Wildflower Seed Mixes for Prairie Gardens

Introducing custom-blended Seed Mixes to easily create a Prairie or Native garden!

A fantastic blend of regional wildflowers that grow natively over a wide range, you’ll enjoy their hardiness, Pollinator and songbird-friendly blooms they recognize, caterpillar host plants, and are adapted to your area!

Handling the sun and a wide range of conditions and climates that these plants would typically endure in their ecosystems. From fire to drought to flooding, sun, heat, and cold, these plants also must compete with the vigorous root systems of other native plants and changing conditions.

Check out the beautiful Seed Mixtures available at Nature Hills!

Geared for a wide range of growing zones throughout the US, these carefully selected blends of wildflowers and native plants grow indigenously.

Scatter these seeds into sunny, new, or existing landscapes! Work up the soil and gently rake these seeds into a sunny part of your existing landscape, or perhaps in place of lawn to mow! Use for prairie restoration gardens, native wildflower gardens, habitat restoration, and to provide nectar and pollen sources that Pollinators like native bees and butterflies recognize and have evolved alongside!

Use for prairie restoration gardens, native wildflower gardens, habitat restoration, and to provide nectar and pollen sources that Pollinators like native bees and butterflies recognize and have evolved alongside!

Must-haves to include in the beneficial insect borders in the sun. Scatter the seeds among your mixed Perennial gardens and Cottage borders to boost your local ecology.

Transform that patch of wilderness along the back strip of your yard, or create a meadow where the water-hungry lawn along the sunny side yard or backyard. Plus, you'll enjoy wildflower bouquets brimming in beauty and variety all spring and summer, and even until the autumn!

That’s because these mixtures have flowers that bloom throughout each part of the growing season, so that something will always be in flower!

Maximize Native Impact!

Everyone knows how important it is to boost local pollinators and plant natives that work with the climate and conditions of your area!

Many homeowners are learning how vital it is to reduce water-hungry turf areas and fill barren open spaces by including these vital plants to attract wildlife, birds, and beneficial insects to your yard. You will easily create an important buffer zone of deep-rooted plants with long-term savings on maintenance for the area compared to turfgrass!

Even if it is a small patch of wild in the backyard, or going full meadow in your front yard, these bits of wilderness are lifelines for birds and bees!

These native wildflowers and prairie plants can be planted to help slow rainwater runoff and erosion, filtering the water before it returns to our wetlands and bodies of water. Plant them on a hard-to-mow hillside or bare slope to transform them into native displays!

Likewise, the prairie seed mixtures are also highly adapted to wildfires and drought; their deep roots and specialized leaves prevent moisture loss from the sun and occasional drought. This makes them perfect for the Xeric landscape and fire-wise defensible landscaping plans!

These pretty seed mixtures include plants that bloom at different times of the growing season for a pretty array of blooms from spring til summer!

Our team of growers has developed a collection of perennial and even a few annual plants as either native to a particular region or as prairie plants that are native that perform well!

Each plant is listed by Genus and species and we have engineered each blend into regional mixtures that look and work well together! Able to perform as their own small plant community to be attractive, and offer flowering throughout the different times of the year!

These are also specially selected to attract beneficial insects and the seed pods feed songbirds.

Check Out The Regional Seed Blends Available At Nature Hills!

The Prairie Seed Mix

This blend of Prairie seeds includes 16 species, geared for former tall and short-grass prairie regions that receive loads of sun and have access to very well-drained soil conditions. These plants not only handle sun, heat, and cold but also are wonderful fire-wise landscaping plants that survive occasional droughts!

American Germander (Teucrium canadense)
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca): are Monarch butterfly host plants
Fourpoint Evening Primrose (Oenothera rhombipetala)
Heal All, aka: Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris)
Plains Bee Balm (Monarda pectinate) Hummingbird-friendly blooms
Porcupine Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus')
Prairie Ragwort (Packera plattensis)
Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata)
Scaly Blazingstar (Liatris squarrosa): also known as Gayfeather
Showy Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa): showy late-blooming perennials
Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula): perennial ornamental native grass Western Wallflower (Erysimum asperum)
Willow-Leaved Sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): are excellent perennial

The Native Wildflower Seed Mix

A fantastic blend of 8 hardy native wildflowers that Pollinators and songbirds adore! Hardy in both hot and cold regions and beyond, this wildflower seed mixture will fill your landscape with fresh color.

American Germander (Teucrium canadense)
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): is very bird-friendly!
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca): are Monarch butterfly host plants
Fourpoint Evening Primrose (Oenothera rhombipetala)
Purple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata)
Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa)
Western Wallflower (Erysimum asperum)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

There are also rice hulls included to help with the aid in seed distribution when sowing.

Planting Seed Mixtures

It’s easy to get your own native wildflower or prairie flower garden growing!

Remove any existing vegetation, like grasses and weeds, from the site you’ve selected
Loosen soil by tilling
Broadcast seeds over the area and rake lightly. This will distribute the seeds into the soil about 1/8th - ¼ inch deep. Water well and frequently once planted and throughout the first growing season. Young seedlings cannot be allowed to dry out.
Apply a light straw mulch to the site to help with moisture retention and decrease weed competition.
Avoid weeding to ensure you aren’t removing wildflower seedlings.

Tips & Extra Information

Once your seeds have been gently raked into the top 1/4 inch of soil, you should lightly and frequently mist the soil a couple of times each day to keep it moist. Treat the area as if you had planted grass seed.

You can lightly sprinkle some shredded straw covering to prevent the sun from drying the soil out. Or you can use cheesecloth or row cover over the area to keep it moist until the seedlings emerge. Once they have sprouted, water a bit heavier but less frequently to take the roots down deeper.

I would not suggest putting compost over the top, as most will smother. I would not suggest thinning either. Just let the germinated seedlings grow for the first year.

Wildflower Garden Maintenance

Prune down or mow larger plantings after the first full growing season, the following early spring, and leave the trimmings in place along with their seeds that will germinate and further spread the joy!

For smaller patches, you can deadhead your plants to encourage new blooms, but leave the last flowers to develop seeds to collect for later or allow them to self-sow on their own. Birds also appreciate these seeds for late-season food sources!

Once established, these planted areas will need little care, and little additional watering or fertilizers, or chemicals. But to keep them blooming with supplemental moisture during the worst episodes of drought or throughout the heat of summer.

Avoid using chemicals and artificial fertilizers that may impact your pollinators and environment.

Boost Your Ecosystem With Native & Prairie Wildflowers!

Get your native groove on with these hand-crafted Seed Mixtures that will work in your area's landscape! Feed pollinators and songbirds and support wildlife in your own backyard with these easy blends of gorgeous flowering natives!

Including native plants that can be found throughout the US and Milkweeds that act as host plants for Monarch butterflies!

Check out which of the Seed Mixtures would do best for your area and order yours at Nature Hills Nursery today.

Happy Planting!

Pink Manners Obedient Plant

View details

Rating

(1)

Type

Perennial

American Beauties

Flower Color

Pink

Growing Zone Range

2-9

Mature Height

3 ft

Width

1 ft

Price

$34⁶⁷

Frequently Asked Questions

How do seed mixes help maximize color and bloom impact across a garden bed?

Nature Hills seed mixes are carefully blended to include wildflowers that bloom in succession throughout spring, summer, and into autumn, ensuring something is always in color across your planting area. These regional blends are selected to thrive across a wide range of growing zones throughout the US, so you get reliable, season-long performance without gaps in the display. To maximize impact, work up the soil in a sunny location, scatter the seeds evenly, and gently rake them in to establish good soil contact for the strongest germination and bloom coverage.

When is the best time to sow a wildflower or perennial seed mix outdoors?

The best time to sow wildflower and perennial seed mixes outdoors is either in early spring after the last frost date for your zone, or in late fall before the ground freezes to allow natural cold stratification over winter. Fall sowing mimics how native seeds naturally disperse and often results in stronger germination come spring. Prepare your planting area by loosening the top inch or two of soil, scatter your seeds evenly, and gently rake them in to ensure good soil contact before watering lightly.

How do you prepare a planting area to get the best germination results from a seed mix?

For best germination results, choose a sunny location and work up the soil by loosening the top 1 to 2 inches, removing any existing weeds or debris that could compete with young seedlings. Scatter your seed mix evenly across the prepared area, then gently rake the seeds into the soil to ensure good seed-to-soil contact without burying them too deeply. Most native wildflower seed mixes perform best when sown in early spring or fall, allowing seeds to naturally stratify and germinate with seasonal moisture. Keep the area consistently moist during the first few weeks of establishment, and resist the urge to over-mulch, as many native seeds need light to germinate properly.

How deep should you sow seeds when planting a mixed seed blend in the ground?

When planting a mixed seed blend, the general rule is to sow seeds no deeper than two to three times their diameter, which for most wildflower and prairie seeds means a shallow depth of about one-eighth to one-quarter inch. Press or rake the seeds lightly into loosened, prepared soil so they make good contact with the earth without being buried too deep, as many native wildflower seeds require light to germinate. For best results, scatter your seeds in fall or early spring when soil temperatures are cool, then tamp the surface down gently with the back of a rake or your foot to ensure consistent seed-to-soil contact.

How do you water a freshly seeded area without washing seeds away or creating dry patches?

Water a freshly seeded area using a gentle mist or fine spray setting on your hose nozzle to keep the soil consistently moist without displacing seeds. For the first two to three weeks, lightly water once or twice daily in the early morning to prevent evaporation and allow moisture to soak in gradually. Once seedlings begin to establish, reduce frequency but water more deeply to encourage strong root development. Avoid high-pressure streams and midday watering, and keep the seedbed visibly moist but never waterlogged until you see consistent germination across the area.

How do you keep a seeded bed consistently moist during the critical germination period?

Keeping a seeded bed consistently moist during germination is the single most important factor in your success. Lightly water the area once or twice daily with a gentle mist or sprinkler to avoid displacing seeds, maintaining moisture in the top inch of soil until seedlings are visibly established, which typically takes 2 to 4 weeks depending on species and conditions. Mulching lightly with a thin layer of straw can help retain that surface moisture between waterings. Once seedlings reach 3 to 4 inches tall and roots begin to establish, gradually reduce watering frequency to encourage deep root development.

How can you tell if a seeded area is getting too much or too little water after planting?

Newly seeded areas should stay consistently moist but never waterlogged during germination, which typically takes 7 to 21 days depending on the species and soil temperature. Signs of overwatering include standing water, moss or algae growth, and soil that stays muddy and compacted, while underwatering shows up as cracked dry soil, curling seedling leaves, or seed that simply fails to sprout. Aim to keep the top inch of soil moist with light, frequent watering once or twice daily until seedlings reach 2 to 3 inches tall, then gradually taper to deeper, less frequent sessions to encourage the deep root growth that makes native seed mixes so resilient long-term.

Do seed mixes need fertilizer to establish, and when should you start feeding young seedlings?

Native seed mixes are naturally adapted to lean soils and generally do not need fertilizer to establish. In fact, adding fertilizer can encourage aggressive weed growth that outcompetes your young wildflower seedlings, and many native plants actually thrive in lower-nutrient conditions that mirror their natural prairie or meadow habitats. Skip the feeding altogether in year one and focus instead on consistent moisture during germination and the first growing season. Let your seedlings establish their deep root systems on their own terms, and trust that these regionally adapted plants are built to succeed without supplemental nutrition.

How do you prevent mold, fungus, or damping-off when starting a seed mix indoors?

Nature Hills seed mixes are designed for direct outdoor sowing rather than indoor starting, which naturally reduces the risk of damping-off and fungal issues that plague indoor seedlings. If you do start seeds indoors, use a sterile, well-draining seed-starting mix, avoid overwatering by allowing the surface to dry slightly between waterings, and ensure strong air circulation with a small fan running nearby. Sow at the recommended depth, typically just a light raking to 1/8 inch or surface contact for light-dependent germinators, and keep trays in bright light to discourage the damp, dark conditions mold thrives in. For best results with these regional wildflower blends, direct sow outdoors in early spring or late fall and let nature handle germination on its own terms.

Can you overseed or add to an existing seed mix planting to fill in thin or bare spots?

Yes, you can absolutely overseed thin or bare areas in an existing seed mix planting. The best time to do this is either in early spring or late fall, mimicking the natural reseeding cycles these native wildflowers follow in the wild. Lightly rake or scarify the bare soil to improve seed-to-soil contact, then scatter the same or complementary seed mix over the area and gently tamp it down. Water lightly to settle the seeds and keep the area consistently moist until germination takes hold.

#ProPlantTips: Using Seed Mixes to Maximize Impact