Making A Wildflower Garden Or Meadow

I know we have all seen them: Those "Meadows-In-A-Cans" or mixtures of wildflower seeds. It can be very tempting to buy those meadow mixtures and toss them out in a trouble spot out back or in a pre-planned bed. Visions of low-maintenance come to mind. Just sow and grow. Right? Not exactly...

When we are trying to recreate a meadow or wildflower garden, we have to think about several things. It takes a little homework and prep work to do it successfully. While meadows and wildflowers are wonderful things, they really aren't for everybody. They do take time to prepare and to maintain. Here are a few things to consider if you want a large meadow or small wildflower garden.

First of all, these gardens are often a hodgepodge of plants, grasses, annuals, perennials, and yes, weeds, that grow. If you use a mixture, they will not have a cultivated look or feel about them. If this is what you have in mind, fine. If not, then perhaps the exuberance of a mixed wildflower garden or meadow really isn't for you. You can have an orderly bed filled with native plants, but that is not what we are discussing here. If you still want to pursue this concept, by all means, go ahead and get started! Just do it correctly so that it will live up to your expectations.

First of all, start to research before you ever set a spade or shovel into the ground. There are many types of meadows and fields full of wildflowers. While Texas Bluebonnets are a fine field flower to grow, they are, after all, native to Texas and the southwest. For those of us in the southern Great Lakes region, these might not be the best choice for a component of a wildflower or meadow mix. We need to choose varieties of plants that are indigenous to our region in order to have the most effective meadow or wildflower garden. Seek out retail sources of wildflower and meadow mixes that are tailored to our growing region. You will have better success, and the plants will be acclimated to our growing conditions.

A good meadow and wildflower garden will grow in stages. Generally, the mix of plants are perennial, biennial, and annual. The first year, annual plants predominate. The next, biennials and annuals and a few perennials will be the dominant plants. In succeeding years, more perennials will start to take over.

Weeds are a big consideration. While these gardens will have some weeds, if it is a healthy and thriving wildflower field or meadow, the desirable plants will predominate. In trying to duplicate nature, we have to be diligent in preparing the area for a meadow to ensure that weeds don't predominate in the setting.

Now comes the first really hard work: Preparing the site. In the early spring or late summer to early fall for the next year, remove all sod, weeds, and existing plants. By removing the planting bed, we can start with a "clean slate". Remove as many plants as is possible, and here is an important hint, don't spade or cultivate the area. There are many seeds of weeds and other plants that lie dormant in the ground, and will germinate when the ground is cultivated. Instead of spading the area, we are going to add a ton of organic matter to the area on top, and not spade it in.

First, layer about 6 layers of sheets of newspaper over the planting area. Over this, add topsoil, manure, peat moss, shredded leaves. Build the area up about eight inches. Wet the area down, not sopping wet, but watered well. Cover the area with a tarp to prevent weed seeds from blowing in. Let this all settle for a few weeks, then remove the tarp. Now, plant the area with your meadow/wildflower mixture, or keep it covered and plant the following spring.

Watering and weeding must be done faithfully to encourage the desirable plants. Once the plants are up and growing, mow larger areas such as meadows. If the area is very small, pinching back the plants or cutting them back with a weed whacker will help to develop stockier plants.

In succeeding years, weed and mow meadows occasionally. Meadow plants are often subject to periodic brush fires. Meadows also were periodically cropped by grazing animals. We need to simulate these conditions, and mowing will help. In the fall, allow some of the seeds of the flowers in a meadow or wildflower garden to drop naturally to reseed the area. This will help to replenish the plants.

It can take up to seven years for a meadow or wildflower garden to fully evolve. The first two to three years until the plants start to become established, continue to water, mow and weed.

What is planted will depend upon what conditions you have. If you have a moist, sunny area, then plants that do well in bog conditions would be the plants of choice. Hot and dry conditions would be good for native prairie type plants. Basic soil structure such as heavy clay or sandy soil are also considerations. The roots of the plants will go down below the initial amended area to the original soil conditions, so drainage, basic soil type, acid or alkaline soil, and the amount of sun are all important considerations.

Page Last Updated February 10, 2006