Sugestions needed for Naturalizing

I would love some suggestions on what and how to add to a natural area we have.

We have an area that you can't see from our house. You cross a creek, (too wet in spring, but pretty dry in summer), go through some thick trees, and enter a more open/field area. We have some paths back in there that we walk and ride 4 wheelers on.

There are some nice wild flowers if you look good, (found some species lilies last year), but I would like to add to this. I'd like to be able to see something blooming at all times of the year. A nice natural area that will say "wow".

I don't want to do any tilling, really as little work as possible to get things growing. So I need things that can survive along with the "weeds", "grasses" etc.... without much if any care.

I would love some suggestions for a variety of plants in all sizes and colors that would work in my zone 5. I don't mind some of them needing to be started as plants, but seeds would be more econimical. I do start things from seeds so I can get them started inside and move them to a portable greenhouse when it warms up.

Some of my thoughts were : Cosmos, & Coreopsis.
There are lots of wild Daisy & Yarrow.

I was wondering if Formosa Lily would naturalize if I planted a few plants.

I'm going to investigate native plants, but I love to get first hand information from the great gardeners on this site.

Thanks for any help.

Here's a picture of the area I want to add the "wild flowers" to. Beautiful already, but I want to add some more color. Lots of Queen Ann's Lace blooming when this was taken.

That sure is pretty. Do a search on Michigan native wildflowers. There are many sites that sell seeds and tell you how to get them established.

My first thought would be to scatter them and hope for the best but this site gets very techinical http://www.easywildflowers.com/planting.htm.

I'm not sure what the answer is but keep us posted as to what you do and how it turns out.

That looks like it would be a good place for late season native asters. If your interested in some seeds, send me a note, I'm pretty sure I have some. This is a good place to shop, as well:
http://www.wildseedfarms.com/

How about Cosmos? Around here, its planted in highway medians; and it looks great. It isn't finicky about soil and it self seeds.

Thanks raisedbedbob,

cosmos is definately on the must plant list.

I recently read that prarie seed (wildflowers) should be scattered in winter .... at the very least while it is still cold and there are hard frosts. A lot of the seeds need the cold temps to germinate, and the freezing and thawing of the ground helps to get the seeds into the soil.

I may have time here in zone 5 to scatter some seed, but I'm going to plan on planting some plants as well.

Lupines, sunflowers, poppies, yarrow, daisies, larkspur, cosmos, coreopsis, bachelor buttons, columbine... just throw a bunch of seeds out there and they will come back and self seed year after year.

Maybe... hollyhocks, fireweed, jupiter's beard - all self-seed easily.

Bulbs - daffodils, grape hyacinth, tulips

How about easy shrubs like scotch broom, lilacs

Viola tricolor self-sowed for years at my parents' house (zone 5b).

Greetings from Northern Lower Michigan! I am a dedicated Native Plant gardener. They are easy to grow, need little watering, and attract all kinds of wildlife and beauty to your yard. And they need NO fertilizers!! Here are some of my favorite places for info and seedlings/seeds:

http://www.wildflowersmich.org/

http://www.nohlc.org/

The Michigan Wildflower Farm:
Address: 11770 Culter Road
Portland, MI 48875
Phone: 517-647-6010
Fax: 517-647-6072
Email: Wildflowers@Voyager.net

http://www.raingardens.org/

Also, check with your local Soil Conservation District for information and for plants. I get a bunch of great native plants each year for almost nothing and they are amazing! And the National Wildlife Federation has an incredible amount of wonderful info on backyard wildlife habitats and native plants.

Sierrawoman,

Thanks so much for the great information. I'll check it all out.

I can't wait to get some native plants going back in that area.

Hi again Tree_Climber,
Here's another couple of sites you might like to look at. If you click on the "2003 Catalog" at the MACD page, there are a ton of plants listed and some great information, too.
And even though the Wildflower Farm isn't shipping any more til next spring, there is a wealth of info there, too, as well as some fabulous photographs!! I have ordered from them and they are great to work with!
Looking at the photo you posted, I was thinking that some Ox-Eyed Sunflowers, Coreopsis, Purple Coneflowers and Black-eyed Susans would be beautiful and looks like just the right habitat for them.
And Butterfly Weed would be really nice, too. Maybe some Milkweed, Pasture Rose and Obedient Plant, too? Just some thoughts I had.

http://www.macd.org/nativeplants/nphome.html
http://www.wildflowerfarm.com/

Bye!
~Sierrawoman