1. Gardening With Wildflowers Dr. Thomas G. Barnes Department of Forestry

2. Hottest Rage in Gardening!!

3. Why the Popularity? KY losing 160 acres of wildland to development dailyKY losing 160 acres of wildland to development daily Reconnecting with natureReconnecting with nature

4. Intrigue & challenge Some are easy Some are not so easy

5. Naturally Hardy

6. Interesting & unusual

7. Attract Wildlife BirdsBirds ButterfliesButterflies

8. But Mostly Just Beautiful

9. Gardens Are?? A reflection of the gardenerA reflection of the gardener Sense of our relationship with natureSense of our relationship with nature

10. Rethinking the American Landscape Windows intoWindows into the woodlands the woodlands

11. Rethinking the American Landscape Prairie PatchesPrairie Patches

12. Rethinking the American Landscape Wild WatersWild Waters

13. What is a Wildflower? Simple Question without a simple answerSimple Question without a simple answer Paradox – All flowers are wildflowers somewhere in the worldParadox – All flowers are wildflowers somewhere in the world Tulips- wildflowers in middle eastTulips- wildflowers in middle east Trilliums- wildflowers in North AmericaTrilliums- wildflowers in North America

14. What is a Wildflower? Native, herbaceous (non-woody) flowering plants excluding grasses & sedgesNative, herbaceous (non-woody) flowering plants excluding grasses & sedges Native? Growing here prior to European arrival in that the species is adapted to various habitats in response to climatic, geologic, and topographical variablesNative? Growing here prior to European arrival in that the species is adapted to various habitats in response to climatic, geologic, and topographical variables

15. Lets Take a Quiz Wildflower?Wildflower?

16. Lets Take a Quiz Wildflower?Wildflower?

17. Lets Take a Quiz Wildflower?Wildflower?

18. Lets Take a Quiz Wildflower?Wildflower?

19. Lets Take a Quiz Wildflower?Wildflower?

20. Lets Take a Quiz Wildflower?Wildflower?

21. Naturalized Escaped cultivationEscaped cultivation Persist in wild without human interventionPersist in wild without human intervention 15% of our flora is exotic15% of our flora is exotic Some benignSome benign Others are invasiveOthers are invasive

22. Invasive Exotic The Worst of the worstThe Worst of the worst Threaten natural communitiesThreaten natural communities Cost millions to controlCost millions to control 40% of these were introduced by horticultural industry40% of these were introduced by horticultural industry Examples are numerousExamples are numerous www.exoticpestplantcouncil.org/ky/list. htmwww.exoticpestplantcouncil.org/ky/list. htm

23. Gardening 1 st rule of horticulture1 st rule of horticulture Know thy plants & theirKnow thy plants & their ecological requirements ecological requirements

24. Gardening Get to know the native floraGet to know the native flora When designing gardens use nature as your guideWhen designing gardens use nature as your guide

25. Know Your Flora AggressiveAggressive

26. Know Your Flora Bloom TimeBloom Time Plant HeightPlant Height Bloom ColorBloom Color

27. There are wildflowers to fit every gardening situation

28. Woodland Shade, filtered light, high organic matter (no clay)Shade, filtered light, high organic matter (no clay)

29. Woodland Know your plants --- need to interplant with ferns -- textureKnow your plants --- need to interplant with ferns -- texture

30. Woodland Ground coversGround covers

31. Full Sun Average Soil

32. Full Sun, Average Soil

33. Full Sun, little to no soil

34. Full Sun, wet soil

35. Bird Flowers

36. Hummingbird Flowers

37. Butterfly Flowers

38. Gardening 1 st rule of horticulture1 st rule of horticulture Know thy plants & theirKnow thy plants & their ecological requirements ecological requirements Is it a perennial? Annual? Biennial? Is it a perennial? Annual? Biennial?

39. Ethical Gardening Dont dig (unless it is a salvage)Dont dig (unless it is a salvage) Purchase only nursery PROPAGATED (not nursery grown)Purchase only nursery PROPAGATED (not nursery grown)

40. Why? Impoverishes local floraImpoverishes local flora Possibility of introducing diseasePossibility of introducing disease Survivability of transplantSurvivability of transplant

41. Technology is a savior!! Tissue CulturedTissue Cultured Expensive --- but worth every pennyExpensive --- but worth every penny

42. Do I use seeds or plants? Depends – woodland or shade = plants (because most of these do not spread need to plant 6 – 8 apart)Depends – woodland or shade = plants (because most of these do not spread need to plant 6 – 8 apart) Prairie or open – depends on size and budgetPrairie or open – depends on size and budget

43. Guidance on using seeds Do Not Use wildflower in a can, mat, generalized mixture from large chainsDo Not Use wildflower in a can, mat, generalized mixture from large chains Many exotics, some invasivesMany exotics, some invasives More than 80% annuals (few perennials)More than 80% annuals (few perennials)

44. Guidance on using seeds Purchase from a native plant nurseryPurchase from a native plant nursery Will need some native grass in mixture (structure)Will need some native grass in mixture (structure) Requires specialized knowledgeRequires specialized knowledge

45. Some Final Thoughts Scientific namesScientific names

46. Some Final Thoughts Scientific namesScientific names

47. Hottest Rage in Gardening!! Jim Wilson, Victory Garden, It has mystery, surprise, contradiction, movement, drama. I could never have planned it that way, and I rejoice in its sweetly, chaotic spontaneity.Jim Wilson, Victory Garden, It has mystery, surprise, contradiction, movement, drama. I could never have planned it that way, and I rejoice in its sweetly, chaotic spontaneity.

48. New in the nursery trade

49. Books Are Available $30.00 Last Great Places 30.00 Gardening for the Birds 25.00