Prairie and sunshine seem to go together, but there is fog too. And the past few days have certainly been foggy and wet, starting with a beautiful hoarfrost Monday morning. Many of the native seeds need the alternating moisture and freezing to be ready for sprouting in the spring. And I am ready for spring!
Many of my native plants, especially the grasses, I dig from along roadways in the area. I transplant them when they are dormant in the fall. They are already climatized to the area and they do very well.
There are also a few great online sources for native plants and seeds. My favorites are:
Prairie Moon Nursery, especially for seeds
High Country Gardens, wonderful plants and preplanned gardens, and a beautiful catalog
Sunflowers
In 1904 a nostalgic Kansan wrote "The sunflower was always out in the open. It did not hide in dark places and it did not seek the shade. It made its own way. It was no parasite. It stood by the dusty roadside and out on the high prairie--and you always knew what it meant...it turned its gold petals and black center always toward the sun. No matter how fiercely the heat beat down it faced the music and never blinked...it was the last bit of vegetation to surrender to the hot winds and it was blithe to the last. It loved life and was genuine."
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