Natural landscape: Our Coastal Maine Wildflower Meadow
We let our field grow wild, creating a fertile environment for wildlife, pollinators, rich vegetation, and blooms throughout the summer!
Our Wildflower Meadow
On this, the first day of summer, I want to share one of my favorite landscape features in our yard — and definitely the easiest to maintain!
Instead of mowing the field that separates our home from the road, we have allowed it to grow wild, creating a wildflower meadow that is a vibrant host to wildlife, pollinators, tall grasses, and diverse blooms!
In the fall we have the field cut, or “bush-hogged”, as it is called after the machine that does the job. It lies brown and dormant all winter long.
It is amazing to watch the transformation it undergoes in the spring and throughout the summer!
Come Take a Walk With Me and Cisco in the Meadow!
Maine Wild Lupine
Right now the Lupine are just starting to fade. They grow wild everywhere here in Maine — including in our field!
Have you heard of the children’s picture book Miss Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney? It is the story of a woman who chooses to make the world more beautiful by planting lupines in the wild.
The purple, pink, and white flowers definitely make my world more beautiful!
Grasses
There are also many types of grasses in the field. Some of them grow taller than me! I love to watch them dance in the wind!
The view from the field down to the house and the water beyond is one of my favorites!
Across The Field From the House
The view looking up across the field to the guest house and to our neighbor there in the distance isn’t bad either!
Flowers All Summer!
Right now in the field we have buttercups, daisies, clover, and some unknown teeny white flowers.
Later in the summer the field is full of Queen Ann’s Lace and Loosestrife.
This year I planted some Cosmos and Bachelor Buttons. We will see if they take!
A Flowering Tree
We also planted a Crabapple tree, because I miss the flowering trees from the Washington D.C. area where we used to live.
Displaying Blooms in the House
I like to take a stroll with the dogs in the morning to pick some blooms from the field for bouquets in the house!
The Stone Wall
A couple years ago we had a stone wall built to separate the wild field from the manicured lawn. We also cut a path into the field. One day I would like to get a bench for the top of path so my sister Amy can sit and enjoy the view when she is visiting. The path and the bench were her idea!
In the Fall
The beauty of the field continues into the fall. I am always one of the last to get the field bush-hogged!
In the Winter
And just for grins, here is a photo of what the field looks like in the winter. Can you believe that is the guest cottage before we had it renovated?! Quite a difference, right?!
Would you allow part of your yard to grow wild like this?!
Welcome, Summer!
Questions, comments, or just want to say hello?
I’m always happy to hear from you.
Molly,
I love these images. So beautiful!
Thanks, Rachel! I am glad you enjoyed them! You have such a beautiful property too!
Do you have to do anything to stop scrub trees growing in the field or is the bush hogging enough? The reason I ask is because near my house a beautiful butterfly walkway was put in, but the no mowing means that the flowers are being crowded out by scrub trees and bushes. As to leaving part of my yard be wild, I am heartly in favor of it. Unlike most of our neighbors, we have not “tamed” the woods behind our house, nor have we done vicious pruning of the original oak trees to allow for a manicured lawn to grow.
Hi Liss! The bush-hogging does take care of the scrub trees. In other parts of our property I have individually trimmed the bushes and scrub trees when they start to grow. That would work in field too — or a butterfly walkway! Can’t wait for you to see the property and house in person in July!
One more question: Why did you choose a crabapple tree? Are you planning on do something with the fruit? I am also looking forward to seeing your place in person.
Crabapple trees are flowering trees that are native to Maine, so I know it will do well here.
Just gorgeous. I suppose the difference in the climates.. (Florida girl here) keeps things like fleas down? I love a field with what is there naturally as much as a manicured lawn.
Hi Sandy! Knock on wood, we don’t seem to have a problem with fleas here. Just ticks, yikes! I love the contrast of the wild field with the manicured lawn around the house — especially now that we have the stone wall to divide them!
Hi Molly love your field. We have similar in Vermont but no lupines unfortunately But I love how the local farmer comes and hayes it every year signifying the start of fall. It’s so festive. Such a treasure to have.
Your property in Vermont is beautiful! I love the pictures of it with the hay rolls!
Your field of wildflowers is just beautiful. Mother Nature is such a great artist! I love your rock wall with the pumpkins. I’m so glad I found your blog.
Hi Ellen! I am so glad you found me too! Welcome! I have tamed the area around the house and I love how it contrasts with the wild on the rest of the property — the field, the shoreline, and the water. I have done the pumpkins on the wall for two years now and it is one of my favorite things!
The pictures of your fields around your house make me even more homesick for when I lived in Maine. Beautiful! It brings back so many great memories.
There is so much beauty here in Maine! So much to miss when you are not here! Hopefully you enjoy seeing all the pictures!
Hi Molly,
Living in California I’ve never had a yard large enough to leave room for a field. I love the different plants growing in yours! With your view, I can see how a bench at a high spot in the field would be a beautiful place to sit for a bit and take in nature’s beauty.
Karen B.
Hi Karen! I never had the room either before moving here. I think that is one of the reasons I love the field so much! It gives me such joy to see that wild open space! The view from the field is one of my favorites because you can see the house and the water!
Your home and field are beautiful.
Thank you, Debbie! I so appreciate that!
Gorgeous! I love that you let the field be naturally beautiful
Thank you! I enjoy seeing what grows there so much!
Love it Molly, those lupine! Our getaway house is surrounded by Prairie that we leave wild too and I love seeing what flowers come up at different times. I love cutting them and bringing them inside too. It’s all beautiful! I’ve always loved your pumpkins on the wall too!
Hi Kristin! Oh, I bet your wild prairie is beautiful! And so important for the environment! I love that you have a “getaway home” from your gorgeous lake house!
I love the whole idea of the wildflower field but we have such vicious weeds and vines here on our property in SC that it wouldn’t be possible. I do admire yours, though.
Hi Jane! Some would argue that my “wildflowers” are actually weeds, haha! I have decided to embrace it!
I love your meadow – loved it even before you added all of the native flowers! But the variety of grasses and flowers really makes it special! I would like a bench to sit on but just standing and looking and listening from there is great and very calming. I would definitely make a meadow if I had the space. Great pictures in the blog. Glad you showed the wall in all of its great pumpkiness! That wall really makes the whole garden! How is the bank down to the waterfront area coming along? Can’t wait to check it out.
Amy
Oh, Amy, the slope to the lower lawn is absolutely smothered in weeds. It is more than I can handle myself and I am waiting until the landscape guy can come address it. I try not to look at it because it makes me so sad after all the work we put in last year. That said, many of the plants seem to be thriving, despite the weeds.
Molly, I absolutely would let a part of my yard grow like this! In fact I have a circle drive and inside the circle in grass, it is the only grass in the entire yard and I am removed all the landscaping and planted wildflower and pollinator seeds. The rest of our yard is covered in pine straw, apparently that is what they do here. Thank you for sharing!
How are the wildflowers doing, Elizabeth? Does the pine straw just rest on the ground? It doesn’t blow away?
Molly how beautiful! I am loving all of your photos and those lupines!!!
I didn’t seem to have quite as many lupines this year, but they were still beautiful!
Molly, your home’s setting is just breathtaking. What a joy to live amongst such beauty. xo
I can’t even imagine having all these wildflowers in my garden spaces. I would be so happy! Especially with the Queen Anne’s Lace and Lupines. Absolutely gorgeous Molly!
Your gardens are spectacular, Kim! The field is my lazy-man’s garden, haha!