I can’t believe it’s November already!! This is the prettiest fall I can remember, with leaves on the trees past Halloween and 70 degree days in November. It feels like we just moved into our “temporary” place (which is feeling less and less temporary) but it will be a year in December. Time has been […]
% Gardening: How to create a wildflower meadow in the garden %
The wildflower meadow has been high profile for the past few years, but even more so this summer with the extensive use of meadows in the Olympic Park. I’ve seen lots of articles about them in the press: some well informed and some rather misleading. Is a wildflower meadow really an easy option? Can anyone recreate the rural idyll in their backyard on any old patch of vacant land? Can you just let your lawn grow longe
Remember when fireflies were flickering and lighting up the the night sky in the thousands, sometime around midsummer? At present, that childhood joy is but a regional occurrence. The last time I saw just a
Discover the ideal times to plant wildflower seeds and prepare your garden for success. Learn about different wildflower mixes, how to establish robust root systems, and maintain optimal soil temperatures. This comprehensive guide covers everything from choosing the right seeds for your climate to s
Great for nature and lazy-minded gardeners, annoying to persnickety neighbors; here's what to know before planting a wildflower meadow in your yard.
If you’re looking for a full-sun ground cover that adds color and texture to your garden, look no further than these full-sun flowering ground covers.
Create a meadow you can frolic through. - by Jenny Dillon
Wildflowers are a delightful way to inject colour into your garden while also supporting native insects and animals. Sowing your own meadow from seed is a budget-friendly method that delivers stunning results. Once established, your meadow will be low-maintenance, allowing you to relish in nature's beauty. What type of wildflowers are best? Opt for native wildlower species. These support the creation of a biodiverse ecosystem for UK insects and animals. Wildflowers are excellent for the UK's bees and pollinating insects, so we recommend mixes that contain bee-friendly flowers. Our Wildflower Mix and Pet-Friendly Wildflower Mix both offer a beautiful selection of native British species. These mixes consist of 100% flower seeds for a vibrant, colourful display. When to plant wildflowers?Wildflowers can be planted anytime from February to October outdoors, or all year round in a greenhouse. If the area selected for your meadow has light soil, autumn sowing yields good results. Your seeds will germinate quickly, with some flowers appearing early, although others won't emerge until the following spring. If your soil is heavy, it's better to wait until spring to avoid waterlogging and seed rot. Spring-sown seeds should start to germinate within a few weeks and continue to flower until autumn. How to sow a wildflower meadow. Preparation is key when establishing your meadow. Remember, wildflowers thrive in poorer soil conditions, so avoid fertilising your soil, which may encourage excessive grass growth and limit the growth of your wildflowers. Here's your step-by-step guide for sowing: Select the area for your wildflower meadow. Remove all existing plants, grass, and weeds. Till the soil over, and compact it well. Leave your soil for 2-6 weeks, giving any weeds time to germinate so you can remove them. It's easier to tackle potential weed issues at this stage. Sow your seeds by hand at 2g per square metre (for normal Wildflower Mix) or 1g per square metre (for Pet-Friendly Wildflower Mix). Scatter your mix evenly over the soil, mindful that some seeds are tiny and should ideally be about 5cm apart. Lightly rake over the area to cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. They need light and warmth to grow. Wait for 2 days, then water again. Avoid watering immediately after sowing, as smaller seeds can be washed away. Protect your seeds from birds and continue to keep the soil moist, especially during warm weather. Your seeds should begin to germinate within a few weeks, depending on their growing conditions. Ready to get planting? Order your UK wildflower seed mix that's suitable for a range of soil types and perfect for pollinators. If you've got pets or farmland, our Pet-Friendly Mix is perfect. You can help save the bees and other pollinating insects while creating a beautiful garden. If you've followed our tips for planting your meadow, share a picture with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We'd love to see them!
A contemporary twist on an iconic classic, the Orchard Meadow. The client’s brief was to create a woodland screen in the lower part of their garden.
The latest trend is for wildflower garden ideas featuring hazy swathes of planting and a wash of pretty pastel colors
Even a small garden can enjoy a beautiful mini meadow with wildflowers. It's easy - but not as simple as just letting your grass grow. Find out here!
Converting your lawn to wildflowers will greatly support bees and pollinators, and it will be less work for you, too. Plus, flowers!
HGTV provides steps on how to establish a wildflower meadow.
% Gardening: How to create a wildflower meadow in the garden %
Discover the ideal times to plant wildflower seeds and prepare your garden for success. Learn about different wildflower mixes, how to establish robust root systems, and maintain optimal soil temperatures. This comprehensive guide covers everything from choosing the right seeds for your climate to s
Forward planning and an ongoing wildflower management programme is critical for success. Follow our step-by-step guide for the best results.
The latest trend is for wildflower garden ideas featuring hazy swathes of planting and a wash of pretty pastel colors
Even a small garden can enjoy a beautiful mini meadow with wildflowers. It's easy - but not as simple as just letting your grass grow. Find out here!
Wondering when to plant wildflowers? I wouldn't blame you! Wildflowers are one of the best-known, best-loved flowers around. They have a way about them, simply by just being free and easy. If you want to try to contain them, I've got all the tips you need to grow wildflowers successfully.
Remember when fireflies were flickering and lighting up the the night sky in the thousands, sometime around midsummer? At present, that childhood joy is but a regional occurrence. The last time I saw just a
Find out how to grow a wildflower garden! Today I'm sharing with you my experiences and lessons learned after my first year growing a wildflower meadow.
John Greenlee paints with grasses. His colorful meadow gardens, created for clients around the world, are environmentally friendly alternatives to a tradit
Even a small garden can enjoy a beautiful mini meadow with wildflowers. It's easy - but not as simple as just letting your grass grow. Find out here!
Tired of endless weekends spent mowing, weeding, and watering your lawn? Wish your backyard was a vibrant, pollinator-friendly haven instead of a boring green expanse? Imagine a riot of wildflowers buzzing with life, butterflies fluttering
Feeling inspired by the wildflowers of "super blooms"? Learn how to grow wildflowers that come back year after year in your own yard.
Landscape Simply. Garden Design. Regenerative. Pollinators. Agrarian. Eco. Beautiful Easy Landscapes. Gardening. Cut Flowers. Speaker writer.
Even a small garden can enjoy a beautiful mini meadow with wildflowers. It's easy - but not as simple as just letting your grass grow. Find out here!
by Cathy Neal Successfully establishing a meadow from seed is a three-year process, with the first year devoted to good site preparation. This may be a hard sell to your...
Donald Macintyre explains how to restore an orchard meadow
Have you considered changing your lawn into a wildflower meadow? Once established the wildflower area will be a great attraction to bees and butterflies and other pollinating insects as well as easier to maintain than a traditional lawn. For success with a wildflower meadow it is important to consider the following: When a lawn is sown it is generally at about 40 grams to the square metre. A meadow is sown at about 4 grams, which is 10% of the above rate. Meadow mixtures are a mixture of grass and wildflowers and space needs to be left for the wildflowers to establish. Often in lawn mixtures there is a species called amenity perennial ryegrass. This species is an excellent lawn grass but it's generally too competitive for wildflowers. To succeed at creating a wildflower meadow, you therefore have to remove or weaken a considerable amount of the existing grass. This can be done in several ways. Clear the ground A clean seedbed This is usually the most successful route. You can either dig the ground over, kill off the existing sward or use a turf cutter to remove the turf. The aim is to get back to a clean seedbed. Then sow with an appropriate Wildflower Meadow Seed Mix in the spring or in autumn. Sow a mixture of largely perennials with a few annuals in it. Then you will get a colourful show in the first year from the annuals and the perennials in the mix will come back year after year from year 2 onwards. Clear part of the ground With this approach you would clear the bulk of the grass but not necessarily clear it all. You should aim for at least 50% bare soil. Then rake the ground and either: Sow a 100% wildflower seed mixture that's appropriate for your soil. Introduce Wildflower Plugs that again match your conditions. Plugs will cost considerably more than seeds but give you a better chance of success in existing grass. Yellow rattle seed Yellow rattle is a semi-parasitic plant and grows on the roots of grasses as its host plant thereby weakening the grass. Yellow rattle seed should be sown in the autumn. The winter period breaks the dormancy, and it germinates in the spring. So, for example, you could cut the lawn back in the autumn and scarify the ground. Sow some yellow rattle seed at 0.5 grams to the square metre. When you can see that it's taken, the following autumn sow some pure wildflower seed as highlighted before. Clearly this option takes longer to produce a wildflower area. First year of flowering The pictures are from a customer who planted our Instant Sunshine Mini Meadow mix in March 2021 and enjoyed the flowers in the summer 2021. If you would like to discuss your plans to change your lawn into a wildflower meadow, please get in touch. Phone 0800 0854399 or email [email protected]
Learn how to install a native wildflower meadow and enjoy the progress updates over the course of a 6 month period.
This space proves that more structure leads to greater appeal. See how an award-winning landscape designer created a stylized meadow garden.
A home wildflower meadow or wildflower patch is a place for all to enjoy. Here's how to plant one successfully!
