This version of Wildwood flower is in the style of Mother Maybelle Carter of the famous Carter Family - the "First Family" of country music. Mother Maybelle actually played with a thumb pick. The style she pioneered transfers very well for the flat-picking guitarist. It's a great way to get a full sound as a solo player. It works with or without accompaniment. This version is slightly simplified for playability and learning purposes.
Pay close attention to the fingerings in the guitar tablature. After you get the hang of this version, there are more licks for you to check out. Many are in the style of Maybelle Carter, and others show how to incorporate other typical elements of bluegrass guitar playing.
In this song and style you often play directly out of chord shapes. So when possible hold your C, G and F shapes down as much as possible. During a lot of the strumming parts where multiple notes are being sounded you don't have to be as accurate as the notes in the tablature. As long as you get some of the chord notes with your down strum and some with the up strum, you will get the desired sound and point across. Try to get 3-4 strings with your "chuck" or strum, and1-3 with your upstroke will do just fine. It's the single notes, the melody notes, that need to be played with accuracy. If you don't know the melody, then go and learn that before diving into this tune.
Early in Mother Maybelle's career she most likely played with "C shapes", no capo, and tuned down about a whole step. The lower tuning made the actual key around Bb. Later in her career she played in standard tuning, still used C shapes, and used a capo at the 7th fret. This made the actual key to be G. She might have done this to make it easier on instrumentalists she played with or to accommodate her singing voice as she got older
