A small wildflower garden or meadow is prized for many reasons. For some, minimal maintenance and the plants’ ability to spread freely is an alluring aspect. Colorful wildflowers, which bloom throughout the entire growing season, attract beneficial insects and pollinators. Establishing a thriving wildflower patch can enrich the beauty of a space and enhance the surrounding ecosystem. Did you know you can include wildflowers from bulbs too?
Growing Wildflower Bulbs
Wildflower gardens are most commonly established through the planting of seed. This is an easy and cost-effective way to plant large flower beds or smaller spaces within the lawn. However, many gardeners may also include wildflowers that come from bulbs.
The creation of a wildflower garden can be done under a wide range of conditions. Whether planting tall flowers or a casual planting within the lawn, flowering bulbs can help homeowners achieve the desired look.
Even areas which normally receive deep shade can be planted with unique native flowers. Wildflowers from bulbs are especially adaptable to these more challenging conditions. Before choosing which bulb wildflowers to plant, research the requirements of each plant type.
Planting Wildflowers with Bulbs
Unlike annual flowers planted from seed, perennial bulb wildflowers will return every growing season. Wildflowers that come from bulbs will often naturalize or produce more plants. Growing wildflower bulbs with a naturalizing habit will ensure the production of flowers for many years to come.
The introduction of wildflowers from bulbs will lend itself to greater diversity in the space, as well as extend the bloom time of the wildflower garden.
Though wild cultivars of bulbs like tulips and daffodils are popular, you can also explore lesser-known plant options not commonly seen in the ornamental landscape. Large plantings of spring flowering bulbs such as crocus, allium, and muscari can create huge visual impact.
While planting wildflowers with bulbs may initially be more costly than planting from seed, the long-term payoff, in most cases, is quite great.
