Have you ever wandered in Wisconsin’s woods or meadows, and wished you could grow the flowers that you admire in the wild in your backyard garden? Well, if you were ever a Boy Scout or Girl Scout, or you were a visitor to a State Park, you probably learned the basic rule for peaceful co-existence with nature. “Leave only your footprints; take only memories and photographs.” But those wildflowers are so pretty!
Well, now you can keep the wildflowers in their natural habitat and still enjoy these beauties at home. How?
The “flower farmers” at Bluestem Farm in Baraboo make it all possible. The Barretts grow wildflowers and other plants native to south-central Wisconsin, including hardy orchids. And they grow most of their plants from seeds. They do not sell “salvaged” or wild dug plants of any kind. I met the couple at their Dane County Farmers’ Market booth last Saturday and they showed me their stand filled with thriving orchids, asters, black-eyed Susans, lady slippers and many more.
They have an extensive listing of available wildflowers, native grasses, and other plants at the Bluestem Farm website. You can find the perfect specimens for your garden at their Market booth on Saturdays in downtown Madison, or find information on their website to arrange a trip to their farm. It’s a great solution to “leaving only your footprints” while still enjoying the wildflowers in your own garden.
Wandering Wisconsin with Bo 