Well it depends if your wildflower mix consists of regionally adapted native (or exotic) species or just one of those commercialized Âmixes that contain junk like bachelorÂs buttons, Californian poppies, and other such stuff that are either nonnative weeds or not really adapted to your site, growing conditions, or winter. If it is full of plants that are not adapted to your locality, you will see that most will not return next year. If you have some prairie perennials in the mix, it will take atleast 3 years for some of them (purple prairie clover comes to mind) to be noticedÂ

Either way, I would strongly recommend leaving wildflower/prairie gardens up over the winter to provide winter cover and shelter to various small wildlife critters, if thatÂs part of the reason you want the wildflower garden. If its strictly ornamental, I would leave it up anyways until spring, then mow it down.

thanks for the advice. It was just the mixes, got two different ones from walmart. Any suggestions where I could get regionally adapted mixes? I did it just for ornamental purposes. when I first planted it in the spring I tilled up the soil and worked the seeds in.
Can you "overseed" a perenial garden like you do a lawn? I mean without tilling it up again?
thanks for the advice

I know that there are some very good native nurseries out there. At the moment names escape me. You can check Dave's Garden website or contact your local extension agent. They should be able to help you out too.

Lots of informtion and sites for ordering on the web by googling "regional wildflower mixes". Wildseed Farms looks promising. I'd be tempted to leave what you have as is, though, and see what comes up in the spring. I know non-natives can overtake and choke out natives in some instances, but someone with more knowledge would have to give information on tilling up vs. overseeding.

It sounds like your WFG is a sunny area, so maybe it needs different treatment from mine. I have a shade garden of mainly native plants and it gets absolutely no attention from me other than an occasional watering if it's really dry. I leave all the leaves that fall and do not cut anything back in the autumn. Everything is left in place to do what it would do in nature. It always amazes me to see plants emerge from the debris in spring and by summer all the old stems and leaves are hidden or have seriously started to decompose. It's my favorite garden by far.

Kevin

Check out Prairie Nursery. I've been happy w/ them. They have nice stuff.

Thank you all for your advice. I'm still wondering... If I buy some regional seeds from some of the places you recommend can I just broadcast them into the garden hoping they will settle and germinate? If so should I do it now or in the spring?
tx
Bruce