What's in the Wildflower Mix?
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| Mountain Garland |
(Note: all photos from my garden #GreerDucky_GNGT. Many more photos & info on the #GrowingNativesGardenTour and also on the CNPS Garden Ambassador page)
by Cynthia Typaldos
email myfirstnamemylastname @ gmail.com
home office 867-8875 (area code 408)
cell 215-8406 (area code 650)
"Mountain garland, the tallest of the clarkias, rises on long slender
flower spikes from 2-3' tall. In shades of bright pink, purple, and soft
lavender, it is beautiful at the back of the flower border or with
individuals rising up from a mass of lower-growing flowers. I like it in
islands among chaparral shrubs, like
Artemisia californica, California sagebrush. Blooming early to mid-summer, its flowering can be prolonged with successional sowings. Also, it is the host plant (required nursery) for the caterpillar of
the "Day-flying Clark's Sphinx Hawkmoth" (Proserpinus clarkiae), a
beautiful native hawk moth found throughout California and the West, and
to be viewed in the slideshow above. All clarkias are used as a nectar
source for other beautiful and colorful day flying hawk moths, such as
the the whitelined Sphinx and the glass winged hummingbird moths."
Larner Seeds page for this plant
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| Farewell to Spring |
"Clarkia amoena is one of the workhorses of the garden, in that for
little effort it gives big rewards, including very reliable reseeding.
It has showy lavender to pink flowers that brighten the golden hills of
California when the spring flowers have gone to seed. Thrives in sun or
part shade. With its stunning color range from mauve to pink to white, it has
mid-petal blotches of a deep maroon. With irrigation, it can bloom for
as long as 3-4 months. Highly satisfactory garden flower and
long-lasting cut flower. Marin to Humboldt Co. Blooms June-Aug,
sometimes into Oct. on coast."
Larner Seeds page for this plant
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| California Poppy |
"In the spring the hills of California shine with the clear satiny gold
blooms of the state flower. Easy to grow, California poppy is stunning
with its traditional companions, the blue lupines. Blooms through the
summer if spent blossoms are removed. Though considered an annual, some
plants prove to be perennial."
Larner Seeds page for this plant
"Tansy-leaf
phacelia is one of the tallest of our native flowers, growing from 2 to
4' tall. It also is one of the most widely grown in other countries,
where it has an illustrious history as an attractor of beneficial
insects, including bees and hoverflies. It is used as a cover crop, in
vineyards, and alongside row crops (as long as the flowers bloom at
different times, so powerful is the attraction of tansy phacelia's
nectar and pollen). It has fuzzy lavender flowers curving to one side on
a long flower stalk, which bloom for a long time and have a delightful
fragrance. Good in sun or shade, it grows 1-4' high and makes a good back of the
border companion with the tallest clarkia, mountain garland (
Clarkia unguiculata).
With its sturdy stem and long vase-life, it can be used as a cut flower
as well. Well-appreciated in Europe, it's time that we in the land of
its origin started appreciating it as well."
Larner Seeds page for this plant
When should I plant the seeds?
November thru March. Wildflower seeds can be planted anytime once the rain starts. The sooner the better actually. If it stops raining you will have to water them once they sprout.
Where should I plant the seeds?
Ideally in your garden so that you can enjoy them, in a sunny or mostly sunny spot. The seeds packets are enough for about 12 sq. ft. If you don't have a garden you can share with neighbors, local friends and family, and spread them in a nearby urban location that could use some native plant enhancements for beauty, insect, arachnid & wildlife habitat. This is called
guerrilla gardening (use good judgement). Choose a spot that is mostly or always sunny, relatively free of weeds. Toss them out mixed with fine sand or dirt and then, if possible, tamp them down with your shoes. If you have a bit of soil to throw on top that's good too. Songbirds love the seeds so don't be surprised if you see quite a few of them partying.
Why did you select these wildflowers?
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| Flower vases May 2018 (includes other native plant flowers) |
These wildflowers do exceptionally well in my former garden in Palo Alto where they have full sun all day. They are also some of my favorites as they attract lots of pollinators. The phacelia is especially beloved by our native bumblebees. These wildflowers will reseed so even if you don't spread seeds next year you are likely to still have wildflowers. All of them are stunning in floral arrangements.
Many more photos of my spring flower bouquets are published here on Facebook.
Where did you get the seeds?
Larner Seeds via their website.
How can I see these wildflowers and other native plants in actual local gardens?
Sign up as a visitor for the FREE #GrowingNativesGardenTour at
gngt.org. You will receive a few timely reminders and a map and garden descriptions plus locations right before the tour date.Gardens are in Santa Clara Valley.
What's in the Wildflower Mix?
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