Wildflower gardening is my forte, and I shudder to think how I would feel each spring without the cheerful, colorful, and beautiful flowers that can be grown from a mix of wildflower seeds. Right now, mine are about half-way to being fully grown and flowers open.   Good quality seeds is the most important thing about growing wildflowers successfully. 

My first package of wildflower seeds was the hummingbird/butterfly mix from Wildseed Farms, Fredericksburg, TX although there are other reliable sellers of high quality seeds to be found with a simple google search. 

After selecting my location, I had the lawn boy to literally skin the grass as close to the ground as he could, going both ways over the St. Augustine sod.  Next, DH roto-tilled it, trying to stay as shallow as possible, as tilling deep will uncover thousands of grass seeds, bring them to the top, and invite them to grow!!  You want to prevent that if at all possible.  A few days between two tillings, and removing a ton of dead grass runners each time, the area was finally ready to plant.  Even a wildflower garden needs to be as grass free as possible.  Grass hinders sunlight getting to seeds to let them germinate, and it also takes moisture, and nutrients away from the flowers.  Grass also re-seeds itself easily and quickly, and soon, the grass has taken over.

The planting directions that came with the seed were to plant in zone 8 in the fall, no later than November 1st. I did this, and  many of the seeds sprouted, and remained in the 2-leaf stage all winter, while establishing a root system.  With the arrival of spring, and warmth from the sun, the seedlings began to grow in earnest, quickly filling my two beds.  This is the fifth year that I've gardened for butterflies, and hummingbirds. 

 This year, some new additions to my gardens are Red Poppy, Anemone, Rocket Larkspur, Maiden Pinks, and some Asters.  Some that have returned each year since I began are Mexican Hat, Shasta Daisy, Coreopsis, Mexican Blanket, Black Eyed Susan,Yellow Cosmos, Moss Verbena, and Sweet William.

June is usually the season peak for wildflower blooms, and my garden is still a little sparse.  However, each new day as I stroll through it, and see new blooms, and new seedlings, I just have to try to capture the beauty of it in a picture.  Of course the camera cannot do the beauty of the blooms justice.  Here's half of my wildflower garden on May 13, 2008

 If you have any unused space, and want an almost instant spot of casual, airy, beauty, consider planting a wildflower garden.  The butterflies and hummingbirds will love you for it!! 

maw

More Wildflower Blooms: Each new day brings more blooms to the Wildflower Garden.