Last Fall I decided to rid an area of weeds and grow a California native and hand-sown meadow. Here is the end of the season story and evaluation. Stomping the Meadow Ever since the meadow started growing, I’ve been thinking in advance, for when the ‘off season’ came. It’s here, and the meadow is dry…
In early July, the meadow is at its peak and gives pleasure every day. Here are some of the advantages and realities of growing your own!
A CA Native seeded meadow is possible.
It takes some weeding.
The flowers are bright and grasses wave in the wind
Bare spots happen.
Seeds wash down hill sprout where they can.
Seeds spread where they can and more flowers pop up.
Meadows need little water and care if native seeds are used.
Meadows can fit into a garden with perennials.
Meadows are enjoyable for months of the year.
Meadow color in summer
2011-5-5 California native meadow in May, the ideal image in my head and now in reality!
July meadow
Meadow in May, poppies, bird’s eye gilia and tidytips mostly. Pacific fescue is blooming
All the wild color make the Brodiaea look subdued.
“Ah! How I long for the beautitude of a summer meadow-place
That calls me ever forward and slightly to the left
That begs of me to forget the stressful stresses of life.”
Past the peak bloom-late July
This late afternoon, while watering, I noticed the last strong rays of sun glinting on the seedheads of the meadow. In mid summer, the last of the California poppies and Globe gilia have done and are forming seeds. A few Clarkia amoena hang in and the yarrow is at its peak. The vulpia grasses are golden brown as they’ve been all last month.
A few Clarkia amoena hang in and the yarrow is at its peak. The vulpia grasses are golden brown as they’ve been all last month.
Everything is drying quickly and I have a bit more mulch I’ll cover the bare ground with as the plants shrink and dry. I’ve been watering about every three days by hand, especially the new perennials around the edge.…
In Fall of last year, I became tired of a field full of Filaree and embarked on planting a beautiful meadow of native wildflowers and grasses. The Filaree stickers stick terribly to Maggie, our Corgi. Here are photos showing progress and challenges. June is when the pay-off for all hard work happens.
Here is the meadow at the end of June, with the Chinese Houses faded and the poppies still going strong. The stars for this month are the wonderful and new-to-me Globe Gilia and the flamboyant Clarkia amoena, as pretty and bright as any petunia.
Meadow looking south
The Sycamore is all leafed out after having been frozen in late snows. The Cherry tree at top left was also damaged enough in the cold that it has no cherries this year and now only presides over its own patch of wildflowers which spread downhill.
Maintenance and mulch
I’ve weeded around the edges, but only when I wander out there, (no big sweep through)… mostly finding odd grasses, field madder and bedstraw.
I’ve watered a bit in the hot mornings.
I’ve put logs along the upper edge to neaten and define it and I’ve mulched the path and the bare patches of ground in the middle of the meadow and around the edges, preparing for the hot summer. A nice long late-season rain this week has brought some welcome moisture. I’m delighted with that!
Meadow and steps toward house
There are paths or steps on all sides and Tractor Man and I find ourselves walking this way with Maggie just to enjoy the color. There is so much to see, always something new, it seems.
Globe Gilia, Gilia capitata has been the star of the show in June
Globe Gilia is not only tall, almost 3 feet high, but also full, having many branches and lots of buds. I’d consider sowing this in a swath elsewhere, after reading that it reseeds and germinates easily and seeing its fine ferny foliage. Being drought tolerant and butterfly attractors are two more benefits. What’s not to like?…
