What are you intending to put in this new bed? Will you actually be
using native plants of Alabama, or are you intending to do one of the
"wildflower in a can" mixtures? The reason I ask is that most of the
"wildflower" mixes are actually loaded with Eurasian species that botanists
would term "weeds" because they aren't native, but naturalized... reproducing
here on their own, and many of them are pretty aggressive seeders compared
to trying to establish native perennial plants from seed.

Actually, I had hoped that I would be able to cordon off a portion of
land and sort of just sit back to see what grows, trimming and weeding
to effect. Should have known better to hope that it would be that
simple! But what do you think such a bed would look like in a year or
two if I went that route? Very Tall Grass?

I thought that weeds we commonly pull out of our gardens ARE native
plants. I guess not? Wow, in that case: I didn't realize that we
trashed native species (plant and animal) THAT much! Sad, so even our
native wildflowers are in danger, eh? Interesting that nonative things
always seem to be the most aggressive--I suppose that comes from
hundreds of years of heavy human habitation over in Europe.

I did look on suspiciously at the wildflower mixes I've seen at Home
Depot and all, since they looked different than what I've seen on
nature trails. No recognizable bloodroot, violets, azaelas, etc. Not
to mention that it seemed just too easy! Are at least most sunflowers
native in many areas....say, for example, black oil sunflower commonly
fed to birds?

I had hoped to start from seed, if not from scratch. Maybe nursery
stock would be a better route, but seeds SEEM easier in the short
term.

So is there a good list of common weed garden plants out there on the
web that someone has bookmarked? I found this:
http://www.homestore.com/HomeGarden/...?poe=homestore

It doesn't say what's native or not, unfortunately.

Daniel Phillips

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