Several years ago, my mother made the decision to forgo the traditional lawn and install a wildflower meadow instead. The parade of flowers from May to September has been spectacular and the talk of the town... in more ways than one. Some folks truly do prefer to have their neighbors keep a tidy lawn so there have been a couple of complaints. But mostly, we've gotten used to seeing folks drive slowly by, eyes as wide as their smiles. Many stop and take photos when the poppies are at their peak. We've been proud of all of the lovely attention it has gotten, but it hasn't been as maintenance free as we had hoped. Pigweed took over one August, and thistles have been vying for real estate in the back. Town municipal workers parked their huge trucks in the middle while repairing a water line... September's sunflowers and black-eyed susans were mistaken for an empty lot! When we complained, they apologized by reseeding it... with a lawn! Only in one strip, but oh dear. So this weekend I did a little meadow management.
Neighbor Dan came with his tractor and tilled up the strip of "lawn", the thistle station in the back and the entire swath of road frontage. I waited until rain clouds were hanging low, and then headed over with a pound of seeds and soil.
I mixed 1/2 lb. in a 5 gallon bucket filled 3/4 of the way with organic potting soil and distributed this recipe with wishes for growth and beauty...
just be true little seeds... do what you do best!
I'll let you know how it goes. The daisies and lupines were already coming up in the un-tilled parts, so I have great hope! (Just Be True tee made by my friend Jen.)
Happy belated Mother's Day, Mom... should be blooming when you get here!
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| May through September |
Love the wildflower garden! I'm saving all of my seed bits and pieces to do a wildflower garden in part of the backyard next spring (prepping for it this summer).
ReplyDeletesurely, it will be wonderful and wild again!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of having a wildflower meadow in your own backyard! Those flowers are absolutely gorgeous. I would be one of those wide-eyed photo-takers, no question.
ReplyDeleteohh wonderfull, I would certainly be one of those who would slow down and get a peacefull smile on my face:)
ReplyDeleteMy fingers are crossed for it to be so again!
I love this! I hadn't thought that the neighbors would respond poorly. Every barn should be surrounded by a meadow!
ReplyDeleteWonderful. Food for the soul.. (and for the bees!)
ReplyDeleteHow lovely!!! I dearly love wildflowers!
ReplyDelete-Amy
Crafting by Candlelight
I love your wildflower meadow! Okay now the questions start... do you use purchased seed? Or wild seed? If purchased, what varieties did you use? And through whom was your purchase made? Thank you so very much for any info you can pass along! I would love to do this even if it is only on a small scale for the time being!
ReplyDeletethanks everyone!
ReplyDeletePeggy- the link to the original instructions are in the first sentence if you click on wildflower meadow. It will lead you to the seed company that we've loved working with and there are different blends of seeds that are true to your region.They also give lots of great help and advice! (Applewood Seed Co.) Good luck!!
I've always wanted a wildflower meadow lawn instead of grass. It makes so much sense environmentally plus it's so much prettier than grass. I get frustrated when I hear that people would be upset about it, but everyone's also on the lawn bandwagon, so I get it. This is the way lawns used to be. Look at old pictures. They were smarter back then.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea!! I would love to do that someday when I'm not renting. How beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOh your wild flower meadow is perfect. It would make me feel glad and want to dance. I feel sorry for anyone who sees this beauty and can only moan.. sad people!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great idea! My partner hates mowing lawns...
ReplyDeletecomplimenti le foto sono meravigliose, tanti saluti da Genova, Italia
ReplyDeleteI so want to do this with our lawn. Beautiful. I can see why people stop and take pictures.
ReplyDeleteI just have to say.. I have returned to have another peep at this wonderful field of wild flowers..and will no doubt come again while the bright picture is showing up in my blog list!
ReplyDeletebreathtakingly beautiful, simple, natural. love it. your mama will be grateful for all your hard work.
ReplyDeleteAll the work is worth it - the photos are wonderful. Such a lovely bit of "nature" recreated so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteOh my, that is just so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, our church had Texas wildflowers in the front lawn. It was amazing! We found at least 5 different colors of bluebonnets each year. I had friends in High School tell me how much they liked driving by the church. After I graduated, however, they changed Stake Presidents and the new one decided to overhaul it and just do a lawn because "it just looked like weeds when they are seeding." I was angry but hey, I don't live there anymore so I can't really say anything, right?
ReplyDeleteUao!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour wildflower meadow is lovely. I had to laugh when I read about the pigweed. My poor daughter was plagued with allergies. A visit to an allergist revealed the culprits: horses and pigweed. We live in the suburbs, far away from horses and equestrianism, and I've never heard of pigweed. I'm glad to hear it actually exists. Not sure about the horses though....
ReplyDeleteI love your flowery yard! I planted? a box of wildflower mix in a garden by the house and got some red flowers I had never seen before.......they were a pleasant surprise.
ReplyDeleteMaya, your wildflowers are so beautiful! It's hard to imagine anyone preferring a flat lawn over a flowering meadow. It also looks picture-perfect with your mother's barn.
ReplyDeleteMaya - you know I love you. Do you mind if I use the wildflower image on my blog (credited straight back to my inspirational source, of course!) Do let me know
ReplyDeletemaxabella@gmail.com
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