Planting a wildflower garden: The basics

For gardeners who enjoy a natural aesthetic, planting a wildflower garden might seem like the well-known choice for enhancing a home landscape. Many seed companies offer instant wildflower gardens in various solutions, but it takes more work than simply scattering seeds and hoping they become wild plants.

If you want to know more about wildflower gardens and whether they’re the right choice for your outdoor space, here is a basic guide to help:

What exactly is a wildflower garden?

A “wildflower” is any species of flower that has proven to be hardy and self-producing in a given area, regardless of human intervention. However, even if wildflowers grow successfully on their own, they aren’t always native plants. That said, most wildflowers thrive with poor soil and neglect, making them the perfect denizens of a low-maintenance garden.

What are the benefits of a wildflower garden?

The primary benefit of planting wildflowers in your outdoor space is that they can be a simple, low maintenance foundation of your garden. Growing wildflowers can help improve soil fertility and prevent erosion. They also tend to attract beneficial insects like bees and butterflies.

How to plant a wildflower garden

Here are some expert tips for growing wildflowers:

• Plant individual plants or individual plant seeds. Unfortunately, wildflower seed mixes are not as successful as focusing on individual plants.
• Rake the ground before and after spreading the seeds.
• Water the entire area thoroughly, as the seeds need to stay moist until the sprouts are a few inches tall. To help retain moisture, add a light layer of mulch.

Is a wildflower garden right for you? Keep these basic tips in mind when considering adding wildflower plants to your outdoor space.