For Love of Wildflowers

“I think I like wildflowers best. They just grow wherever they want. No one has to plant them. And then their seeds blow in the wind and they find a new place to grow.”

~ Rebecca Donovan

I have been in love with wildflowers my whole life. Picking pretty flowers growing through the cracks in the sidewalk or through the grass at the playground. Most would call them weeds.

And as I got older walking through meadows picking bouquets of daisies, white and yellow. My heart soaring as I would take in the beautiful scene all around me fully surrounded by wildflowers.

And so when I built our house in 2005, I made sure to create a meadow. Many couldn’t understand why I wanted a bunch of scraggly weedy plants growing behind my fence. They just couldn’t see the beauty, the flowers. They just wanted to plant grass and mow the world.

I became very involved with native wildflowers about 10 years or more ago when I began to plant wildflowers native to my area of the US. Drawing in insects and wildlife. And it was no surprise when I moved here to our rental townhouse that I would want natural views with wildflowers (some native). Progressing to creating a small native plant garden just at the edge of the woods last year. This is the upper sunnier part this spring.

This is the lower half a bit shadier surrounded behind by goldenrod, a native plant. Needs a bit of thinning as native sumac bushes are transgressing a bit too much. I thought I would show you some of the early blooms. These plants were also growing in my old garden.

Ohio Spiderwort or Tradescantia ohiensis

Virginia Bluebells or Mertensia virginica

Blue Star or Amsonia tabernaemontana

Common Yarrow or Achillea millefolium

Eastern Red Columbine or Aquilegia canadensis

There were two new plants putting out some leaves this year. I hope they flower next year….

Jack-in-the-Pulpit or Arisaema triphyllum

Trout Lily or Erythronium americanum

If you click on any of the underlined names above, you can see my post about that particular native plant.

I cut a few of the Aquilegia vulgaris ‘Tower Dark Blue’ and pansies for a small posy.

And many of my birthday flowers, from 2 weeks ago, are still going strong. I am loving them.

With this week’s lovely vase, I am linking in to the wonderful meme, In A Vase On Monday, at Rambling in the Garden.

All the pictures shared in this post were taken with my Nikon Coolpix or iPhone camera, and manipulated on my iPhone using the apps, Pixlr and Prisma. You can follow my progress with #the100dayproject in my Instagram and Facebook feed.

All original content is copyrighted and the sole property of Donna Donabella @ Gardens Eye View, 2010-2023.  Any reprints or use of content or photos is by permission only.