Add spring color to your garden with these wildflowers

Our early spring gardens tend to have a predictable array of annual plants. Iceland poppies, stock, pansies, violas and Paludosum daisies predominate. But our fields and hillsides light up in spring with the delicate beauty of wildflowers in array of colors and varieties.

Many of these beautiful plants grow very well in our gardens and give us larger flowers and longer blooms than their grown-in-the-wild counterparts in reward for the additional irrigation and compost they receive. Perfectly adapted to our variable spring weather, our native wildflowers offer many unusual and elegant flower shapes and colors. We tend to overlook the unusual beauty of our native flora, though other countries covet our beauties and it is not unusual to see California wildflowers grown in far-away countries like the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan.

Our native annuals need cool weather to grow well. They germinate naturally with the fall rains, remain small over the winter, and bloom in the spring. Seed can be started in September. They also can be planted in February and March as transplants. Though April is too late in the warmer parts of our area, they will still put on a good show in coastal areas.

April is a perfect time to view the bloom in nature. You can also capture a look at wildflowers in captivity at the The Wildflower Show at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville on Saturday and Sunday or at Annie’s Annuals and Perennials Nursery in Richmond. If you can’t make it in person visit anniesannuals.com.

Our annual wildflowers can be direct seeded, or planted as transplants. They need weed-free conditions, regular irrigation, and some compost to fully achieve their potential. Most require full sun, but a couple of species do well in the shade.

The array of wildflowers changes as the spring season progresses. Some bloom early in the spring, while others bloom midseason, or in May. The earliest bloomers in February and March are the low-growing baby blue eyes.

Most commonly seen is the sky-blue baby blue eyes, (Nemophila menziesii). There is also the five-spot (Nemophila maculata) that has white blooms spotted with five purple spots. Following them is the poached egg flower (Limnanthes douglasii), another low growing wildflower with cupped flowers the colors of an egg.

Growing naturally in wet areas with heavy soils, this plant thrives in our gardens. In Hopland there is a white flowered species called meadowfoam (Limnanthes hoplandensis) that forms pools of spilled milk around the valley.

April is the main wildflower season. The familiar California poppies come into their brilliant orange glory. There are also beautiful cream-colored selections, semi-double pastel shades, brilliant satiny crimson, or even purple. If you like blue flowers, the Phacelias are some of the best, and best for bees.

The scorpion flower, Phacelia tanacetifolia is grown world-wide as a cover crop and bee-fodder plant. Light blue, fragrant and 3 feet tall, it can out-muscle weeds. Easy garden denizens are Phacelia grandiflora, the brilliant blue Phacelia campanularia and Phacelia viscida.

Phacelia minor has a deep purple, miniature Canterbury bell-like flower sure to makes hearts swoon.

The two gilias are very different in stature and form. Blue thimble flower (Gilia captitata) looks like a scabiosa.

Bird’s eyes (Gilia tricolor) has small blooms of light violet, with black throats and bright blue anthers. It is fragrant, shade tolerant and forms delicate froths over our hillsides.

Tidytips are cheerful daisy flowers. The robust tidytips (Layia platyglossa) has yellow flowers with white tips and pinked edges. Growing in a neat ball is the lesser known, bright yellow woodland tips (Layia gaillardioiodes).

The season concludes with the farewell to spring, the Clarkias. Most are familiar with the poppy-like Clarkia amoena in shades of pink and white Yet the other Clarkias are some of the most exquisite flowers we can grow. Stag’s horn clarkia (Clarkia concinna) has profuse brilliant pink blooms of that description. Ruby Chalice Clarkia (Clarkia rubicunda) has profuse, long-lasting, deep pink, poppy blooms with deep magenta throats. Clarkia bottae is pale, divine teacup pink. Clarkia unguiculata is often grown as a cut flower.

The little-known blazing star (Mentzelia lindleyi) is the most flamboyant of the group with 3-inch wide, silky yellow flowers with darker centers.

See these plants (and lots more) in person:

Anderson Valley Wildflower Show - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday andSunday , Mendocino County Fairgrounds, Boonville.

Annie’s Annuals and Perennials Nursery : anniesannuals.com

Seed: Le Ballister’s, 1250 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa (707-526-6733, lebalisters.com). Harmony Farm Supply, Sebastopol (Harmonyfarm.com).

Kate Frey’s column appears every other week in Sonoma Home. Contact Kate at: katebfrey@gmail.com, freygardens.com, Twitter @katebfrey, Instagram @americangardenschool