Planting Wildflowers

Articles: Planting Wildflowers

Watch as a once resource-heavy lawn at Los Angeles County Arboretum, as part of Wildflowering L.A., becomes a planting teeming with life and a future educational landscape.

Before Wildflowering L.A.: a landscape awaiting inspiration at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum — Before *Wildflowering L.A.*: a landscape awaiting inspiration at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

October 15, 2013: sod removal day. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

October 16, 2013: the now-cleared site with removed sod piled in reserve. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

October 23, 2013: The first logs are placed as a foundation for the hügel demonstration. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

October 29, 2013: Hügelkultur construction continues with heavy equipment... — October 29, 2013: Hügelkultur construction continues with heavy equipment…

...and by hand, horticulturist Matt Geldin. Photos: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum — …and by hand, horticulturist Matt Geldin. Photos: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

November 4, 2013: Completed mounds and prepared site settle for a month as staff and volunteers create a barrier around the young garden and devise “bird evasion strategies.” Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

December 10, 2013: Planting day with (from left to right) Leigh Adams, Ted Tegart, and Nancy Yoshihara. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

More than 20 pounds of Wildflowering L.A.-prescribed “Flatlands” mix was sown using a variety of seeding methods. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum — More than 20 pounds of *Wildflowering L.A.*-prescribed “Flatlands” mix was sown using a variety of seeding methods. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

Throwing out the ceremonial first planting toss with (left to right) Fritz Haeg, Nancy Yoshiara, Ted Tegart, Matt Geldin, Leigh Adams, and Angie Law. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

December 14, 2013: As part of his Eagle Scout project Ryan Holm, pictured here with Cub Scout Gavin Wright, helped create critical habitat for monarch butterfly caterpillars by forming and dispersing seed balls composed of milkweed (Asclepias) seed and mud. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum — December 14, 2013: As part of his Eagle Scout project Ryan Holm, pictured here with Cub Scout Gavin Wright, helped create critical habitat for monarch butterfly caterpillars by forming and dispersing seed balls composed of milkweed (*Asclepias*) seed and mud. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

Ryan’s family, friends, and other members of Troop 21, part of the Rose Bowl district of the San Gabriel Valley council, worked on the seed ball project, a seeding method used to withstand the attention of the Arboretum’s resident peacocks. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

January 28, 2014: Wildflower seedlings begin to germinate. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

February 27, 2014: Plants are well-established and nearly cover the areas sown. The “crouching coyote” is very effective in keeping the Canada geese from decimating the tender young plants. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum — February 27, 2014: Plants are well-established and nearly cover the areas sown. The “crouching coyote” is very effective in keeping the Canadian geese from decimating the tender young plants. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

April 8, 2014: In just a few months, the formerly bare field at the Arboretum is filled with color and teeming with birds and insects. Photo: courtesy of Los Angeles County Arboretum

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