Thank you for contacting the UVM Master Gardener Helpline with your question. How exciting to take on creating a wildflower meadow. While you do not specifically mention encouraging pollinators, many of the resources available are targeted toward saving our threatened pollinators.

• The UVM Master Gardener Resources web site has a section where you will find information on a wide range of topics. Under the “Pollinators” section there are a number of articles that you will find helpful: https://legacy.drup2.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardener/gardening-resources

• Specifically, the “Homestead Pollinator Habitat Enhancement Planning” document will help you make some decisions about what to plant to encourage pollinators.

• The PowerPoint presentation entitled “Gardening for Hummingbirds, Butterflies & Moths” published by the Maryland Master Gardener Program has great pictures of flowers, the pollinator it attracts, and the season it is in flower. Your goal is to have something blooming from early spring to late fall so the pollinators will always have a food source.

The University of New Hampshire has published some articles that will be helpful:

• “Planting for Pollinators: Establishing a Wildflower Meadow from Seed [fact sheet]”: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/planting-pollinators-establishing-wildflower-meadow-seed-fact-sheet.

• “Wildflower Meadows Plant Selection and Establishment”: https://extension.unh.edu/resource/wildflower-meadows-plant-selection-and-establishment.

• “Planting for Pollinators: Establishing a Wildflower Meadow from Seed”: https://extension.unh.edu/sites/default/files/migrated_unmanaged_files/Resource007652_Rep11219.pdf

The Northeaster IPM Center offers a video entitled “Planting Wildflowers for Pollinator Habitat”: https://www.northeastipm.org/index.cfm/ipm-in-action/the-ipm-toolbox/planting-wildflowers-for-pollinator-habitat-webinar-recording/

Finally, while the “Grow Wild” site is specifically targeted for citizens in Chittenden County, some of the information is not county specific. https://burlingtonwildways.org/grow-wild/welcome. They provide information about researching your specific site conditions (soil and lighting), how to choose your plants, and tips for managing your habitat. While they do have a page about where to buy plants, you may have some sources closer to you.

Unfortunately, the UVM Master Gardeners program does not have the resources to provide on-site assistance and to be equitable to all the great resources available in Vermont, we  are unable to recommend individual companies.

I hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out. I hope your wildflower meadow project is very successful. Thank you for helping save our pollinators.