Lisa
I have the same problem as you do, only I'm in Texas and need plants for this area. I hope we get some advice soon
Happy New Year
Vickie

Lisa, check out the New England Wildflower Society at: www.newfs.org

Vickie, check out the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center at: www.wilflower.org

Prairie Moon Nursery at: www.prairiemoonnursery.com, has individual species seed packets, seed mixes and wonderful cultivation advice.

So does Prairie Nursery at: www.prairienursery.com

Seeds of many of the spring-flowering wildflowers are ephemeral, so seed you got now may not be viable. Bloodroot, Twinleaf, Mayapple, Virginia bluebells, wild ginger, False solomon seal all come easy from seed. I have oak-leaf hydrangea in a fairly shade area. They are not shrubs, but Goatsbeard and Snakeroot might be good choices.

Lisa, You probably won't be able to have a lot of bloom the first year; especially if you want high value woodland wildflowers. The thing to do would be to buy however many you can afford of wildflowers that do reseed easily and let them seed about. Then you can begin to move them around. Bloodroot is easy, as is celandine poppy (Styloforum diphyllum)and phlox give great color as well as reseeding. Don't be in a hurry. Creating a great wildflower garden is a lifelong hobby. Use lots of leaf mulch and, if no one has already mentioned it...stay away from Preen. Weed inhibitors like Preen work by keeping weed seeds from germinating and the product can't distinguish between a weed and a wildflower.
Deb

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. Last summer while I was out running (my other hobby) I noticed Jack in the pulpet and trillium growing near the road, at the end of someone's very long driveway. I'm sure they didn't even know they were there...they were kind of along the road. Anyway, I kept meaning to sneak...I mean go back there with a shovel but I never made it. I hope I can find them again this spring.

columbine is the most prolific from seed for me. does best with bright shade or some filtered sunlight.
i also like lunaria for something a little taller in the woodland garden. it is biennial so no flowers the first year but you will have them for years to come after that from reseeding. comes in purple or white flowered forms and even variegated foliage.
i have a variegated hydrangea macrophylla in the woods and the foliage really brightens up the area. the flowers are secondary to the foliage in this case.

Lisa,

Please don't dig plants unless you ask for permission first. Otherwise, it's stealing, IMO. If the people don't know these plants are there, they will give you permission to take them. April

Here, here ahughes.

Collecting seed is one thing...

S

All desirable woodland flowers are perennial and most take a year or two (or more for a few) to become large enough to flower. Patience is key. If you do get seed, I would plant the seeds in pots sunk in the ground and labeled - keep well watered and protect from squirels. Some plants such as Solomon's Seal are quite easy, but take two seasons to push up one narrow leaf. "Propagating Wildflowers" by Bill Cullina is very good.

You can also try ION Exchange on the web. If you live near NJ go to Well Sweep Herb Farm. They have some nice plants like Solomon's Seal, Galax, Trillium and other woodland plants. Good prices and very healthy plants.

Hi there...I take a bit of a different approach to fill larger spaces. I do this with shrubs as well as perennials and spring ephemerals. I buy one or more young plants/shrubs from a nursery and plant them at visually pleasing locations and then I take seeds or seedlings and plant them all around the mature plant/shrub of the same species. Eventually the seeds/seedlings will fill in to make a "patch" or "thicket" and in the meantime I actually have a large specimen of each to enjoy while the little ones are growing up.

Have you been to the WinterSowing forum? I just started Winter Sowing for the first time and I'm trying mostly native shrubs and flowers but also some non-native flowers for spring plant swaps and shrubs from my front yard. If you haven't already checked it out... go here:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/wtrsow/

Barb
southern Ontario, CANADA zone 6a