Hi, I live in VA, zone 7B. I need to reduce the size of my lawn - and want to plant a native grass and wildflower garden to replace a portion of my 1 acre plot. I've read lots but would love some advice from folks in my zone. I'm planning to start solarization of the area now and hopefully plant in the fall. Advice please, dos and don'ts, where to buy native plant grass and seed mixes, etc. I am in south central VA in a small rural town and have found no local expertise. I contacted our chapter of master gardeners but no one had any recommendations. Thanks in advance

We have a forum dedicated to just that so I'm gonna have your thread moved there and called attention to a couple people who do it to hopefully help you.

@gardengus @stone

Pic?
How long has this been turf? Any guesses?
Also, are you going to have issues with the neighbors?
Town people don't like seeing vegetation that's taller than an inch...

Personally am not a fan of solarizing. I wouldn't do it.
I'd try to regain the plants that would already be there if someone had left it alone...

There's usually tons of wildflower seeds in the existing seed bank... It's always fun seeing what shows up when we stop mowing.

That turf generally requires massive amounts of effort to keep it going... when all that stops?
Generally, the turf starts dying out without our having to do anything.

When I'm planting a garden with container grown plants, I'll dig out the turf and shovel dig the soil, but to create a wildflower meadow... I'd probably try to do a lot less.

The thing about a meadow... it usually looks like a grassy pasture.
If you're hoping for a flower garden... you may be disappointed.

As far as flowers to plant?
You can buy seed mixes...

or find someone that will let you walk through the back of their lot, looking for wildflowers... I prefer the second... but you would need to learn what the plants look like when they aren't in bloom...

you can not transplant stuff while it is flowering... but you can tie a ribbon, and come back later and collect a few seeds.

I have lots of suggestions... we can make this happen...
you may start seeing pretty blue chicory flowers within a month of parking the mower!
It doesn't have to be difficult.

Try this link as a starting point for seed mixes:
https://www.wildseedfarms.com/...

I think you could grow Blue Grama grass in Virginia. Attractive, low maintenance and needs no mowing if you're going to create a meadow. There is a taller version, Blonde Ambition, which sounds lovely. Has year-round interest.

Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis)

Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition')

Hi Again, thanks for the info and Stone here are answers to your questions - and a few more questions 🙂


[quote="stone"] Pic?
- How long has this been turf? Any guesses?
* I will attach a pic after writing this. The area of concern is my back yard. I do not know how long but would suspect for 40 yrs. When I moved in 6 yrs ago, I quit mowing about 1/4 of back yard - to leave a 'natural area.' I have it bush wacked every spring. I am pleased with this area (so are other little critters - black snakes, bunnies and birds) and it is beginning to regenerate a bit to a heathy meadow. I want to double the size of this and incorporate native plants. I prefer not to till everything up and start from scratch. Would that work? Should I just scratch up areas and put seeds out? Advice, please.
- Also, are you going to have issues with the neighbors?
Town people don't like seeing vegetation that's taller than an inch...
* No issue with neighbors, the small neighborhood is
surrounded by pasture.

- Personally am not a fan of solarizing. I wouldn't do it.
I'd try to regain the plants that would already be there if someone had left it alone...
* Agree, would prefer not to kill everything and 'cook' soil bugs.

- There's usually tons of wildflower seeds in the existing seed bank... It's always fun seeing what shows up when we stop mowing.
* Have some thistle, too many wild thorny plants and junipers - which I dig out.

- That turf generally requires massive amounts of effort to keep it going... when all that stops?
Generally, the turf starts dying out without our having to do anything.
When I'm planting a garden with container grown plants, I'll dig out the turf and shovel dig the soil, but to create a wildflower meadow... I'd probably try to do a lot less.
The thing about a meadow... it usually looks like a grassy pasture.
If you're hoping for a flower garden... you may be disappointed.
* My goal is to have a grassy pasture with plants that provide shelter and food for birds, pollinators and other little critters.

- As far as flowers to plant?
You can buy seed mixes...or find someone that will let you walk through the back of their lot, looking for wildflowers... I prefer the second... but you would need to learn what the plants look like when they aren't in bloom...
you can not transplant stuff while it is flowering... but you can tie a ribbon, and come back later and collect a few seeds.
* So how do I add plants to this tall (pretty nice) grass that happens when I quit mowing?

- I have lots of suggestions... we can make this happen...
you may start seeing pretty blue chicory flowers within a month of parking the mower!It doesn't have to be difficult.
* I love your enthusiasm, you have encouraged me. So I will read up on collecting, preserving and planting native seeds. So advice please on that and when to scatter the collected seeds - after I have it bushwacked in the fall or in the spring when the grass starts growing again ? Can I continue to bushwhack when I have native plants? I have been cutting it down once a year because that seems to keep the junipers and thorny plants down and promotes healthier grass. Look forward to additional suggestions.

Overview - my property ends at fence line


Area I want to extend, will take down fenced garden area


Current 'wild' area

cydiku said:
* I love your enthusiasm, you have encouraged me. So I will read up on collecting, preserving and planting native seeds. So advice please on that and when to scatter the collected seeds - after I have it bushwacked in the fall or in the spring when the grass starts growing again ? Can I continue to bushwhack when I have native plants?

Don't mow in the autumn... mow at the end of winter.... just before stuff starts to grow.

The idea behind bushwhacking is to prevent the place from becoming a forest... While allowing the forbs to self seed.

I leave the plants standing through the winter so that I can enjoy seeing the songbirds.

As far as when to scatter seed?
I probably wouldn't scatter the seed.
When I bring in new plants, I may dig seedlings (with permission), Or I start seeds in seed bed and transplant later.

I checked your pics... I think that continuing the way that you are going... should work fine.

Did you visit the wildflower seed site I linked?
their catalog?
https://cdn.coverstand.com/261...

A big thanks for the advice and the catalog link!

Another grassy wildflower meadow post:
The thread "Sustainable landscapes" in Wildflowers forum

I love your idea and if I could try I would.
My concern with scratching it up and sowing seed it that the existing seed bank will overwhelm your purchased seeds. And very hard to seperate and id what ro keep. I like better to start plants and plant them in small well prepared spots where you can keep an eye on them. They can then spread by root or seed as you open up more ground. My theory anyhoo.