The Basics

This first section provides basic background information about wildflowers allowing gardeners to avoid major mistakes by choosing a strategy before beginning to plant.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

There is one indispensable ingredient to the successful cultivation of a wildflower garden: personal experience. Do not be deceived. Often the carefree appearance of a well-designed wildflower garden can belie the hours involved in achieving a natural look. Devoted wildflower gardeners know well the soil that nourishes. They are familiar with local rainfall and temperature variances. They are always keen observers, noting the first seeds to germinate, watching for the identifying green foliage and delighting in the buds that follow.

WHAT IS A WILDFLOWER?

As natural gardening sweeps across the country, myths about growing wildflowers are beginning to flourish. In the past few years, we have received hundreds of letters from people who believe that since wildflowers grow spontaneously in nature, they will flourish without maintenance in gardens where nothing else will grow.

To understand why this myth is false, gardeners need to look back to the history of flower gardening and ask some questions. At one time all flowers were wildflowers. Long ago some of the wild varieties made the transition to domestic gardens and parks. Over the years, selections were made, resulting in the beautiful, large, uniform flowers found in today's seed catalogs. The important question for new wildflower gardeners is, "Why were some flowers chosen through the centuries to be domesticated while others were left to remain wild?" In other words, "What is a wildflower?"

Today's wildflowers are often either those varieties that grow too easily, quickly taking over as uncontrollable weeds or those varieties that are difficult to grow and have resisted efforts over the centuries to be grown outside their natural environment.

While it is impossible to group all wildflowers into these two categories, the exercise begins to point out some of the major problems gardeners face when planting wildflowers for the first time.

WILDFLOWERS CAN BE WEEDS

Gardeners must learn to avoid weedy varieties such as morning glory and yarrow which can overtake yards and lawns as well as flower gardens. Check the labels of out-of-state cans of wildflower seeds promising instant and long-lasting success. Flowers not "weedy" in one area may be noxious in another. One of our local clients paid more than $4,000 over 3 years to remove weedy wildflowers included in an out-of-state mix.

On the other hand, noxious wildflowers in one area may be fine in another. Even though ox-eye daisy seed sales are unlawful in the state of Washington and bachelor's buttons cause problems in northern Idaho, both can be used in wildflower gardens above 6,000 ft. In fact, we now sell a number of naturally aggressive wildflowers including African daisy and California poppy because sub-zero, mountain winters prevent otherwise uncontrollable invasions. Look to local experience for the best information. Noxious weed lists are available from state agriculture departments county cooperative extensions.

DIFFICULT WILDFLOWERS

Many of the West's most popular, native wildflowers are classified as difficult to domesticate unless helpful "tricks" are learned. For example, lupine seeds can be put in boiling water to coax early germination. Indian paintbrush is a partial parasite to surrounding native plants and may take 18-24 months to germinate. Many other natives need to be cold-treated (stratified) before germination takes place. Seek advice for regional varieties by asking local, experienced gardeners, nurseries and regional seed companies.

A number of good books about wildflower propagation are now available. Collecting, Processing and Germinating Seeds of Wildland Plants by James A. and Cheryl Young is an encyclopedic approach to collecting and germinating seed ranging from tiny, fragile annuals to tall trees.

Another useful manual for us has been Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest by Arthur R. Kruckeberg. This marvelous book identifies 250 wild ornamentals in the Pacific Northwest and describes their natural habitat as well as methods of propagation and cultivation.

STRATIFICATION

One of the more useful "tricks" for successful germination of wildflowers is to "stratify" the seeds. The best explanation of stratification came to us in a letter from Jim Borland who works for the Forest Service in Denver, Colorado.
Jim wrote, "Stratification is a term which was in common use at least as far back as the '30's and '40's and was used to describe a process whereby seeds, usually of trees, were placed alternately between layers of moist sand in a wooden container. After this layering process was complete, the entire container was moved to a refrigerated room where temperatures were usually held between 34°F and 41° F. for the duration of the prescribed period for that species, usually between one and three months.

Although the dictionary word 'stratification' means only 'layering', foresters have long used the term to mean the subjection of seed to both cool and moist conditions, even if the seed was not actually layered with sand or peat moss. Today, seed is mixed with a moist medium and held in a variety of containers in refrigerated storage.

Most importantly, the term has nothing to do with freezing and thawing or the temperatures associated with them. Having done a great deal of literature searching and some experimentation of my own, I have yet to find a documented case where freezing and thawing has had any benefit on the germination of seed of any type, including hard or thick seeded types.

If you buy wildflower seeds that need to be stratified, you might try planting them outside in early spring (March or early April) depending on your area. Mountain gardens usually have six or more weeks of spring weather allowing seeds to be exposed to cold temperatures and damp ground without subjecting them to prolonged stressful conditions associated with dry, sub-zero mountain winters. Sawtooth mountain mint and Colorado columbine both germinate exceptionally well using this method. You can stratify artificially if you live in a warmer climate or want to plant during summer months. Place seeds in moist compost, wrap securely in plastic and place in the refrigerator (not the freezer). Leave for at least 4 weeks.

SUCCESSION

The process in which plants come and go in specific ecological settings is called "succession". An understanding of "succession" helps to explain why randomly scattered wildflower seeds will not create (in one or two seasons) what botanists call "a stable climax community" of flowers. The varieties of plants in any plant community naturally change over the years. The presence of one variety creates the conditions for others to be established. Depending upon the changing conditions in your garden, different flowers will be more successful at establishing themselves at the expense of less-adapted varieties.

The rate of change in a succession is most intense for several years at the beginning of a new cycle when a wildflower garden has first been planted. The successful wildflower gardener manages these natural changes in perennial wildflower gardens by planting additional wildflower seeds and plants as well as deliberately weeding and trimming the very vibrant varieties.

Overly aggressive, weedy varieties dominate early succession and become difficult to remove or control. Where seeds were originally planted, yarrow, black-eyed Susan and most native grasses dominated every three-year-old, wildflower garden we investigated.

LIFE HABIT

Beware! Descriptions about the life habit of wildflowers in mountain gardens can be deceiving. The fact that a gardener has planted "perennial" wildflowers may mean little in producing a perennial garden. For instance, the vibrant orange California poppy is listed in wildflower books as a perennial. In many places in the upper Wood River Valley in Idaho, it is not. Rarely does this beautiful flower return for a second season and hardly ever a third. On the other hand bachelor's buttons, usually listed as an annual, often reseeds itself year after year.

Seek advice from experienced, local gardeners in your area. The wildlfower charts illustrate varieties' life habits and various characteristics at 6,000 ft. in the mountains of central Idaho and other high altitude areas.

XERISCAPING

Since the early eighties a movement towards water conscious landscaping has gained a considerable following throughout the country. Called Xeriscaping*, this method of landscaping joins together several principles under one umbrella, integrating the ideas of water conservation, landscape design and horticulture to create landscapes and reclamation areas that are more adapted to their surroundings.

Xeriscaping offers city planners an effective tool in their fight to conserve water. Nationwide, over 60 cities in 25 states have passed ordinances requiring that new landscaping projects adhere to a Xeriscape code.  Xeriscaping is not difficult to implement, nor is it more costly than normal landscaping. A properly designed Xeriscape needs less maintenance than average landscapes and uses up to 40% less water. The best designs often incorporate edible vegetables, shrubs, and trees as well as plants useful to local birds, small animals and beneficial insects. Xeriscapes vary from site to site but all are guided by five major principles.

1. Design according to water usage. In a Xeriscape, plants should be grouped according to their need for water: those needing full irrigation, moderate irrigation or low irrigation. Large trees or heavy water users should be watered individually using drip or soaker systems. Whenever possible allow natural variations in exposure, runoff, or light to dictate design. For example, place water-loving plants in a sheltered north side of a house, or in a drainage where water accumulates in the spring or natural runoff occurs after rain.
   
   
2. Select drought tolerant plants. There are a great number of native or naturalized plants that are beautiful and do well in drier conditions. These include many of our most beautiful wildflowers, native shrubs and trees. Grouping these according to water use and exposure often results in designs which mimic nature, leading to very natural and functional landscapes.
   
   
3. Limit sod areas. Kentucky bluegrass, often used for lawns, is one of the most water intensive of all grasses requiring 18 gallons of water per square foot per growing season. Other more drought-tolerant grasses such as the tall fescues, crested wheatgrass or Canadian bluegrass can be used successfully to create lawns or as a ground cover for large areas with far less water demand.
   
   
4. Irrigate efficiently. It is now possible to irrigate many plants using drip or soaker systems that use a fraction of the water of overhead systems which lose as much as 50 percent of the water to evaporation. Monitoring soil moisture so that water is applied only when necessary and watering early before the heat of the day reduce further water loss.
   
   
5. Take care of the soil. All good gardeners know soils high in organic matter hold moisture better than those with low levels. In addition healthy soils promote healthy plants that are more able to withstand drought or disease. Greater water savings can be achieved through use of a mulch such as straw, compost or shredded leaves or any of a number of new paper and biodegradable plastic mulches.

*Xeriscape is a registered trademark of the National Xeriscape Council, Inc.

Planting Strategies

A strategy for planting wildflowers should be based on the gardener's level of expertise. Annual gardens are easy and teach many valuable lessons necessary for successful perennial gardening. Annual and perennial strategies can be combined. The following suggestions are listed in order of difficulty.

Annual Wildflower Gardens

Planting annual wildflowers is the easiest and fastest method of "naturalizing" yards and gardens.

ADVANTAGES:

Annuals bring brilliant colors as early as mid-summer that last until the first hard frost. After the soil is prepared, the garden planted and germination occurs, the only maintenance needed is watering, which is easily automated.

DISADVANTAGES:

Although annual gardens must be planted every year, many gardeners have decided that annual planting is much easier than the planning and long-term commitment necessary for a successful perennial wildflower garden.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Choose wildflowers that act as annuals in your climate. Fortunately for gardeners in harsher climates, the list of acceptable wildflowers is long because many of the perennial varieties that result in weedy problems in other climates can't survive sub-zero winters. Precisely because of their weedy nature, these perennials make excellent additions to mountain gardens. They are quick to bloom and hardy enough to survive sudden changes in environmental conditions including dry, hot weather and sudden cold spells.

Divide garden space to be planted into separate, small areas. Devote each area to one wildflower. This makes identification of weed seedlings easier when wildflowers first germinate, and allows each variety to form its own colony in a specific area. Different groups of these small areas can be "painted" with varieties selected for the color of their flowers. By dividing areas a rainbow look can be created.

Annual Wildflower Mixes

Beginning wildflower gardeners can get acquainted with many new wildflowers at one time by planting a wildflower mix. A properly chosen wildflower mix can create a strikingly beautiful, mix of colors in record time. Favorite flowers can be identified and selected for next year's garden.

DISADVANTAGES:

Newly sprouted weeds and the numerous wildflowers in a wildflower mix are difficult to distinguish. Weeds must be controlled before wildflowers are planted.

Check the labels of out-of-state cans of wildflower mixes promising instant and long-lasting success. Many contain weedy perennials that are difficult if not impossible to remove.

Perennial Wildflower Gardens

An established, perennial, wildflower garden is not unlike an English, cottage garden. Though the challenges are many, the rewards have been extolled for centuries.

ADVANTAGES:

Mature, perennial wildflowers are the first to bloom each spring in any garden, and, of course, perennials do not have to be planted every year. The familiarity that comes from seeing the same plants in the same garden year after year allows gardeners to coordintate and fine tune color and texture sequences as different perennials come and go each season. New seedlings to give away or plant in new areas of the garden are a natural by-product as the garden is thinned. Mature perennial flowers are often more drought-tolerant because their roots have had a number of years to grow deeper.

DISADVANTAGES:

Gardeners are often disappointed in efforts to create a dream perennial wildflower garden because of the amount of time necessary to establish one. Unfortunately, some of the native perennials adapted to the Mountain West take more than one year to germinate. Most take between two and four years to begin blooming.

Successful, perennial wildflower gardeners must learn to master a large number of challenges including propagation of difficult varieties, succession management (planting additional wildflower seeds and plants) and the weeding or trimming of vibrant varieties.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Gardeners in the arid West can minimize labor in perennial wildflower gardens by employing what we call "The Muldar Method" after Florence Muldar Mackie. She sums up her practical, tested philosophy by saying, "Turn down the water and turn down your problems."

Florence's garden in Ketchum, Idaho was a laboratory with one major goal: maximize season-long color with a minimum of labor.

PLANTING STRATEGIES:

Florence combined a life-long passion for native landscaping with the necessity of "cutting back on the amount of work that has to be done." The single most important component in her success was the planting of drought-tolerant flowers, shrubs and grasses. Once established, these varieties needed little extra water. In our desert, mountain climate (average 12" rainfall per year) little or no natural, surface moisture is present in the summer. With no surface moisture, weed seeds and seeds from self-seeding wildflowers don't germinate. The time necessary for weeding and thinning is greatly reduced. Maintenance is further reduced because established plants tend to "behave themselves" and spread more slowly. As a bonus, Florence noticed that the beautiful blossoms that graced her yard from early spring to late fall lasted longer because they were not being prematurely disturbed by sprinkler spray.

Combine Annuals and Perennials

We often recommend a strategy that takes advantage of both annuals and perennials. Planting annual wildflowers is the easiest and fastest method of "naturalizing" yards and gardens. Perennial wildflowers take longer to bloom and require more work, yet last much longer. Gardens divided into alternating annual and perennial sections are colored by the fast-blooming annuals the first year while perennials are beginning to establish themselves. During the second and third seasons when gardens are colored by the now-blooming perennials, areas originally planted with annuals can be re-planted with perennials.

Planting Instructions

SOIL

Although many wildflowers do fine in marginal soil with low-nitrogen content, performance for most wildflowers is best in well-drained, composted, garden loam. Simply put, the better the soil, the better the display of flowers.
At high altitudes, soils reach their extremes and are inherently more fragile, more alkaline or more acidic and more deprived of organic matter than soil in more moderate climes. Top soil is often non-existent, or subject to rapid degradation because of severe wind and intense sun. We encourage gardeners to build up and care for soil by:

1. Adding organic matter. We continually obtain the best yields in our gardens after focusing upon feeding first our soil and secondly the plants growing in it. Feed soil with copious amounts of fully decomposed compost. Be aware that overly fresh manure and other undigested organic matter may take too long to decompose in cold, spring soil, aggravating already acidic pH levels and lowering nitrogen levels. If necessary, add overly fresh manure as early in the fall as possible.
   
   
2. Adding nutrients. The optimum method for building a supply of available nutrients in garden soil is to add organic soil aids each spring. Organic soil aids decompose slowly over the years thereby preventing overdose damage. The necessary macro- and micronutrients are assured. Testing and fine-tuning for specific nutrients becomes unnecessary. Balance between nitrogen and phosphorous is preserved when both are added at the same time at recommended amounts.
   
   
3. Add mycorrhizal and bacterial inoculants. Seeds Trust offers Soil Aids to stimulate plant growth and to fix atmospheric nitrogen into plant available nutrients. The mycorrhizal inoculants will help plant roots absorb water and scavenge for nutrients.
   
   
4. Testing soil pH. An unbalanced soil pH can bind nutrients into garden soil and prevent them from being made available to plants. A test for soil pH (acidity or alkalinity) is fast, simple, accurate and inexpensive. We test our garden beds each spring with the Lamotte pH test kit.
   
   
5. Minimizing tillage. Proper tillage increases the biological activity in the soil and leads to rapid breakdown of organic matter in soil. We try to minimize turning or mixing the different levels of soil.

WATER

Many wildflowers, once established, are drought-resistant. However, it is mandatory to keep soil moist 3-4 weeks while germination takes place. Seeds must be kept moist during the fragile stage when they swell with water until the time when new little roots have grown deep enough to find soil moisture. Important: do NOT let the seeds dry out! This may require watering 2 to 4 times each day. Sunny, hot, windy days and sandy soil conditions may require a short watering, as often as every hour. (Most automatic sprinkler systems can be adjusted to this demand.) After wildflowers have been established, water less frequently but consistently to prolong season-long blossoming.

PLANTING

Divide the area to be planted into a number of equal areas. (We draw lines in the soil with sticks.) Divide the seeds equally and place in separate bags. Using one bag for each area will prevent under-seeding some areas or over-seeding and running out before every area is planted. Lightly rake seeds so they are covered with approximately ½" of soil; or mulch with straw or compost. Note: we have seen no distinct germination advantage using expensive hydro-seeding techniques in areas that can be watered.

WEEDS

Weeds should be "managed" rather than "eradicated". Before rushing out to destroy every weed in sight, remember that weeds can help prevent erosion and help keep soil moist. Certain weeds provide habitat for beneficial insects. Pulled and left on the ground or moved to a compost pile, they become an important source of organic matter.

Minimize weeds in wildflower gardens by minimizing or preventing soil disturbance. Anytime soil is opened, tilled or turned it becomes vulnerable to invasion from new plants. Plants most often to appear first are what botanists call "pioneers". Unfortunately, most of the rest of us know them as the most troublesome weeds including thistle, mustard and mullein.

Rushing to plant wildflower seeds in the spring before weeds emerge is not always a successful strategy. If weed seed is in the soil (some varieties can be dormant for up to seven years), weeds can successfully out-compete wildflowers. Ideally, weeds should be controlled before wildflowers sprout; newly sprouted weeds and wildflowers are difficult to distinguish. We suggest when planting a newly disturbed area, waiting until the first crop of weeds has come up and been removed before sowing wildflower seeds. In some cases, we have seen a second and even a third crop of weeds that needed to be removed. Densely planted wildflowers in an established garden will help prevent the germination of new weed seeds blown or washed into the garden.