15 Wildflower Garden Ideas for a Wild Backyard Oasis (2024)

Gardening

Gardening Basics

• 01 of 15

  Pick a Wild Color Palette

  

  Many gardeners spend long hours planning out their garden color palette. But for a wilder look, why not let Mother Nature do the planning? These spreading plants include multi-colored zinnias that happily reseed, creating a vibrant color palette that changes as new plants emerge.

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• 02 of 15

  Use Colorful Cornflowers

  

  Cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus), also known as bachelor buttons are well known as tall, airy bright blue wildflowers that reseed and spread easily. But they come in a large variety of other colors including shades of white, pale blue, pink, purple, and bi-colors. Cornflowers spring up early in the season, so try planting the seeds in autumn.

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• 03 of 15

  Plant a Forget-Me-Not Forest

  

  A great way to fill up a sun-dappled or shady woodland area is with forget-me-nots (Myosotis), which reseed freely. Their vivid blue flowers also sometimes come in shades of white or pale pink. To control spread, snip off the stems before the seeds dry and disperse in summer.

  Tip

  There are many wildflowers that will grow and spread in shade, including forget-me-nots, columbines, wood asters, and echinacea.

  See Also

  How To Grow a Thriving Wildflower GardenA Beginner’s Guide to Wildflower GardensGary Henry: A remembrance - Florida Wildflower Foundation7 Things to Know When Growing a Wildflower Garden

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• 04 of 15

  Mix the Colors

  

  This wildflower meadow brings together purple, blue, red, yellow and orange flowers in varieties that reseed and spread easily, including tickseed (Coreopsis), black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), butterfly weed (Asclepias), wild asters, and verbena. Including a mix of various wild grasses, this meadow also attracts many beneficial pollinators.

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• 05 of 15

  Create a Wild Cottage Garden

  

  In cottage gardens that are allowed to meander and fill in as flower seeds drift and replenish empty spots, it's easy to obtain the look of a full, abundant wildflower meadow. This colorful array of flowers includes spiky purple hummingbird mint (Agastache) creamy yellow coreopsis, blue veronica, red salvia and pink cosmos. A treat for the eyes, and for the pollinators!

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• 06 of 15

  Add Late Season Textures

  

  One of the most exciting things about the wildflower garden is that even after blooms begin to fade, the shapes of the plants going to seed are still robust and beautiful. These tall thistles lend pink color to the garden in summer, but their tall statuesque shape lingers in the autumn landscape, when birds come to snack on their seeds.

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• 07 of 15

  Choose Showy Native Wildflowers

  

  The white evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa 'Siskiyou') is a pale pink flower whose papery petals resemble the California poppy. It spreads via rhizome and also reseeds freely in gardens. It's drought-tolerant, so it does very well in xeriscape and desert gardens.

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• 08 of 15

  See Also

  How to Grow a Wildflower Garden

  Create a Natural Orchard

  

  Orchards are becoming more common with home gardeners. Letting wildflowers and grasses grow ensures plenty of pollinators for fruit tree blossoms. You can mow paths as needed for tree tending.

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• 09 of 15

  Cosmos: Late Summer Pollinator Magnets

  

  Cosmos are a delight in the summer garden and are right at home in a wildflower meadow. They reseed themselves readily, and you can also collect the seeds in autumn and plant them in the spring. Their delicate lacy leaves and wispy flower petals are much like the colorful butterflies they attract. They come in a range of colors: a rainbow of pinks, white, rosy red, pale to bright yellow, and orange.

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• 10 of 15

  Plant a Backyard Bee Paradise

  

  This wildflower garden was planted where some tall (but dangerous) trees were removed, using a simple wildflower seed assortment containing pollinator-friendly plants. This is a simple way to plant a small patch of wildflower meadow that can just be clipped, sheared or mowed down at the end of the season.

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• 11 of 15

  Embrace Wild and Crazy Color

  

  This lush garden is full of native wildflowers as well as naturalized perennials, including yarrow, borage, Russian sage, hollyhocks and cosmos. Its untamed look provides an eclectic mix of textures, shapes, heights and colors.

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• 12 of 15

  Integrate a Seating Area

  

  Here's a simple but stunning idea if you have a bit of space. Mow a circular area in your wildflower meadow and keep it mowed throughout the season. This creates a lovely feeling of a wild "room" where you can set up a seating area and enjoy the natural beauty along with your breakfast.

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• 13 of 15

  Support Pollinators

  

  Even if you're not a beekeeper, you can help create delicious honey by planting native wildflowers. California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), also known as Mojave buckwheat, is a native plant that has tiny but showy white flowers that are beloved of honeybees.

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• 14 of 15

  Make Wild Walkways

  

  Wildflowers grow where they want, even on your garden paths. California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), also known as golden poppies, are a perfect native wildflower to introduce into your garden. They reseed freely and rapidly. You can also collect the seeds in late summer and scatter them where you wish. They grow in sandy well-drained soil, and will grow easily even in gravel walkways.

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• 15 of 15

  Let It Grow

  

  This small walled garden has a cozy feel, and the overgrown wildflower patch makes it feel like you could almost get lost here. Wildflowers can really alter the feel of your yard, making it feel almost magical. Let things get a bit overgrown, and don't be surprised if you see some colorful birds and butterflies drawn to your oasis of wild beauty.