Indian paintbrush is my favorite cutting flower. A year and a half ago Kevin and I followed all the rules for planting a wildflower mix of bi-annuals and perennials. We killed our underlying meadow lawn by staking down black plastic. After a few weeks, we raked out the dead thatch and roto-tilled the 20′ by 20’ area. We sowed about twice as much seed as the label instructed because we wanted a thick crop of color.

Last spring nothing happened. We got some spotty flowers that lasted a few weeks at most. I gave a cynical shake of my head as I drove past the ugly square of ground for 15 months, wondering why we had put so much energy into the space.

But look now! Ka -boom! This mass of flowers at the end of our country driveway greets us every time we drive by.

Foxglove- this biannual reseeds itself in large masses or in other fertile areas…like trees stumps.

The seeds dropping from the flower of the yellow Wood Poppy create bigger plants each year.  Seeds are carried by the wind or birds to random parts of the yard.  I love how this one is tucked into the rocks.

Columbine will cultivate easily elsewhere if you cut off the pods that stand on a single spiky stem. Break open the pod and empty the seeds on bare dirt in a part shade spot.