Native Prairie Flowers for the Garden

Prairie flowers can be grown in the city, in small mixed plantings, in formal garden beds, and in meadow-style gardens.

Prairie Flowers are adaptable to a wide range of conditions and surprisingly versatile in the home garden. Prairie flowers originally developed in the wide-open plains of North America. They coexisted with tall and short grasses, and found ways to thrive throughout the growing season, in all kinds of moisture levels and sun exposures.

Their extensive root systems, tough stems, and super-hardy constitutions made them successful in a wide range of environments. These characteristics make them perfect additions to the home garden. Prairie flowers can be grown in the city, in small mixed plantings, in formal garden beds, and in large and small meadows.

Every prairie flower can be adapted to suit the needs of the individual gardener and the home garden. Choose native flowers in yellow, orange, blue, and white to add to your garden.

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A prairie flower is any flower that thrived in the tallgrass or shortgrass prairies that once dominated the North American landscape. These plants “learned” to grow along with wild grasses, so they developed very strong deep taproots. These taproots and root systems made them able to do well regardless of the amount of water they might receive through rainfall. The plants also tended to develop long, very tough stems and prolific blooms. From April through November, there is always a prairie flower blooming. This would help the plants be pollinated and spread faster in highly competitive environments.

Prairie flowers today are often referred to as wildflowers or native flowers. Though there are distinctions among the three types of flowers, it is enough to know that prairie flowers are some of the toughest and most beautiful choices for the home garden. They are drought tolerant, resistant to most diseases and pests; require very little tending, and NEVER need to be fertilized. There is no need to worry about soil amendments, pesticides, mildew remedies, or any of the other harsh chemicals that many non-native plants require. These plants evolved in a variety of conditions; they will fit in the garden, not make the garden fit them.

Prairie flowers are good for cottage gardens and natural gardeners

Does all this sound too good to be true? Prairie flowers are not perfect for everyone. They do tend to grow rather tall, and they spread vigorously in the garden environment. They tend to match the cottage garden style better than the formal style. While prairie flowers can be altered to fit height and space requirements, they do create a certain free-form appearance. Prairie flowers are also best suited to gardeners who do not wish to use pesticides, as many prairie flowers are designed specifically to attract the insects that pollinate them. That means that caterpillars, butterflies, moths, skippers, bumblebees, and honeybees will all be attracted to a prairie flower garden.

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Prairie flowers attract beneficial insects.

Putting pesticides on prairie plants is not desirable. It is best to let nature take its course. The flowers need the insects, and the insects need the flowers. In addition, birds and other wildlife rely on the insects as food sources.

Does this mean that prairie flower gardeners must avoid ALL pesticides everywhere in the yard? Of course, that is the most desirable option from a native gardener’s standpoint, but it is not required. There are ways to deal with pests that involve limited applications, organic solutions, traps, and even home remedies.

Best Prairie Flower Choices For Butterflies and Beneficial Insects

All Milkweed varieties, Leadplant, Wild Blue Lupine (NOT HYBRIDS OR OTHER COLORS), Hyssop , Coneflower , Prairie Dock (Caution, extremely weedy and aggressive-- also not so pretty all the time),

Prairie flowers are great choices for city gardens. Most people might think that prairie flowers can only be grown in wide open country spaces, but that is just not true.

Prairie plants are tough. What better choice for a city garden? These plants can stand up to all kinds of conditions. They also have the added benefit of attracting butterflies.

Some varieties do have very deep root systems. Avoid placing deep rooted types in containers, but they can do quite well in an ordinary garden bed.

Best Prairie Flower Choices for City Plantings

Gaillardia, Yarrow, Bee Balm, Columbine, Rose Mallow, and Coreopsis.

Mixed plantings are the ideal place for prairie flowers. In this photo, Bleack Eyed Susans and Pruple Coneflower coexist with a few annuals and daylilies to provide season-long color and vibrancy.

Best Prairie Flower Choices for Small Mixed Plantings

Black Eyed Susan, Blanket Flower , Purple Coneflower , Goldenrod (if pinched back), Coreopsis , Swamp Milkweed

Prairie Flowers can take on a more formal look, if they are used correctly. Consider these examples. The prairie flowers in thes photos were combined with landscaping materials to create an orderly appearance.

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