Is that your meadow? I love the soft grasses.

I live on a high ridge that is part prairie and part mixed timbers, where it changes from Tall Grass Prairie to Mixed-Timber country. I have a one-acre prairie meadow on the hill above my house that I am protecting and preserving.

I am growing wildflowers in my yard by the house to increase their numbers and then re-introducing them in my meadow above.

Scarlet Paintbrush
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The neighboring grazing lands on two sides further up the ridge has repeatedly been sprayed with Herbicides, which washed down and killed out my wildflowers. (grrrr) So, I have only a smattering of the wildflowers in there now compared to what used to grow so freely and beautifully in there. So far the native grasses are surviving.

Narrowleaf Coneflower
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My efforts are beginning to show some results. I collect native wildflower seeds and on rainy days in late summer, take them up on the hill and scatter them according to their environmental likes and dislikes. I figure if I scatter enough seeds some are bound to germinate, take hold and grow.

Yellow Gaillardia
Gaillardia serotina
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Oklahoma's State Wildflower
Indian Blanketflower
Gaillardia pulchella
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Have several bags of Gayfeather and other Liatris to sow up there, so there will be some of the local purple flowers, too.

I love the prairie grasses. Many of the wildflowers need the grasses to exist and when the wind blows, it is the most beautiful thing to see.

Annie

Annie's garden is great!

Yes, we have a huge 2 acre meadow that must be kept in fescue grass mowed below 9" or the HOA police will send out a person to mow it for us and charge us an 18% service charge on top of the mowing bill (and the mowing bill would be $100). Good thing my DH loves his John Deere mower.

I look longingly at wildflower meadow seeds and have to just stay in my dreams.

Cameron

What if little flowers that didn't grow taller than 9" came up all in your meadow, Cameron? I'm thinking tidy tips and winecups and English daisies. Do they make you SPRAY with chemicals to keep the grass pristine?

Lorna, I hadn't thought of making nursery beds to grow seed. Great idea! We already have erigeron at certain times of the year. We'll have to mow sometimes to keep wild black cherries from taking over. Beautyberry is a constant, too.

It was DH's idea that we could make the areas that used to be for grazing cattle into 'critter' sanctuaries and just mow broad paths. I'm thinking native wildflowers, including agalinus, goldenrod, elephantapus, echinacea, gaillardia, liatris and some others. Besides erigeron, lots of ironweed grows without encouragement and in some places, vervain. Non-native lantana grows in a couple of places; butterflies don't care if it isn't native. It's been there for years.
We scared up a large covey of quail up by the cornfield the other day. DH noticed the Mama quail watching as we approached and then the whole family flew up.

Here is a link that might be useful: 2007 Fall Grasses

That was Annie with the nurseries, Nell. But I do something similar in encouraging the wild flowers to grow, so they will spread. Thus far, they have mostly spread in the house yard, not many have spread to the greater property. My meadow is primarily native grass tussocks, four-wing salt bush, broom dalea, an unknown silvery bush which doesn't flower, snake weed, and a few yuccas.

The vacant property next door had a wild flower growing on it last year, which I had never seen in my yard. I kept spraying the hose over the fence, so the plant would thrive and hopefully spread to my property. It did--I got one nice, healthy plant! I've been spreading seeds from the plant. Plus, I found another new one in my yard this year, unknown. It has teeny pale blue pea-shaped flowers.

Annie, that Indian blanket flower has wonderful colors. I've only seen them in yellow/orange. I like the Yellow Gallardia, too. Do people grow flannel flowers? Those are pretty cool. Haven't heard anybody discussing those on our forum. I had them in California, but have never seen them in NM.

Lorna

No chemicals, fortunately. They wouldn't take to seeing flowers out there in the meadow either. I'll just live vicariously through the wildflower meadows of posted pix from others.

Lorna,
I would be glad to send you seeds of the Indian Blanketflower. Wish I had some seed from the Yellow Gaillardia, but I don't. The most difficult to get started is the Paintbrush varieties.

I lost most of my wildflower nursery back in 2005-2006 after having been through a 8 year drought.
I had:
Indian Blanketflower
Smooth Fleabane
Prairie Blue Flax
Prairie blue and white Asters
Heath Asters
Stiff Aster
Flannel Leaf Mullein
Scarlet Paintbrush
Blue Prairie Larkspur
Blue Sage
Buffalo Bur
Bindweed (white morning glory flower)
Prairie Broomweed
Tall Boneset (white flowering)- Honeybees love it!
Silver-Leaf Nightshade
Golden Tickseed (Coreopsis)
Prairie Tickseed (Coreopsis)
Yellow Gaillardia
Orange Butterfly Weed
Heal All
Black-eyed Susans
Wild Bergamot (Beebalm)
Pale Coneflower
Narrow Leaf Coneflower
Yellow Wood Sorrel
Baby Blue Eyes
Antelope Horns (green flowering milkweed)
Sensitive Briar
Smooth Wild Petunia
Horsemint
Wine Cup
Wild Blue Indigo
Showy Evening Primrose
Yellow Primrose
Gentian
Beautyberry (Okla. Snowberry)
Purple Coneflower
Ironweed
False Gaura (Stenosiphon)
Compass Plant (a sunflower that follows the sun all day)
Bouncing Bet - wild Soapwort
White yarrow
Maypop (flowering vine)
Leavenworth's Eryngo
Several kinds of Thistle
Bitterweed
Culver's Root
Annie's "Prairie Bonnet" Gaillardia (A cross-pollinated offspring that came up in my garden and I named it)
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...and several more.
More than half of those flowers are now gone, both in my wildflower garden and up in the meadow.
The ten year drought became SEVERE in 2005-2006 and there was NO RAIN at all and extreme heat. Temps were even warm in the winter. We had many days above 80 degrees in mid-winter. Most of the large Elm trees on our property died too. All the ones in the photo below are gone, except the White Ash (back center).

Flannel-Leaf Mullein "Mary's Candlestick"
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I hope to be able to replace all those. It's a lot of fun going out searching for wildflowers.
That's my cat, Baby sitting on the stump, watching goldfish in the little "prairie pool".
She protects me from poisonous snakes - seriously, she does!

~ Annie

How great that your husband shares your love of gardening, mine just tolerates it.

We are surrounded by meadows, but still have cattle so no wild flower meadows for me.

We have a meadow. Right now it is blooming with Joe Pye, Boneset, Blue Vervain and Lady's Bedstraw. It really is quite lovely and the butterflies adore it.

Annie, I would be very appreciative to receive some seeds for those colorful gallardias. I am collecting seeds this year, but I don't know the name of all of the plants. I'll be happy to trade. Guess I'll have to put a photo on the unknown ones and brief description.

I bought a box of coin envelopes from Staples the other day. They are small manila envelopes, 2-1/4x3-1/2 inches. I think they are perfect for seeds. A whole box was pricey, but it will last me a few years.

Lorna

I use coin envelopes, too. When I'm gathering great handsfuls of bigger seeds, I put them in paper lunch bags to finish drying.

I googled a flannel flower that isn't a mullein. Mulleins are fairly rare around here, but I've seen them.

Many on Annie's list are on mine, too. Some are not; we have some wildflowers that would not grow there as well. I've coaxed some great wildings to grow in my garden. I'm particularly pround of the blue-eyed-grass which is actually like a tiny iris (sisyrinchium). One year I had ladies' tresses but it did not return. Last spring yellow corydalis showed up in a bed. Gaillardia frequently shows up in the lawn which is how it got started.

I finally identified a grass that I found last year:

Nell

No meadow exactly, but what used to be an apple orchard with only three trees left standing. I let wildflowers and weeds grow with abandon; but this Spring I planted wildflower seed in one area. Instead of weeding, I left the weeds return and grow right along with the grasses and weeds. From the WF mix I planted, I got alot of a beautiful plant called Crimson Clover - I love it. Some cosmos and a small blue flower and a pink. I lost the WF seed box, so dodn't have a guide as to what was planted. There is Joe Pye weed and lots of golden rod blooming now. Plus the blue chicory and Queen Anne's lace of course.

I'm planning to mow and maintain grass paths through it again like I did years ago. It's not a big area, tho like meadow. How lovely that would be to have a meadow. Your photo with Kitty shows an inviting place to be. sweetannie.

Below is a LINK to my wildflower page.
Pale Narrowleaf Coneflower, White Boneset, Salvia Greggi, Scarlet Paintbrush, Black-eyed Susans, Bachelor Buttons, Coreopsis, Shepherd's Purse, Wild Bergamot, Blue Sage, Flannel-leaf Mullein, Compass Plant, Yellow Flags, Blue eyed grass, Prairie Gentians, Orange Butterfly bush, and Prairie Verbena- not all yet blooming.
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Sorry I don't have access to my photos taken of my meadow when it still had wildflowers. There are also photos of the grasses in full growth - we had to start mowing it regularly when the prairie fires began 2 years ago during the severe drought. Hope to be able to let them grow back next year if normal rainfall returns.
Thanks for lookin'!
Annie

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Prairie Wildflowers and Grasses pages

No meadow here so have to enjoy yours. I love wildflowers and to see a whole meadow seeded that way would be such a treat. At times along our roads here on the island there have been wildflower plantings but that seems to have gone by the wayside, trying to identify what the flowers were was quite challenging when you were driving by at 90 clicks.
I have a long planter on one side of the house I just may plant with wildflowers in the spring. One year we did a narrow strip along side the neighbor's carport but it wasn't big enough to make a good show.
You guys have such beautiful wildflowers and grasses and Annie, your "Prairie Bonnet" Gaillardia is gorgeous.

Annette

No meadow here either, but I am enjoying the pictures and discussion from those that do.

There is something so pure and natural about a meadow and the insect life that thrives because of it. My hats off to those of you who are lucky to have one, and who appreciate the beauty of wildflowers.

Marilyn

I have a meadow, 100% designed by mother nature. We just brush hog once a year. Here is part of it:

This is several years old, but one of my favorites of my son walking through the meadow with his best pal, Teddy.

gottagarden - it's wonderful. At what time of year to you brush hog?

Usually we brush hog in October. We try to keep it late so as not to disturb the ground nests of birds, but can't put it off too late, since it starts getting rainy in the fall and it gets too wet to brush hog.

GG,

Your meadow is so lovely! Flowers just seem to love you, is all I can say! I have those flowers too, but they don't look as lush as yours - I love the deep blue, wild asters. Ours here are not as big and are a paler blue. I have the smooth-leaf Fleabane and two kinds of Goldenrod. Living Bouquets.

But your little "Christopher Robin" with his "teddy" is the most precious little guy. Absolutely a beautiful child!

~ Annie

I always think ma nature does it best - naturally combines purple, yellow and white. I just went out today and took some more photos, we've got tons of queen anne's lace, joe-pye weed, and the goldenrod is just starting. I'm fortunate, I don't have to do anything to have this beautiful show every summer and fall.

Thanks Annie,You should see Teddy now - after years of being loved so much he has a bad "neck condition", no stuffing left there and his head lolls around like it snapped. Ah well, still loved, still cuddles up with him for sleep every night and he accompanies us on all vacations, can't sleep without him.

Maybe later I'll put some new meadow photos in.

I started a new thread in the Gallery, with 6 pics from today. My batteries died before I got photos of everything I found blooming.

Our meadow flowers are not all in bloom. Goldenrods, asters and fennels are budding.

Nell

Here is a link that might be useful: Gallery: Fall Meadow Flowers

Our meadow is brand new (just seeded this spring) so the perennials are just tiny little seedlings, but the annual sunflower sure came up nice. Next year, the big show should start (unfortunately all those sunflowers were killed by an early frost before they could set seed) Ah well! Next year!

Opening this thread is like watching fireworks - Oooooo... Ahhhhh! Camaria, what a beginning. Wish I had that piece of property out my back door. Thanks for sharing.(beautiful shepherd by the way)

Camaria, that is a beautiful planting. Wonder what will come up next year? I find that sometimes if we just let a piece of ground lay.....maybe just clip it a couple of times, it is amazing what sprouts. I found a morning glory once that I know now was Grandpa Otts long before I had planted any. Last year I found a patch of what I think was Indian Paint Brush when brush hogging a field. I even zig zagged around it. It is amazing how long seeds can lay dormant and then sprout when all conditions are right for it.
I like your house. Did you all build it yourselves?
Beautiful dog!

Thanks so much! The dog's name is Hanna, and she's a camera hog. There's not many of my pictures she doesn't weasel her way into. I have quite a few perennials seeded in the meadow so I'm excited to see what thrives and what doesn't.

We love the house too. We built it three years ago. Our family did the framing ourselves and we hired out the rest of the jobs except painting/finishing/cupboards/flooring. It was a lot of fun to build. People seem to feel very strongly about the yellow colour. They either love it or hate it. I picked it because our winters are so long and dead, I wanted to see some bright colour year round. Poor hubby hates the colour...lol.

Oh, I love Sunflowers and your Hanna is sure a beautiful girl! She looks so natural in that scene. A Mounty's dog...like Rin-Tin-Tin. Love Shepherds.
Where are you located? Looks like high country.

Please do post pics again. Winter pics would be breathtaking. We'd love to see your spring meadow flowers in 2009. I bet all the seasons there are just as beautiful.

I can almost smell the conifers. Heaven on earth.
~ sweetannie4u

Those sunflowers are great, perhaps I should scatter some seeds and see what happens. Right now everything is "au naturel".

Here are some of "the big picture". Queen Anne's lace, goldenrod and asters. {{gwi:748621}}From 2008 Misc

The meadow is beautiful. If that is "au natural", I would leave it be! I don't see how that could be improved on.

Sweetannie,

We're located in Alberta Canada, close to the Rocky Mountains, so it definately is high country. I don't know about every season here being beautiful...the winters seem so long...lol. I'll certainly post some winter and future spring pictures of the meadow. Thanks everyone for your lovely compliments.