Why Wildflowers Matter, and Where to Buy Them Near Alexandria

A yard can be more than a lawn. Plant a few native wildflowers and the same patch of ground starts feeding bees, butterflies and songbirds, soaking up stormwater, and looking good from June until frost. Fall is a great time to plant them here, because the roots settle in over the cool months and the plants take off in spring.

Why wildflowers matter

Native wildflowers grew up with the insects and birds of this region, so they feed them in ways most garden-center imports cannot. Monarch caterpillars, for one, can only eat milkweed. No milkweed, no monarchs.

They are also easy to live with. Once a native plant is established in the right spot it handles our summers without much watering, and it needs no fertilizer. Deep roots hold soil and help rain soak into the ground, which matters on Alexandria's hills and clay.

And they make a home feel cared for. A front bed that blooms in waves from spring through fall is the kind of thing people notice when they walk past.

Eight wildflowers for an Alexandria yard

Every plant below is native to Northern Virginia. Each one links to a local nursery that grows it. Stock changes through the season, so check with the nursery before you make the trip.

Common milkweed

The plant monarch butterflies depend on. Fragrant pink flowers in early summer, and it spreads, so give it room. Earth Sangha's Wild Plant Nursery in Springfield grows it from locally collected seed.

Black-eyed Susan

Gold flowers from midsummer into fall, and goldfinches eat the seed heads. About as forgiving as a plant gets. It is on the 2026 plant list at Nature By Design in Del Ray.

Wild bergamot

Lavender blooms in July that stay busy with bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Takes sun and average soil. Also on the list at Nature By Design.

Mountain mint

If you plant one thing for pollinators, plant this. Silvery leaves, and it hums with life all summer. Earth Sangha grows several local species.

Cardinal flower

Red spikes in late summer that hummingbirds find fast. It wants a damp spot, like the low corner of a yard or near a downspout. Find it at Nature By Design.

Joe-Pye weed

Tall, with big dusty-pink flower heads that butterflies crowd in August. Good for the back of a bed with some moisture. Earth Sangha lists it among the plants it grows.

Goldenrod

Late-season gold, and one of the most important fall food sources for pollinators. It does not cause hay fever; that is ragweed, which blooms at the same time. Earth Sangha grows a range of local goldenrods.

New England aster

Purple flowers in September and October, right when migrating monarchs need the nectar. On the list at Nature By Design.

More places to shop close to home

• Greenstreet Gardens on West Braddock Road. Look for the "Northern Virginia Native" stickers that volunteers put on the locally native plants.

• Green Spring Gardens off Little River Turnpike, which has a plant shop and demonstration gardens where you can see these plants full grown.

• Plant NOVA Natives keeps the full list of native plant sellers and seasonal plant sales in our area.

Start small

You do not need a meadow. Three plants by the mailbox is a start, and you can add a few more each fall. If you want to see what they look like in the ground first, walk the gardens at Green Spring.

Thinking about what your yard, or your whole home, could be worth with a little work? I am always glad to walk it with you.