If, like me, your lawn is old, rather weedy, and probably hasn’t encountered weedkillers or fertilisers for years, a bit more conscious neglect could transform it into a thriving mini-meadow. To grow annual wild flowers in your lawn, use a spade to lift an area of turf in spring time. So there is no reason why you shouldn't expect these at home, too. If you have a small lawn, try a 1m-square micro-meadow. On the latter, maybe you’ll get cowslips, that rarity clustered bellflower or the beautiful blue pincushions of field scabious in late summer. In wildflower meadows on acid soil in Wales and Scotland you’ll find harebell, tormentil and devil’s-bit scabious, among others. We are developing a mobile app that will make it easy to create wildflower habitats and collect data on pollinator abundance and diversity. One of the best ways to encourage wildflowers in your garden is to leave a patch of lawn to its own devices during spring and summer. Try cutting different areas at different times and see how your wildflowers respond. Grass on limey soils may throw up a cowslip or two. A new meadow can be grown from seed on carefully prepared soil, a lawn can be released from weekly mowing and meadow wildflowers added, or old fields or roadsides can be diversified by reducing and timing mowing to support native plant flowering and reproduction. While a wildflower lawn may never be a “true” meadow, there is a time and place for it – and that time is now. Other areas they leave totally neglected after a winter cut in December and are rewarded with carpets of primroses in March and April, followed by cowslips in May. This basic regime of cutting the grass from late summer to the end of the year mimics the traditional pattern of hay-cutting followed by grazing, to which many meadow flowers are adapted. So there is no reason why you shouldn’t expect these at home, too. G rowing a wildflower meadow area in your garden can be a satisfying way of attracting wildlife, is beautiful to look at and you don't necessarily need loads of space. Can't wait until next year! Growing wildflowers in shady spaces doesn’t have to be difficult – all you need is the right seed! If you get more invasive plants like nettle or dock, it’s best to pull these up by hand. This basic regime of cutting the grass from late summer to the end of the year mimics the traditional pattern of hay-cutting followed by grazing, to which many meadow flowers are adapted. Choose wildflower varieties that require similar sunlight, water and nutrient levels. The rich, lustrous glow of buttercup petals and the cheery, vibrant appearance of the contrasting yellow centres and white rays of daisies add a great deal of pleasure to a spring or summer walk. So if you’re looking for inspiration, why not start here? Or maybe the pond? There are few things in this world, horticultural or otherwise, that can compare with the simple beauty of a wildflower garden. Buy from this exclusive range of genuine wildflower seeds and some of the profits go to wildflower conservation. Next to a pond, it is one of the best things you can add to a garden. My wife and I are keen on helping wildlife and enjoy encouraging wildlife into our garden. As opposed to a few species in a lawn, you can grow many in a wildflower meadow. Then leave it alone and enjoy the flowers through spring and the following summer. Or, sow tiny pinches of seed directly into small modules of seed compost and plant as ‘plugs’. Adopt a two-cut approach to your lawn, mowing once in autumn and then again in spring, removing all of the cut grass. If you don’t do this, any rotting debris will fertilise the ground, encouraging tough grasses to take over at the expense of the wildflowers you’re trying to encourage. Pick a site with moderately fertile earth, an excellent sward structure, and very limited amounts of perennial weeds or vigorous grasses. I've also bought seeds to sow this autumn. This is the most important principle in establishing a wildflower meadow. The trend for wildflower meadows leads to substituting lawns for sowing a meadow of flowering annuals which looks great for a summer and then dies away. Once the grass and flowers have been allowed to grow, the key to maintaining your mini-meadow is through your diary of mowing. via Facebook, Jeremy Bartlett: Our small wildflower meadow is now three years old and is full of life. In the section that you did mow, remember to leave the cut foliage on the ground until spring. You never quite know what to expect from your no-mow patch, which is a large part of the pleasure for me. It all depends on your location, soil type, amount of sun and shade, but any number of plants past 20, and you are onto something good. Your low flowering lawn wild flowers are all perennial which means they will survive year after year without the need for re-seeding. The other reason is that the grass clippings could smother germinating wildflower seeds that are trying to get a foothold during late summer and autumn. Wildflower seeds need moisture to get started. Sow this in August and keep the grass mown until March Save to … I love looking at wildflowers on my walks and I enjoy photographing them. On the latter, maybe you'll get cowslips, that rarity clustered bellflower or the beautiful blue pin-cushions of field scabious in late summer. At Plantlife, the wildflower charity that's behind the Wildflower Garden, we've laid down the no-mow challenge to our supporters, asking them to share pictures on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #SayNoMow. In most cases, it is advisable to consider weed control in two phases – as part of site preparation prior to planting, and as an important component of a post-germination maintenance program. The Lawn to Wildflowers project helps people create habitats for these helpful insects by turning turf grass lawns into native wildflower plots. Say ‘no to the mow’ and create a wildflower meadow! If you are on heavy clay, however, it is better to wait until spring. The best things to do to encourage wildflowers into your patch is to stop mowing. Barely cover seeds when sown in rows. Try cutting different areas at different times and see how your wildflowers respond. The exact timing of the first cut depends on the year and the weather, but a later cut will help species like knapweed and orchids to spread, while earlier cuts can help control competitive species, such as common hogweed. A densely-planted garden is more ecological than a lawn as it uses less water and no synthetic chemicals, and of course no mowing is required. If you get more invasive plants like nettle or dock, it’s best to pull these up by hand. Definitely finish before the end of August. Or that awkward patch of shade? No need to cover the seed. Leave a patch of lawn to its own devices during spring and summer, and the chances are that at least some wildflowers will appear in your new mini-meadow. If you want to plant wildflowers on your lawn, experts suggest that you plant the seed on top of your existing grass. After you’ve cut the grass in late summer, it’s extremely important to remove all the cuttings. Select a garden site that receives the amount of sunlight necessary for the wildflower varieties. Then leave it alone and enjoy the flowers through spring and the following summer. Picture a gently sloping mountain meadow filled with the delicate blossoms of yellow Plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria), orange California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), and lacey baby’s breath (Gypsophila elegans). These beauties need light to stimulate germination. Benefits of Wildflower Lawns Protection of Biodiversity. At Plantlife we’ve created and restored 15,800 acres of wildflower meadows, but on a different scale, your own #SayNoMow patch has a vital part to play. Gardening on acid soil? Maximize unmowed areas and encourage native habitat that includes native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses Reduce frequency of mowing During peak nesting and pollination activity, avoid mowing, namely spring and summer Use a push mower, when possible As for the size and shape of your no-mow patch, it’s entirely up to you. As for the size and shape of your no-mow patch, it’s entirely up to you. At Plantlife, we’ve laid down the no-mow challenge to our supporters, asking them to share pictures on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #SayNoMow. I am temporarily living with a family in suburbia, and they are encouraging me to grow more flowers in their small yard. Left alone, a modest expectation from your turf would be pretty little plants such as daisies, speedwell, self-heal, buttercups and clovers (check out our interactive wildflower selector). These plants provide a vital food source for pollinators and can make a beautiful feature too. Not only will it attract wildlife into your garden, but it will look lovely too – a powerful reminder that we should value what’s left and support all efforts to restore wildflower meadows. You may need a scythe or a strimmer for the first cut, but after that a standard mower will be fine. Avoid putting cuttings in the compost unless you want wildflowers appearing in every part of the garden. 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