Not many of the above mentioned plants grow as wildflowers down here so they have not been part of my wildflower experience. Except Dandelions of course. I have always loved Indian Paintbrush and Lupinus texensis (one of the 5 Bluebonnets that are designated as Texas State Flowers), and contrary to what John Nance Garner believed a state flower must hold more appeal than whether it tickles a cow's tastebuds.
For sew&sow - all. Ref your Bluebells. Since living here due to the ravages in the front garden from Moles I levelled sheeted and put a good thick layer of shingle/stones over it all - no Mole trouble since touch wood. In two areas there has the last few years appeared a clump of Bluebells - growing up through the sheeting & shingle. Have moved quite a few bulbs to the wild woodland garden alongside us where they have settled in nicely and will hopefully spread. Those left in the front still are fine also. They are the Spanish variety - would have preferred them to be the English one it being daintier - but both lovely. Over here now the Spanish variety is pushing out the English one in a lot of our woodlands sadly.
http://www.wildseedfarms.com/home.php is the link to the wildflower farm in Fredericksburg, Tx they have a fantastic place, wildflower fields are gorgeous, depending on what time of the year you go but they have seeds of pretty much every plant you can imagine. Native American Seed http://www.seedsource.com/ is another one that is great.
I wish I could scatter wild flowers behind our fence but #1. it is Mikes area and he has let me plant grape hyacinth behind his shed for the humming birds and even watering and weeding it but there's no way he would let the grass grow tall in order to keep wildflowers.
Hi 2ofus. Humming Birds fascinate me - many different types with their beaks sized/shaped to suit the particular blossoms they feed on - have seen a pic of one with a really long beak - several times its body length. Others I read in high altitude areas settle on the plants to feed. I have only ever seen them active in Zoos. Grape Hyacinths being low to the ground so surprised that Humming Birds actually hover that low and feed. Learn summat new every day. Syd.
Cosmos! In Autumn they grow next to our roads and in the open fields and it really just cheers you up seeing them.
Hi. Another couple of favourites with me are the white Wood Anemones and the cheerful little yellow Celandines. Both especially lovely when growing in goodly sized groups/numbers. Pic of Anemones follows and by chance just a single Celandine has crept in - these usually in groups in damper soil.
Another favourite Solomans Seal - does not grow wild in our area. This is smaller variegated one in garden.
I like seeing fireweed. It tends to appear when the forest is cut down and burned off. Beekeepers tend to rush their bees there as Fireweed makes the clearest honey you can get. Deee-licious too!
