Your Ultimate Gift Guide for the garden lovers (and wanna be gardeners) in your life.
Hey Hey Flower Friends!
It’s that time of year where we are going to be seeing all the gifting guides rolling out from our favorite influencers and bloggers. If you are anything like me you always love seeing these guides since they give so many ideas that you wouldn’t have thought of yourself . Since the pandemic so many more people have been taking up gardening again and I am totally here for it. I say it all the time that NO ONE is born with a green thumb! It is a badge of honor that is earned by diving in head first and more than anything, killing a lot of plants! With that being said, you might have some new garden lovers in your life recently and might be drawing a blank on gifting this year. I am here to help! One of the things that I love the most about this hobby is that it gets us out from behind a screen and connecting back to the earth. There is nothing more satisfying than planting a seed (or small plant) and getting to harvest the bounty from that. Just the other day, I needed thyme for a recipe I was making and being able to walk out my back door and harvest what I needed. I can even explain what an amazing feeling that is!
I decided to break down my guides into three categories: For the Adults, For the Kids & Teens, and Gifts under $15.99. In the desire for transparency I do want to let you know that some of these links are affiliates and I earn a small commission when you use my links. This is just one tiny way that I help to support my farm and I hope that you will find value in these guides.
LET’S JUMP IN!
Kids and Teens
I don’t know who is harder to gift, kids/teens or adults. How about we dive in with the kids though, because I for one need one more gabby dollhouse toy in my house like a need a hole in a boat. Some of these items are things, but I have tried really hard to find gifts that will encourage kids to get out in the dirt with me and explore nature. I want to spend more quality face to face time with my kids, and that takes effort. But with gifts that are about activities and spending time together, it sure makes it a lot easier!
To make things a little easier to digest and to give you a closer look and info about all the items I’m going to break the bigger graphic down into smaller chunks! This hopefully will let you find the links to items quicker!
1. Garden Art Rock Painting Kits
National Geographic has a ton of amazing activity kits for kids and this River Rock Craft Kit (Scheels $12.99) is one that I love for getting the kids outside with me (or perfect for a rainy day activity too.) They can paint these rocks like critters to place around the garden or even add labels to help identify plants. This is such a fun way to get them exited about being in the garden with me.
2. Build Your Own Birdhouse Kits
There is something about watching birds that kids and adults both love and one of the best ways to encourage them into your garden/yard is by giving them places to make nests and raise babies. This DIY Birdhouse Kit (Amazon $19.99) is a fun way to let creativity soar while welcoming our feather friends to join our spaces. Grab more than one and create a little bird village. There is no limit to what you can create.
3. Kids Garden Books
If you’re newer to gardening or just trying to figure good ways of including your kiddos into your hobby, here are a couple of books that make it easy. Gardening Lab for Kids (Amazon $12.99) or Square Foot Gardening with Kids (Target $13.99) are both great options to help guide you to get your kids engaged in this extremely rewarding hobby!
4. Outside Play
If getting your little more screen time play is a goal, giving them a way of being physical like this Saucer Swing (Amazon $59.99) is awesome. Plus if you are needing to do some planting or weeding having an activity that they enjoy they will get some energy out and be more likely to want to help or engage with you. What we model for our kids can be pretty powerful.
5. Kid sized garden tools
I am someone that believes in quality over quantity and as a result, my personal gardening tools are a little on the pricer side. Where they can definitely stand up to my kids, I don’t want them getting lost so getting my little their own Kids Gardening toolkit (ToyBox Town $39.99) allows them to work with me without me having to work about my spade walking off. The tote that comes with this also gives them some ownership and helps them be a little more responsible with their own tools.
6. Seed Ball Kits
Who doesn’t need more rainy day or cold weather activies? These Seed Ball Kits (Modern Sprout $14.99) are a perfect activity for everyone not just kids. Not only are they just fun to make and sow, but they are also great gifts to give to friends and family that isn’t another coffee mug being pushed to the back of the cupboard.
7. Stepping stone or mosaic Kits
Other than just the little painted river rocks doing DIY stepping stones or mosaic Garden Stones (Etsy $28.79) is another fun craft to do with kids and teens alike. Teens might be slightly more interested in doing mosaics, but really I think any craft like this is a win with them.
8. Butterfly Rearing Kits
I raise monarchs every year at my house. My farm is also a certified monarch way station. But any butterfly can be raised from egg to adulthood and if you have never witnessed the process, I think one of these Butterfly Growing Kit (Amazon $16.99) from National Geographic would be an amazing gift for the whole family. It truly is the coolest process to witness.
9. Bug Boxes and Discovery Kits
Some of my most treasured childhood memories are chasing lighting bugs at my grandparents home. They lived on 3 acres that backed up to a huge cattle pasture and there would be thousands of lighting bugs. My papa made my bug box but if you aren’t the most skilled woodworker, this Bug Discovery Lab (Khol’s $24.99) looks pretty amazing.
10. Flower Pressing Kits
Gone are the days of using our HUGE encyclopedia to make pressed flowers. Buying a Pressed Flower Art Kit (Amazon $14.99) makes pressing flowers from your garden or from the roadside so easy. Once they are dried and pressed the options of how they can be used is endless. Cards, Framed art, jewelry or any number of collage art… truly limitless
11. Bird feeders or Kits
After you’ve set up nesting sites for the birds with your birdhouse kits, the next step is making sure they have access to plenty of tasty food with this Kid’s DIY Birdfeeder kit (Anthropologie $36) I really loved that this one is high quality and aesthetically pleasing. Since it’s a little
12. Suncatcher or Wind Chime kits
Finding ideas for teens is hard yo. I feel so old when I say things like ‘when I was that age..’ but seriously, I didn’t have so much technology consuming my every waking moment. Social media wasn’t a think until college. But I know that one of these DIY Suncatcher (Amazon $19.99) kits would have been right up my alley. I think that still holds true today. They are really cool and who wouldn’t want to hand one up to cast rainbows all over their backyard or in their bedroom?!?
For the Grown-Ups
Now let’s move on to the adults! The gifts in this guide for the adults are a little heavier on the “things” but they are very practical and will definitely encourage spending more time in the garden and less time doom scrolling on social media! There is a healthy mix of tools, utilitarian items, low tech, hi tech, crafts, and everything in between!
1. Birdhouses
As a regenerative grower, I try to limit what I apply to my garden and avoid herbicides and pesticides as much as possible With that being said one of the best ways to keep pests in check is by making sure I have plenty of birds! Birds need different kinds of Bird Houses (Lowe’s $26.00) depending on the species so having several to host several types of birds will help keep all those pest/bugs in check!
2. Beekeeping Books
There has been a HUGE uptake in backyard Beekeeping in recent years. I myself brought bees to the farm this year and I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking care of them without having taken a few classes and having a great resource library I can reference back to. Both Beekeeping For Gardeners (Target $26.49) The BeeKeeper’s Bible (Macy’s $40) are wonderful additions to any budding beekeepers library.
3. A Good Gardening Hat
I am a newer hat wearer. I have never felt like I looked good in them. But since I spend so much more time outside at the farm these days, I am trying to find more that I like and that will give me much needed sun protection. I love this ‘Plant’ Hat (Etsy $29.99) or wide brimmed ponytail hat (amazon $7.89)
4. Plant Markers
There are going to be times when the gardener in your life looks at a plant in confusion, looks at you and says “do you have any idea what this is?!?” It happens to the best of the best. We always think that our minds are infallible but alas, we are humans, and we are going to forget what we planted next to the porch last spring. In comes plant tags and rather and ugly plastic ones, why not give the garden some flair with these Copper Plant Markers (Anthro $20) or Slate Plant Markers (amazon $15.99)
5. Garden Utility Knife
Any gardener is only as good as their tools are strong. One of the most valuable tools, in my opinion, is the Hori Hori Knife (Anthro $48.00) It took me a long time to invest in one, and after getting mine, I really had to have a long hard look at why it took me so long to get one of these workhorses!
6. Seed Mixes
What gardener doesn’t need more seeds? I love that there are so many amazing seed blends coming out, and they aren’t all just flowers! You can find blends of seeds inspired by regions and even cuisines! This Bar-B-Que Garden Seed Kit (Etsy $14.21) would be a great, and probably unexpected, gift for the gardener in your life that also holds the title of Grill Master!
7. Bug Hotels
Did you know that many native bees and other bugs are solitary? As a result they often nest in leaf litter or holes/cavities in woody material. Since many Gardners also love a manicured garden Bug Hotels (Wayfair $28.16) would make the perfect gift to allow them to maintain an orderly space while also supporting the population of native bees and beetles that need that leaf litter left behind.
8. Garden Rock Painting Kit
Why should the littles have all the fun? I think there is something to be said about sending a little time being creative and artistic. I love that this Metallic Rock Painting Kit (Maidonette $15.99) seems to be a slightly more elevated version of the NatGeo one I listed in the kids guide. Perfect little self care activity.
9. Gardening Kits or Subscriptions
There are so many amazing garden kits out there. Ones for small spaces, herb kits, homegrown salsa you name it! I came across this Garden Party Botanical Cocktail Kit (ModernSprout $54.99) and love the concept. Not only is it a little different from ones you normally find, but it comes with kitchen gear and encourages you to USE items from your garden. Another great option is this Garden gift Subscription (ModernSprout $33/mo) Subscriptions are such a great way to extend gift giving and the surprise of what is coming is always sooooo much fun.
10. High Quality Toolbelt
I know I know, this Floret Farmer Florist Workbelt (Wheeler Monroe $205) is a huge splurge. I wanted one for YEARS and last year my husband got me one for my birthday. I can say that it is worth every penny. I love it. There are a lot of cheaper options on the market, but I love that this one is handmade here in the US, by a small leatherwork business. The style has been time tested at floret and it really does just get better with age!
11. Floret Garden Books
No garden or flower farm should be without a well rounded and stocked reference library. I come back to Erin’s books Cutflower Garden, Year in Flowers, & Discovering Dahlias time and again. They are not only beautiful but filled with so much amazing information that regardless of if you are a day one gardener or have been at it for years, you will learn something from these.
12. Weeding Tools
I think weeding is the task every gardener least likes. That’s one reason that this Japanese weeding sickle (Amazon $16.99) is such a wonderful gift. Next to my Hori Hori Knife this is my second most reached for tool. I love the sharp curved blade that allows you to make quick work of cultivating especially when you’re doing it in small or tight spaces.
13. Birdfeeders that bring the Outside in
When I came across these Window Birdfeeders (Home Dept $14.80) I wasted no time getting them for my grandparents. As they lost mobility they spent more time inside and as advid bird lovers this was a great no tech way of bringing the outside in! Now if you have someone who LOVES tech and smart gadgets, the Netvue by Birdify (amazon $199.99) is hands down the way to go! It will not only notify you when you have visitors to your feeder, but will record the interaction!
Stocking Stuffers under $15.99
Not to be left forgotten are the small gifts and stocking stuffers! There are a lot of items in the above guide that would easily fit into this category, but my hope with these were finding those smaller sized items that would easy fit in a stocking.
For the Kids & Teens
Activity Cards/Games
What adult hasn’t heard those fated words “I’m Bored” That’s where these cards Busy Ideas For Bored Kids activity (REI or Amazon $11) come in handy. Sometimes it’s hard to think of SOMETHING for them to do so grab these and let the cards decide!
Activity Books
When ever we can were try to travel and a favorite of ours is visiting our national parks. Living in Oklahoma it’s a bit of a hike (see what I did there) to get to them so as a way to keep the kids entertained activity books like America’s National Parks Activity Book (REI $14.95) is perfect. There is also a Junior Ranger Activity Book (REI $14.95) which looks awesome too. If you’ve never been to a NPS park, the junior ranger program is an educational program where kids learn about the park by filling out a workbook and in return earn a Jr. Ranger badge (PSSSTTTT adults can do it too!)
Star Guides
Do you remember the first time someone pointed out the Big and Little Dippers? The awe of being able to see the formations? What about Orion? There is something so amazing about learning about the space and the stars that I’ll just never get over. The NatGeo Kids Night Sky guide (REI $12.95) is perfect for kids and adults alike that want to learn little more about all things happening above our head in that big night sky.
Holiday Themed Seed Bombs
I don’t know a kid in the world that doesn’t enjoy a good poop reference. These Jolly Plop Seed bombs (modern sprout $5.99 ea) are perfect little item to tuck into a stocking and will be sure to get tons of giggles.
Pocket field Guides and Nature Journals
Pocket guide and nature journals are fun little additions to help older kids and teens learn more about the natural world and keep track of their adventures. Some ones that I came across in my searches that would make great pairings with some of the other gift in the kids guide are My Awesome Field Guide to Bugs (Target $10.19) and Exploring Nature Journal For Kids (Target $7.79)
Extra Gardening Gloves
TRUST ME you’ll never be made about getting extra Kids Garden Gloves (Home Depot $4.98) they WILL GET LOST and you (and kids) will never have too many.
Individual Bug Catchers
There are so many different kinds! I’m a hug fan of ones like these Bug Catchers (Target $14.99) or ones that are similar to tongs with little cups! (this last style I have been trouble finding to link! so if you have a good link send it my way!!!)
Winter Feeders/ Suet Feeders
Other than just just loose seeds, Suet feeders are so beneficial to birds like woodpeckers. They are incredibly easy to look up how to make your own with pinecones, peanut butter and bird seeds, but if you want a ready to go kit I love this one DIY winter bird feeder kit (Etsy $14.50) or This DIY Suet Feeder Kit (Etsy $26.00)
Cozy nap places
Another item I don’t think there is any way to have too many of would be light weight hammock (Amazon $11.99) My kids always fight over the one we have hung so we have gotten several so we have a couple at our farm, a couple at our house, and a couple in our camping gear. When they are this cheap it’s easy to justify having several. Trust me they get used until they wear out!
10. Custom Plant Tags
I love looking at craft fairs or on sites like Etsy for Custom Plant tags (Etsy $6.50) Most big box stores are pretty limited on the tag varieties and styles they carry so if you want tags for harder to find plant offering this is one of the best ways to go!
11. EXTRA GLOVES
Like I mentioned in the kid section the one thing no gardener is going to be sad about getting is more gloves! I particularly love this style of Nitrile coated garden gloves (Amazon $12.99) for everyday planting and dirt handling. They are nice and thin making them super easy to work in! But when I need something for handing brush, thorny plants, or doing anything with a rack or shovel i’m going to gravitate towards some Leather Garden Gloves (Amazon $15.99)
12. Good Garden Snips
The other tool that any gardener can never have enough of are good garden snips/pruners! They are worth their weight in gold and I know any gardener would love to have a couple more. They come in tons of different styles for different jobs and the 3 I find myself always reaching for are these Micro-Tip Pruners (Amazon $13.90), Bypass Pruners (Amazon $15.85), or bonsai shears (amazon $12.99)
13. Sun Catchers or wind chimes
I came across SunCatcher Window Decals (Etsy $13.95) at a local garden shop and I love them so much. I have them in a couple places in my house and I love that they cast rainbows all over. They are like instant joy! I also love sitting outside in my hammock chairs and listening to the wind chimes (Amazon $14.99). Since I live in Oklahoma, they are quite active and I’m here for it!
14. Lip Balms w/ SPF
Self care comes in a lot of form and where most gardens are done working by the time winter rolls around but trust me lip balm with SPF is needed year round a couple faves you can’t go wrong with would be: Jack Black Intense Therapy $10 or Burts Bee’s $9.97
15. Nail Maintence
Unless rocking a dirt manicure is the vibe, this Nail Brush (Amazon $6.95) would be much appreciated and makes a perfect little addition to any gardener’s soap dish!
16. UV Resistant Garden Markers
Trust me a sharpie is not going to cut it in the garden. UV Resistant Permanent Garden Marker (Amazon $7.35) are a must for labeling in the garden. Load up on these because they have a habit of going missing often!
17. Seed Saving Essentials
The gift that keeps giving is saving your own seeds! It’s a little bit of a process, but it’s not hard and once you have the seeds all cleaned you need to store them. These Seed Envelops (Amazon $8.99) are great because they are resealable and they even have a little viewing window.
18. Good hand balms/lotions:
This hobby (or career) can really take its toll on a gardener’s hands. Mine get incredibly dry and I even get cracking that can be really painful. Taking good care of the skin on your hands is so important. One reason I always wear gloves, and when I get home I always try to use a good lotion or balm to keep these paws in good shape! I adore Crabtree & Evelyn Garden Hand Therapy (Amazon $10.99) for more of a lotion or Badger Balm Hardworking Hands (Amazon $9.99) when I need the extra attention!
And just like that, I’ve shared with you my first ever gift guide. I hope that this helps you to find some ideas for the garden lover in your life, even if that gardener is yourself! I am always looking for ideas for myself, my kids, or friends that love spending time outside. This process has also taught me I need to start working on this guide a lot sooner! If there are any must have items on your list that I haven’t mentioned I would love for you to share them in the comments! Until Next time flower friends!
Supporting monarchs in your very own garden.
The delicate flutter of a butterfly's wings brings a touch of magic to any garden, but few species are as loved or recognized as the Eastern Monarch Butterfly. Known for their epic migrations from all over the US (east of the Rocky Mountains) and their striking orange and black wings, these majestic insects are not only a joy to behold but also play a crucial role in pollination and ecosystem health.
Sadly, the Eastern Monarch Butterfly population has been declining in recent years. It has been reported that there was a 59% decrease in the overwintering population of eastern monarches in 2023-2024*. This is the second lowest number seen amongst the species since 2013-2014. These numbers are incredible devastating to the conservationist that are trying desperately to protect these beautiful creatures. It is believed that the drastic decrease is due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change.
*Data from 1993-2003: Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR, CONANP). Data from 2003-2023: WWF-Telcel Alliance, in coordination with the MBBR.
However, there is hope, and you can make a difference right in your own backyard by creating a welcoming environment for these beauties. It doesn’t take much to make a big difference and remember sometimes it seems like “how much does it matter if I do this since I’m only one yard?” It’s about a collective effort. We make a difference yard by yard and garden by garden. It’s not just you or me that will make the difference it’s everyone who is doing just a few things that will hopefully helps monarch numbers rebound.
image from Iowa State University
Here are some really simple things that you can do in your own yard or garden to support Monarchs:
Plant Milkweed in your garden: If you do one thing, let it be planting milkweed! Milkweed is the primary food source for Monarch caterpillars. By planting milkweed in your garden, you provide essential sustenance for these larvae to thrive. Native/wild milkweed numbers have been on steady decline as ranchers, developers and urban spread continue to eat up wild landscapes. There are several varieties of milkweed to choose from and looking for ones native to your area can be helpful. Some of the readily available ones include Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa). Regardless of which you choose you’ll enjoy each one for its own unique beauty.
Include Nectar Plants: Adult Monarch butterflies feed on the nectar of flowers, so it's essential to provide a variety of nectar-rich blooms throughout the growing season. Not only will these plants benefit our butterflies and other pollinators, but they will bring a lot of beauty and biodiversity back to your garden. Consider planting flowers such as Coneflowers, Black-eyed Susans, Zinnias, and Liatris to attract and nourish these winged wonders.
Avoid Pesticides and Herbicides: Pesticides can be harmful to butterflies, as well as other beneficial insects. Opt for organic gardening methods and avoid using pesticides whenever possible. Embracing natural pest control methods such as companion planting and attracting predatory insects like ladybugs can help maintain a healthy balance in your garden. Right along with this is reducing herbicide use. Many of the “weeds” we heavily spray for to maintain pristine yards are the bummer blossoms that aid in the monarch migrations in spring and fall. If you can even leave a small area with these “weeds” as feeding sites we could greatly aid all pollinators.
Provide Sun, Water, and Shelter: Monarch butterflies are sun-loving creatures, so be sure to plant your garden in a sunny spot. Having a water source is equally important. It is as simple as adding a small dish with pebbles or glass beads filled with water for the pollinators to land on drink as needed. Additionally, consider incorporating shrubs or tall grasses to provide shelter from wind and predators.
Create a Monarch Waystation: Consider registering your garden as a Monarch Waystation through Monarch Watch. These certified habitats provide essential resources for Monarch butterflies throughout their lifecycle and migration journey. It’s a simple process, and some fun bragging rights.
Educate Others: Spread awareness about the importance of Monarch conservation and share your passion for gardening for butterflies with friends, family, and neighbors. Encourage others to join in creating butterfly-friendly habitats in their own yards.
*images courtesy of Google.
See, it really doesn't take much to make a big difference. By taking these simple steps, you can transform your home garden into a haven for Eastern Monarch Butterflies and contribute to their conservation efforts. Together, we can all play a part in preserving the beauty and wonder of these remarkable insects for generations to come.
For more info and resources you can check out these amazing organizations:
Growing wildflowers to welcome life back to your garden.
Wildflowers are pure magic. They often are the first plants that comeback after natural disasters like fires and honestly they need those “hardships” to really flourish. Often wildflower sanctuaries and gardens will used prescribed burning to help them have better germination and growth. This phenomenon is actually where the name for my farm came from. It’s a nod to how the hardships I have faced in life have made me grow and flourish into the person I am today.
Wildflowers make a wonderful addition to any garden space or yard. They generally are low maintenance and will usually thrive under many conditions that non-native plants don’t. Their beauty is a little wild and I love that about them. I am someone that doesn’t want to show my dominance over nature by having a perfectly manicured lawn and garden. Often these spaces lack biodiversity and life. How many times have you heard people talking about the magic of fireflies (or lighting bugs depending on where you’re from) or butterflies from childhood and how there just aren’t many of them anymore. The reason is because we have created landscapes that don’t support the life they need to survive.
Many a suburban homeowner is on a rigid quarterly pesticide and herbicide treatment plan to keep all that life at bay. The trophy of best yard goes to the one with the “weed” free yard and meticulously manicured flowerbeds filled with non-native bedding plants. In order to have a variety of wildlife like birds and pollinators in our outdoor spaces we have to shift our mindsets around what creates a beautiful space and invited them back in. The first step in any of this is to have keystone host plants. The Ladybird Johnson’s wildflower Center website has some amazing lists of native plants for your local area. These plants are are critical for biodiversity that is needed to have healthy balanced ecosystems.
Back to wildflowers. It is fairly easy to find wildflower blends for your location and region. Don’t just buy generic wildflower mixed. Most commercial mixes sold at big box stores aren’t actually filled with native wildflowers. They are often filled with several, while amazing, flowering plants that have a “wild” or “cottage” feel to them, they aren’t in fact native wildflowers. If you search for local seed companies often you can find one that is a regional supplier. I found one here in central Oklahoma through my local conservation commission. The one I am using is Johnson Seed Co which is based in Enid Ok. I love that they have some premade seed blends that are specific to our regions. They also offer custom blending which I LOVE! Several of the local conservation organizations like our yard-by-yard and okies for monarchs have their own custom blends and they even donate back to these amazing programs!
Once you have found your wildflower seed source, it’s time to do a little prep work to get everything ready to go! Here is a short list of the things you’ll want to look at and decide on before you purchase your seeds:
Determine which seeds (or plants) you want to get. While most are relatively easy, having some knowledge on how to be successful is beneficial. This could also help you have more success by starting with seeds (or plants) that are more on a beginner level.
Learn when the best planting time is. Remember how I said some of these wildflowers like “hardship” one of those is a period of cold called stratification. This can be replicated if the varieties you want to grow need it and it’s the “wrong” time of the year for planting.
Prepare your planting site. You may need to prep an area for planting by tilling, racking, or killing off non-native turf grasses. There are natives that are a little slower to germinate or mature and making sure that faster growing non-natives don’t over take them is essential so preparing the site ahead of time will help to set you up for success.
Okay so now that we have the site ready to go lets get to planting! Remember what I said about knowing what time of the year it is best to sow your seeds, and plant at the appropriate time or follow any special germination instructions like cold stratification for optimal germination. Fall and spring are the most common times to plant due to cooler weather/temp and these seasons usually have more rain to help maintain soil moisture without having to additionally water. Fall is the prime time that many natives go to seed and naturally would reseed themselves so that is one reason it is an optimal time to put seeds out.
When you go to sow your wildflowers, you can either choose to hand-sow or use a crank-style seeder. Either option will work great for planting wildflowers and each offers its own pros and cons. When planting, it can be beneficial to sow more than the minimum listed to ensure a dense, gorgeous bloom. Once your seeds are evenly sown, you can rake back over the seed with your garden soil. Another thing that can help when sowing is to mix the seeds with sand or vermiculite to help with distribution. This also acts as a visual aide to see where the seeds have been sown.
Just because people like to say wildflowers are “low-maintenance” doesn’t mean they are “no-maintenance” wildflowers. You will need to weed the area your wildflowers are growing in to make sure they don’t get over ran and give them supplemental watering until they are well established. Additionally, your wildflowers may require annual mowing that will help disperse and germinate seeds. If the species present in your landscaping do not drop seed, they may also require reseeding over time to maintain a lush and colorful landscape. The following are just a few of my favorite native flowers local to where I live in Central Oklahoma:
Lanceleaf Coreopsis ‘tickseed"‘
Echinecea ‘Purple coneflower’
Rudbeckia ‘black-eyed susan’
Milkweed
Solidego ‘golden rod’
Asters
Yarrow
Happy Growing Flower Friends.
The story behind The Wildflower Cottage
Hey there flower friend! I wanted to take a little time to share the story of The Wildflower Cottage and why this farm holds such a big part of my heart. So let's start here; Like for so many, my most cherished memories are spending time with my grandparents. For me it’s the time we spent in their gardens. My paternal grandmother, who only answered to Meme, would spend hours in the garden with me and my cousins. She would tell us the names of flowers, have us pick ripe berries from the vine that were warm from the sun, and have us crush herbs between our fingers to release the fragrant oils to smell. We would gather bouquets to set the table for our tea parties of home made pies and lemonade. She would help us press flowers in books and do leaf rubbings with our broken crayons. With her it was always about making memories.
As a kid we moved a lot. My dad was military when I was a baby and toddler then entered into oil and gas. We never stayed in one place more than a year or two. The garden, and my memories I made there, literally helped me feel rooted in a world that was often changing. I can look back & realize that being in the garden with my hands in the dirt really are some of my most favorite childhood memories. I think we all have core memories tiedback to the earth in some way. Maybe you have similar stories.
“Almost every person, from childhood, has been touched by the untamed beauty of wildflowers."
LadyBird Johnson
With my family constantly moving being in the garden help me feel rooted. That feeling and love for being in the garden never left me. As I got into my teenage years I continues to help my parents create gardens in our rental homes. A trick that my parents taught me that I still do to this day is squeezing the bottom of 6 packs of annuals to swap out colors or skimpy plants for more robust varieties. My mom would often even pinch off seed heads that formed on annuals still at the store.
In college I found a job working at a local nursery. My knowledge of the plants that did well in our area or how to care for tricker varieties grew immensely. Not only was I getting to spend my days playing with plants but the 50% discount helps to feel my love. I began building my own garden in pots on my apartment balconies. During this time I even signed up for some gardening magazines, I’m telling you I came into my grannie hobby era early, and I remember reading one of them that a small farm had started a flower CSA (community supported agriculture). That was the first time I realized flower farming was an actual thing and my secret dreams of flower farming took hold. When my husband and I bought our first house can you guess what the selling feature was? That’s right, the big beautiful backyard with a koi pond and a lot of potential for me to grow both literally and metaphorically. And grow I did. In that first house we got engaged, married, started our little family. I kept dreaming of our next move being to some land where we could start our farm. However, when my oldestwas 15 mo old I felt like something was a little off. We had her evaluated though our state early intervention program but felt pretty confident we would be told we were fine. When our answers to the questions kept coming up as ‘no’ we got concerned. That day we were told she screened at high risk of autism and shortly after was diagnosed with moderate developmental delays. At the time I was 7 month pregnant with our second. I felt so scared and lost. Everything changed.....
"May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day."
- Native American Proverb
We welcomed our second into our family and life was barely manageable as it is when a family grows. Our oldest began an intensive early intervention program 4 days a week. Within just a few months of that we got in with a psychologist where she got her official diagnosis of not only developmental disabilities but also level 3 autism. I started realizing that we would need to monitor our younger daughter’s development as well since instances of autism within families increased with siblings. When my younger daughter was 8 months she also screens with delays & would later receive similar diagnosis. With 2 children with profound developmental disabilities, my days became consumed with dr appts, therapy, & IEPs. At time, I felt like my dream had died. Depression followed as often does to caregivers of disabled children that are fighting constanly for their kids. I turned to my garden for respite & found peace there among the blooms. It always took me back to simple times. My children began joining me & I found flowers brought them joy too. The more time we spend among the flowers together hope came back. Every time I saw the pure joy in them when we harvested bowls of berries or a big bouquet for the kitchen table I realized my dream didn’t die. It changed. It wasn’t not centered on me anymore. It held my children at the center. It could be a safe place for them to learn life skills & blossom into who they are meant to be. I realized this was even bigger than our family & we could serve other families like ours. We could create opportunities to share the joy of flowers, the peace they can bring, & the wonder of sowing a seed & watching it grow into something beautiful. It didn’t just stop at my family. This could be something I shared with other families like mine. This could bring joy to anyone suffering a loss or grieving a life that shifted from what they thought it was going to be. I started to see that what I wanted out of the farm was to build community. I wanted to connect with others and share the hope and joy that flowers seem to bring. After all flowers are symbolic of shared life. They are give at the birth of a child or the death of a loved one. At milestones like birthday or people coming together in marriage. Flowers bring people together and in our world today, who doesn’t need need more connection?
If you’ve hung in this long, I think you know just how powerful flowers can be. Maybe they have had an impact on your life in a similar way to me. I hope more people will view flowers as more than a luxury purchase. I mean they aren’t food for survival, but they do feel our soul. They encourage us to slow down and savor the precious fleeting moments in a world that is often telling us to hustle and rush from one thing to the next. I hope that in reading this you will join this community we are building to share the joy with others too. Thanks for reading Flower Friend.
