Do you fancy a wildflower patch or strip in your garden? Well, the good news is, you don’t need acres of land to create your own wildflower meadow! Now is the ideal time to sow wildflower seeds and bulbs in your garden. By late spring and summer, you’ll be delighted to see honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies visiting your very own wildflower meadow!
Reasons To Plant A Wildflower Meadow:
- With your own wildflower meadow, you can help re-wild nature. A wildflower meadow allows you to bring new life and a touch of the wild to your garden.
- Provide refuge and food for wildlife. Create diverse habitats for plants and animals. Invite birds, bees, butterflies or even hares to your own garden and see them thrive.
- Flowering meadow patches and garden strips are cost-effective and low maintenance. They usually require less water and fertiliser than lawns. Seeds germinate quickly, filling an empty plot in a few months.
- Add an impressive and vibrant character to your slopes, roadside or lawns by turning them into a wildflower meadow.
- Enjoy a season brimming with fresh-cut flowers and relaxing natural sights. Wildflower meadows provide colour and interest from spring until the last days of summer.
Where To Plant Your Wildflower Meadow:
- A patch of lawn, a strip of land, a slope or roadside path – all these can be turned into wildflower meadows with the right preparation and conditions.
- Wildflower meadows generally require nutrient-poor soil. This prevents vigorous grasses from competing with the flowers. Perennial meadows are best for this kind of soil. If you have rich soils, annual meadows are the more ideal choice.
- Aside from the quality of soil, wildflower meadows are best planted in areas where soils are moisture-retentive and have good drainage. An open space in a sunny position is also best to promote growth and colour vibrance of your wildflowers.
Steps in Creating Your Own Wildflower Meadow:
- Choose your mix of seeds and bulbs: From the wide range of wildflowers, select those which are suitable for your soil type and situation. You may ask our garden experts about the different mixtures of wildflowers and grasses appropriate for your garden.
- Prepare the ground: Remove weeds by hand or through a weed-suppressing membrane. Do this for at least 3 months prior to sowing.
- Rake smooth the soil: Dig over the soil and firm it back down. Rake to make a seedbed similar to a new lawn.
- Let the soil settle: Allow 4-6 weeks for the soil to settle. Remove any weeds which germinated during this time by spraying or hoeing off.
- Scatter seeds: Ensure that the seed is scattered evenly. Sow seeds at the rate recommended for your selected seed mix.
- Water thoroughly: Rake in lightly into the top 1 inch of soil. Water well. Keep the soil moist and warm during germination to establish the plants.
- Keep the weeds down: Pull up invasive weeds, and tree and shrub seedlings. Keep them in check or they will overwhelm your flowers.
- Protect from birds: If birds prove to be a problem, protect the seed with netting.
Tools and Materials Needed for Success:
Excited to see your own wildflower patch blooming in your garden? Here are the tools and materials you need to start planting now:
- Seed mix of wildflowers and grasses
- Mowers or clippers
- Steel garden rake
- Clear plastic or weed-suppressing membrane
- Garden fork
- Rotary tiller
- Compost
- Broadcast spreader
- Sprinkler or water hose
With the right preparation and tools, your dream wildflower meadow is just a few months away. If you start planting now, you’ll find your garden as a beautiful refuge for wildlife in late spring and summer. Find a place to unwind and create fond memories with your families from a wildflower meadow which you can call your own.
If you have questions on the perfect seed mix for your wildflower meadow and the tools you will need to start planting, contact your local store where one of our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be happy to help and answer any questions you may have.