Among the Wildflowers

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Brighten up your garden with these florals that require minimal water and care–ideal for the Mountain West. Order seeds/bulbs now to cultivate your high-country garden with fresh blooms come summertime. 

Blue Flax 

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Discovered by Meriwether Lewis in Montana in 1809 (and earning its botanical name as Linum lewisii as a tribute to him) these vibrant flowers thrive in drier conditions and require little attention. Sow seeds in early spring and give lots of light to watch this rich blue plant flourish up to 30 inches high. 

Butterfly Weed

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Don’t let the name ‘Weed’ deceive you– this perennial has no resemblance to a weed. This cheery botanic gathers an abundance of butterflies due to its bright orange and yellow flower clusters. With a tough root and high tolerance for drought, the bush-like plant is sure to last with little maintenance.

Rocky Mountain Columbine

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This Colorado-state flower is a favorite in the Rocky Mountains for its gorgeous lavender, ivory and yellow petals. This botanic grows best in drier and cooler climates, and enjoys the softer morning sun and shaded areas in the afternoon. A bonus: the plant attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to its nectar. 

Sticky Geranium

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Drawing in an array of butterflies, the Sticky Geranium blooms in pink and purple hues with rounded petals during May through August. Grown best in grassy meadows at a higher elevation, this Geranium is best planted through scarifying the seeds–meaning to air-dry them so they are more porous to water. 

Poppy Mallow 

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Also known as “Wine Cups,” these florals come in myriad color choices–from red to purple or pink. Drought tolerant and loving the sunshine, this plant gets up to one foot tall in height, blooms for longer than four weeks, and requires little attention from gardeners.