Not wild flowers , but I have been enjoying letting some weeds grow in my yard this summer. I always cut down the weeds, but this summer we had so little rain at first and I had some other things that distracted me from trimming up the yard as much as I used to do.

The result is that I have enjoyed some of the diverstity that has grown up. Some of these weeds are so dramatic!

With so much of the earth and the life on it threatened, I just wanted to let it grow, if it had the will to do so.

Of course I have mowed what amounts to "lawn". But all around the corners and along fences there is a thick natural growth that just thrives . Lots of these plants will bloom and it is my understanding that much of the small life depends on the habitat created by not disturbing the plant life and letting it cycle the seasons, in place.

I didnt set out to let the weeds grow , but as it happened I began to take on an entirely new appreciation for the things that are growing wild. Who knew I would come to appreciate my weeds? I expect that it would be possible to foster the growth of any one of these weeds, in mass and have a line of just one kind of weed.

I guess a weed would be defined here as any thing other than something that was planted. Often the weeds have thier own schedule of growth and bloom and are not as consistently dependable to look the same all season as are the things that we plant.

I have beautiul weeds!!!!!

Not that group but I have been slowly incorporating natives into my plantings for a few years. Since I volunteer and work closely with many of the horticulturists at our botanical garden, I have a little inside track to some of this info. The Garden is incorporating many native plants into the garden itself and some of the hort staff are doing research with other organizations into some species. It’s been fun to learn.

I typed up two paragraphs and hit submit, only for the whole thing to disappear. So, not rewriting but will say that I've decided to finally get rid of my lawn. I've been wanting to for years and it will take years to do but now I finally have the time.

My only "issue" (if you can call it that) is that native plants often go completely dormant in winter. Other than that, I love them!

My husband and I took an eight week course with the Master Naturalists, and after completing the course, I chose to specialize in native plants. Natives are hardier and use less water (Important in Texas).

I've never heard of Wild Ones, but around here there is a "Native Plant Society" which is primarily dedicated to wildflowers.

Kathsgrdn, look into what the group advocates, what they do, If ir seems to fit, join, you can always drop out.

I am a member, but late to renewing. They have local chapters that organize events. They have garden designs on their website, but none specific to where I live, although there is one for DC. So far, I like the FB page for their Northern Virginia chapter. Lots of good stuff there. For instance, today there is a post about Japanese Stilt grass (bane of my existence) and one about native plant rescue at a local park where one county is going to remove them for a stream restoration project (which is usally not a good thing). Anyway, I want to go to help dig and then I get to take some home. Woohoo.

ETA: I guess a weed would be defined here as any thing other than something that was planted. Umm, not sure why you would think that?

kathsgrdn, I got rid of the grass in my good-sized back yard. I had first created planting beds, by deep double digging and incorporating every sort of organic material I could get my hands on - straw, shredded newspaper, leaves, tree chippings, spent mulch, and some sand/gravel obtained from neighbors who has leftovers. This was because the soil, heavy clay, had only a thin layer of topsoil, was compacted, and would flood with any heavy rain. Most things didn't grow well.

I also dug a couple of small dry wells in the remaining grassy areas to help absorb water.

Then I continued to spread those items over the grass, sometimes digging in a little but usually not.. Loved it when I could get tree chippings from a tree service. Our town collects leaves in the fall from the curbs and will dump some in the driveway if you ask - so got those as well. After just a year or two the back was grass free - and has stayed weed free with minimal attention, as long as I continue topping off the mulch. This year a local elementary school refurbished the playground and renewed the mulch under the equipment, so they had piles of spent mulch free for the taking.

There is a layer about 4" thick now of decomposed organic material, so it is ready for the next homeowner to plant grass.

In the garden beds I have blue lobelia, red lobelia, coneflowers, bee balm, native perennial ageratum, woodland phlox, native honeysuckle, columbines, milkweeds, joe-pye weed, coreopsis.. and of course other things like lilies, a few roses, and creeping veronica or catmint as groundcover in the non-native flower bed.

We have xeriscaping in our front yard in Cathedral City, and I would like to plant some [native] Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) there but have been unable to find it so far, although I have not looked that much.

You all might be interested in checking out Doug Tallamy's Homegrown National Park

Laceyvail, I've been watching his videos all week lol.

This is rather off topic, and perhaps not of interest to anyone outside of Ohio/Ky/Pennsy, so I hope no one minds. But, thinking of nature conservation - the Arc of Appalachia nature preserve organization has an opportunity to buy two lovely tracts of forest, one which will add to an existing preserve - but needs to raise the funds by Aug. 25! If this interests and appeals to you, please check out this link for more information (and hopefully donate, even if just $5!): Emergency fundraising campaign