An Extension Master Gardener Intern surveys the freshly prepared planting area before seed sowing in January 2026. Photo by Amanda Bratcher
What's Going On
We are transforming what was once a 'dead patch' adjacent to the Garden into a vibrant, annual wildflower display. We didn't start out intending to prepare the site, but we are turning where our mulch pile was placed into a beautiful garden.
The tarped area was covered for nine months while we utilized the mulch near the Garden. This sufficiently killed the grass and weeds. Weed control is critical to get wildflower seed established. In January 2026, when we finally used all the mulch, we sowed a Ferry-Morse "Pollinator" seed mix donated by Walmart and Lee County Parks and Rec.
We decided to ignore the directions on the back of the bag, as they weren't relevant to our local climate and seasons, the seeding rate seemed low, and we were not sure of the viability of the seed. We weren't worried about sowing in January because many of the seeds listed on the species list needed a cold, wet treatment to germinate, and April would have been too late. Supposedly one bag would have covered our 12 ft. x 12ft bed, but we put three because we weren't sure of the viability of the seeds and how they would respond to our climate. The mix was full of non-native species, so we also supplemented the mix with seeds we'd collected from the Garden and are eager to see what else comes up.
We are not sure of what the future of this area will hold, but for now it is a beautiful wildflower meadow connecting the Pollinator Haven Garden to the McSwain Center.
Species present, as of April 2026:
California Poppy: Eschscholzia californica
Coastal Tidy Tips: Layia platyglossa
The seeds geminated within a couple weeks of sowing and have been flowering since early March 2026. Photo by Amanda Bratcher, taken early April 2026
