There are many lovely bulbs, corm and ryzomes that you can
plant in the fall for a spring garden, but you may want to make room
for a wildflower patch too. Some of you may be fortunate enough to have
a large space to devote to wildflowers, but even a smaller bed can be
nice. You can mix flowers or choose some of the same variety and
easily sow the seed in late fall after temperatures fall to 45 degrees
or colder. This way the seeds won't germinate until spring.
The following work well: annual larkspur (Consolida ambigua),
yarrows (Achillea millefolium /A. filipendulina), bachelor's buttons
(Centaurea cyanus), tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora), blanket
flower (Gaillardia grandiflora), rabbit's ears (Lychnis coronaria),
cleome, rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan), salvias, calendula, poppies,
hollyhocks, blue flax, clarkia and prairie clovers.
If you already have some of these flowers, you can allow them to
reseed where they are or gather the seed if it's dry, or dry it on paper
plates, and then spread it where you would like new plants next spring.
Most of these plants need light to germinate and a loose, well-drained
soil. Remove any large clumps of soil or rocks from the planting area
before sowing. If the seeds are small you can mix them with sand or
sawdust and then scatter this in the prepared area slowly and as evenly
as you can. After sowing rake the area lightly to mix the seeds with the
soil. If there isn't a good rain ahead then water the area well, which
will help the seed settle.
Most wildflowers don't require fertilizer, and you don't want to over-
water the seeded area either. It should be as natural of a planting
as you can make it. If you have a lawn/grass roller you can go
over the area with this too before watering.
About the author:
Brenda Hyde is an avid herb gardener,
wife and mom to three living in the midwest United States. She's also editor and
owner of Old Fashioned Living.
BULB & PERENNIAL RESOURCES:
Spring Hill Nursery
Gurney's Nursery
Nature Hills Nursery
Pacific Callas
Bloomingbulb
National Gardening Association
DirectGardening.com 
Jackson & Perkins
White Flower Farm
Dutch Gardens
