How to grow beautiful native wildflowers in your own backyard!Adding wildflowers to your native backyard landscape can dramatically change the look and the aspect of your whole garden. It's easy, doesn't cost much, and once you get them started, Mother Nature will lend a hand. You can pick up packets of wildflower seeds at native plant nurseries, or collect them yourself from the roadside. Most native flowers like plenty of sun, but check the packet. There are a few varieties that like shade.To get started, choose an area of your yard where the sunshine is prevalent.
Native flowers grow in almost any soil, but again think about where these flowers grow in Nature. Most heathland flowers grow in sandy soils. But basically, if grass and/or weeds grow there, wildflowers will most likely grow there as well. One exception is in areas that do not drain well.
 Above, the beautiful Christmas orchid, Calanthe.
Hoe or chop the area lightly. Do not go too deep. Two or three inches deep is best. You just want to loosen the dirt, with the hoe and rake. Once you have loosened the soil, rake it so it looks fairly level. Then spread the seeds according to the directions on the packet. You will then rake the area so the seeds are covered by an inch or two of dirt. Some native flower seeds, if they are very fine, can just be sprikled on they surface and lightly watered in. Don't worry too much about birds eating your seed, they are not going to consume that much of your seed. Water thoroughly. It's recommended you water daily until the plants begin to sprout. You will usually see some sprouting within a week or two, but some do take much longer. About two weeks of daily water should be sufficient. There is more information available about growing native flowers from seed on our propagation page. You can also take wildflower seed and spread it throughout your yard, much like Mother Nature does. The seed will work its way into the ground from the rainfall. Using this method, it's not uncommon for the wildflowers to begin sprouting the next year.
Spreading seeds throughout your native backyard garden adds some very nice color and, since this ground has been worked, they grow rather quickly. An added bonus is they help cut down on weeds.
 Above, a stingless native bee gathers pollen.
Once your wildflowers come up, they will reward you with exciting colors. The flowers grow at different times, so you may find some nice yellow ones early in the summer and others springing up throughout the rest of the summer, replacing the ones that die out. The flowers will also attract butterflies and the native stingless bees. As the wildflowers die out, their seeds fall to the ground and are spread by the wind, as well as birds. The next year you will have wildflowers in areas you weren't expecting. Each year more and more wildflowers appear in your landscape. The colors they add will leave your native wildlife backyard breathtaking.
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