Sunny Meadow Seed Mix

Light requirements: Full Sun

Soil conditions: Dry to Medium, well-drained

Height: 1.5’–7′

Bloom colour: Yellow, Pink, Purple, White

Bloom time: May – October

Black-eyed Susan — Rudbeckia hirta

Common Evening Primrose — Oenothera biennis

Common Milkweed — Asclepias syriaca

Dense Blazingstar — Liatris spicata

Foxglove Beardtongue — Penstemon digitalis

Golden Alexanders — Zizia aurea

Indian Grass — Sorghastrum nutans

Lance-leaf Coreopsis — Coreopsis lanceolata

Little Bluestem — Schizachyrium scoparium

Ox-eye Sunflower — Heliopsis helianthoides

Prairie Smoke — Geum triflorum

Rattlesnake Master — Eryngium yuccifolium

Smooth Blue Aster — Symphyotrichum laeve

Stiff Goldenrod — Solidago rigida

Wild Bergamot — Monarda fistulosa

This prairie meadow native seed mix is designed for open, sunny sites with dry to moderately moist soils, such as former lawns, slopes, fields, roadsides, and large garden plantings. Anchored by warm-season grasses Little Bluestem and Indian Grass, the mix provides structure, resilience, and strong root systems that improve soil health and suppress weeds over time. Early-season interest begins with Prairie Smoke and Golden Alexanders, followed by vibrant summer blooms from Lance-leaf Coreopsis, Foxglove Beardtongue, Black-eyed Susan, Wild Bergamot, Dense Blazingstar, and Ox-eye Sunflower. Late-season colour and nectar are carried into fall by Common Milkweed, Smooth Blue Aster, Stiff Goldenrod, and Common Evening Primrose.

Plants range from low, fine-textured groundcover to tall, architectural species reaching up to 7 feet, creating a dynamic, layered prairie aesthetic. This mix is exceptionally valuable for wildlife, providing abundant nectar and pollen for native bees and butterflies, larval host plants for monarchs, and seeds and cover for birds. Well-suited to restoration projects and naturalistic landscapes, it offers long-lasting beauty with minimal maintenance once established.

Site Preparation

• Choose a full sun site (minimum 6–8 hours of direct sun).
• Remove all existing vegetation thoroughly using repeated shallow cultivation, solarization, or smothering.
• Prepare a firm, weed-free seedbed; soil should be lightly crumbly at the surface but firm underneath.
• Avoid compost and fertilizer—prairie species thrive in low-nutrient soils.
• For best results, allow a final flush of weeds to germinate, then lightly rake before seeding.

Seeding Instructions (Cold Stratification Required)

• Seed in late fall (after hard frost) through early winter to allow natural cold, moist stratification.
• Mix seed with a carrier such as sand or fine vermiculite for even distribution.
• Broadcast evenly by hand or spreader over the prepared site.
• Do not bury seed deeply; lightly rake or press seed into the soil surface for good contact.
• Water only if conditions are unusually dry; winter precipitation is typically sufficient.

What to Expect

• Germination occurs from late spring through early summer and may be staggered.
• Most species focus on root development in the first year, with flowering increasing in years 2–3.
• Over time, the planting will naturalize, with species composition shifting as the prairie matures.

For more guidance, please visit our seeding instructions.

Collection notes: Cultivated Ontario native plant seeds. Learn more about our seed sources.