. And the small dandelion plant in the last one. They very well could be multiple things there. I will look at some Erigeron species and compare them to what I have outside. Thank you very much, again!

yes, it totally could be. This house had a well tended garden, but in the last couple years I think the owner had some health issues, and we all know how fast weed can take over. I was curious so I let it go, one of the few I did let go. I can't see the leaves at all, they are under the cover of the hosta, and I don't think they are very attractive. But, that particular yellow colored bloom and flower shape seems to look nice to me with the lupine. I'd like to try and emulate that look with something with nicer foliage. If anyone has any suggestions as to what my bloom with the lupine and resemble that sort of color and light, airy, flower, I'd love to hear them. Thank you linaria_gw!