Spring is the time for most of the wildflowers in the Sierra Foothills. Although small, the native wildflowers at Dawn Gardens are beautiful.

Shooting Star (Dodecatheon hendersonii)

Unknown wildflower in many places at Dawn Gardens

Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla) bloom in April and May and by June we weedeat them to the ground. There are many seeds and they reliably come back the next year.

Before and after weedeating Chinese Houses.

Blue Dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum)

Brodiaea californica

Bulbs of Brodiaea californica

Farewell to Spring (Clarkia amoena)

Farewell to Spring (Clarkia unguiculata)

Farewell to Spring at a park in Richmond that Dawn Landscaping landscaped in 2021. $74 worth of wildflower seeds produced this.

Soap Plant (Chlorogalum pomeridianum)

Paper Onion (Allium amplectens)

(Photo pending)

Humboldt Lily (Lilium humboldtii)

Ground Iris (Iris macrosiphon)

(Photo pending)

Yellow Water Iris (Iris pseudacorus)

Doveweed (Eremocarpus setigerus)

(Photo pending)

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

Wild carnation (Petrorhagia dubia)

(Photo pending)

Bolander’s Mule Ears (Wyethia bolanderi)

Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia californica)

California Fuchsia (Epilobium canum ‘Chaparral Silver’)

Sulfur Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum ‘Shasta Sulfur’)

Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)

Seedling of Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii). It is a good idea to recognize wildflower seedlings so you won’t mistake them for weeds.

Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophylla menziesii)

Indian Rhubarb (Darmera peltata) flowers

Alumroot (Heuchera micrantha)

California Saxifrage (Saxifraga californica)

(Photo pending)

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

Virginian Stock (Malcolmia maritima) This is not a native California wildflower but it fits in beautifully. It is native to the Mediterranean.

Native Orchid is becoming a weed at Dawn Gardens.

Blue Thimble Flower (Gilia capitata)

Bird’s Eyes (Gilia tricolor)

Goldenrod (Solidago) blooms late summer and fall. The seeds will last through the winter.

Seeding of wildflowers in city park in Richmond 2 weeks after seeding in November, 2020.

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4 weeks after seeding

6 weeks after seeding. Note bird netting was placed over seed bed to inhibit bird damage.

8 weeks after seeding

12 Weeks after seeding

At this point several weeds can be seen (annual bluegrass, clover) but the wildflowers are growing faster and can out-compete the weeds.

Wildflowers in full bloom May 11, 2021, 6 months after seeding.

Both of these photos were taken June 7, 2021 which is 7 months after seeding. The bottom photo shows the wildflowers dying because the irrigation head in this area failed. If the wildflowers get plenty of water they can continue bloom through the middle of summer.