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Gardening With WildflowersGardening With Wildflowers
Dr. Thomas G. BarnesDr. Thomas G. Barnes
Department of ForestryDepartment of Forestry
Hottest Rage in Gardening!!Hottest Rage in Gardening!!
Why the Popularity?Why the Popularity?
• KY losing 160 acres of wildland KY losing 160 acres of wildland to development dailyto development daily
• Reconnecting with natureReconnecting with nature
Intrigue & challengeIntrigue & challengeSome are easySome are easy
Some are not so easySome are not so easy
Naturally HardyNaturally Hardy
Interesting & unusualInteresting & unusual
Attract WildlifeAttract Wildlife
• BirdsBirds
• ButterfliesButterflies
But Mostly Just BeautifulBut Mostly Just Beautiful
Gardens Are??Gardens Are??
• A reflection of the gardenerA reflection of the gardener• Sense of our relationship with Sense of our relationship with
naturenature
Rethinking the American Rethinking the American LandscapeLandscape
• Windows intoWindows into
the woodlandsthe woodlands
Rethinking the American Rethinking the American LandscapeLandscape
• Prairie PatchesPrairie Patches
Rethinking the American Rethinking the American LandscapeLandscape
• Wild WatersWild Waters
What is a Wildflower?What is a Wildflower?
• Simple Question without a simple Simple Question without a simple answeranswer
• Paradox – All flowers are wildflowers Paradox – All flowers are wildflowers somewhere in the worldsomewhere in the world
• Tulips- wildflowers in middle eastTulips- wildflowers in middle east
• Trilliums- wildflowers in North AmericaTrilliums- wildflowers in North America
What is a Wildflower?What is a Wildflower?
• Native, herbaceous (non-woody) Native, herbaceous (non-woody) flowering plants excluding grasses & flowering plants excluding grasses & sedgessedges
• Native? Growing here prior to Native? Growing here prior to European arrival in that the species is European arrival in that the species is adapted to various habitats in response adapted to various habitats in response to climatic, geologic, and topographical to climatic, geologic, and topographical variablesvariables
Let’s Take a QuizLet’s Take a Quiz
• Wildflower?Wildflower?
Let’s Take a QuizLet’s Take a Quiz
• Wildflower?Wildflower?
Let’s Take a QuizLet’s Take a Quiz
• Wildflower?Wildflower?
Let’s Take a QuizLet’s Take a Quiz
• Wildflower?Wildflower?
Let’s Take a QuizLet’s Take a Quiz
• Wildflower?Wildflower?
Let’s Take a QuizLet’s Take a Quiz
• Wildflower?Wildflower?
NaturalizedNaturalized
• Escaped cultivationEscaped cultivation• Persist in wild without human Persist in wild without human
interventionintervention• 15% of our flora is exotic15% of our flora is exotic• Some benignSome benign• Others are invasiveOthers are invasive
Invasive ExoticInvasive Exotic
• The Worst of the worstThe Worst of the worst• Threaten natural communitiesThreaten natural communities• Cost millions to controlCost millions to control• 40% of these were introduced by 40% of these were introduced by
horticultural industry horticultural industry • Examples are numerousExamples are numerous• www.exoticpestplantcouncil.org/ky/www.exoticpestplantcouncil.org/ky/
list.htmlist.htm
GardeningGardening• 11stst rule of horticulture rule of horticulture• Know thy plants & theirKnow thy plants & their
ecological requirementsecological requirements
GardeningGardening• Get to know the native Get to know the native
floraflora• When designing When designing
gardens use nature gardens use nature as your guideas your guide
Know Your FloraKnow Your Flora• AggressiveAggressive
Know Your FloraKnow Your Flora• Bloom TimeBloom Time• Plant HeightPlant Height• Bloom ColorBloom Color
There are wildflowers to fit There are wildflowers to fit every gardening situationevery gardening situation
WoodlandWoodland• Shade, filtered light, high organic Shade, filtered light, high organic
matter (no clay)matter (no clay)
WoodlandWoodland• Know your plants --- need to Know your plants --- need to
interplant with ferns -- textureinterplant with ferns -- texture
WoodlandWoodland• Ground coversGround covers
Full Sun Average SoilFull Sun Average Soil
Full Sun, Average Soil
Full Sun, little to no soilFull Sun, little to no soil
Full Sun, wet soilFull Sun, wet soil
Bird FlowersBird Flowers
HummingbirdHummingbirdFlowersFlowers
Butterfly Butterfly FlowersFlowers
GardeningGardening• 11stst rule of horticulture rule of horticulture• Know thy plants & theirKnow thy plants & their
ecological requirementsecological requirements• Is it a perennial? Annual? Is it a perennial? Annual?
Biennial?Biennial?
Ethical GardeningEthical Gardening• Don’t dig (unless it is Don’t dig (unless it is
a salvage)a salvage)• Purchase only nursery Purchase only nursery
PROPAGATED PROPAGATED (not nursery grown)(not nursery grown)
Why?Why?• Impoverishes local floraImpoverishes local flora• Possibility of introducing Possibility of introducing
diseasedisease• Survivability of transplantSurvivability of transplant
Technology is a Technology is a savior!!savior!!
• Tissue CulturedTissue Cultured• Expensive --- Expensive ---
but worth every but worth every pennypenny
Do I use seeds or Do I use seeds or plants?plants?
• Depends – Depends – woodland or shade woodland or shade = plants (because = plants (because most of these do most of these do not spread need to not spread need to plant 6 – 8” apart)plant 6 – 8” apart)
• Prairie or open – Prairie or open – depends on size depends on size and budgetand budget
Guidance on Guidance on using seedsusing seeds
• Do Not Use Do Not Use wildflower in a can, wildflower in a can, mat, generalized mat, generalized mixture from large mixture from large chainschains
• Many exotics, Many exotics, some invasivessome invasives
• More than 80% More than 80% annuals (few annuals (few perennials)perennials)
Guidance on Guidance on using seedsusing seeds
• Purchase from a Purchase from a native plant native plant nurserynursery
• Will need some Will need some native grass in native grass in mixture (structure)mixture (structure)
• Requires Requires specialized specialized knowledgeknowledge
Some Final ThoughtsSome Final Thoughts• Scientific namesScientific names
Some Final ThoughtsSome Final Thoughts• Scientific namesScientific names
Hottest Rage in Gardening!!Hottest Rage in Gardening!!
• Jim Wilson, Victory Garden, “It has Jim Wilson, Victory Garden, “It has mystery, surprise, contradiction, mystery, surprise, contradiction, movement, drama. I could never have movement, drama. I could never have planned it that way, and I rejoice in planned it that way, and I rejoice in its sweetly, chaotic spontaneity.”its sweetly, chaotic spontaneity.”
New in the nursery New in the nursery tradetrade
Books Are AvailableBooks Are Available$30.00$30.00
Last Great Places 30.00Last Great Places 30.00Gardening for the Birds Gardening for the Birds
25.0025.00