Advice
RHS Help & Advice
Wildflower meadow establishment
Although the deliberate use of native plants in gardens is not new, ‘wildflower gardening’ has recently become more popular. Once established, a wildflower meadow requires an annual maintenance programme to allow the more desirable species to flourish and to reduce the vigour of some of the more rampant species.
Seeds
Wildflower seed merchants supply mixtures of wildflowers and grasses suitable for various soil types and situations. Choose one that suits your local conditions. Where possible, obtain seed of British origin, grown by wildflower seed companies on their own land. It is advisable not to take plants from the countryside and repeated seed collecting would, over time, be likely to have a destructive effect on many species. In some cases, it also can be illegal.
Sowing time
Sow during March and April or in September, depending on soil conditions. On lighter soils, autumn-sown seeds generally germinate and establish quickly, although some will not come up until the following spring. This delay makes it advisable to wait until March or April on heavy soils, as waterlogging may cause the seed and seedlings to rot during winter.
Ground preparation and sowing
Dig
or rotovate the soil, then firm and rake to make a seedbed
as for a new lawn. Don't incorporate manure or fertiliser
as high fertility encourages excessive vigour in grasses that
then crowd out wildflowers.
Even large areas can be sown by hand quite easily. Rates will vary between individual mixes but, as a rough guide, pure wildflower seed should be sown at 1g per sq m and wildflower and grass seed mixes at 5g per sq m. These tiny amounts can be difficult to broadcast evenly so mix the seed with silver sand to make it easier to handle. To further ensure that the seed is scattered evenly, sow half lengthways and the remaining half widthways. Rake in lightly, water thoroughly and leave them to grow naturally. However, be prepared to protect the seed from birds if they're a problem.
Converting a lawn
Stop feeding and weedkilling. In the first year, continue mowing weekly to weaken the grass. Some wild species will establish and thrive. Raise others from seed, introducing them as one- to two-year-old pot-grown plants. Many wildflower suppliers offer plug plants that are ideal for planting in an established lawn. For a natural look, plant in small groups of the same plant.
Cornfield annuals
Where soil fertility is too high to allow perennial wildflowers to flourish, consider sowing a cornfield annual mix that includes plants such as cornflower, corn poppy, corn marigold and corncockle. Some barley and wheat seed will add an authentic touch. Sowing should be done on bare soil, free of perennial weeds. Autumn sowings generally favour poppies, while spring sowings favour corncockle.
Many plants will flower within three months of sowing. Leave the plants to self seed, clear them away in spring and rake over the ground to remove weeds and encourage seed to germinate. Additional sowings may be required in the first few years until the wildflower seed bank increases.
References
The website of Really Wild Flowers has useful technical information: www.reallywildflowers.co.uk
The Postcode Plants
Database generates lists of native plants for any specified
postal district in the UK
www.nhm.ac.uk/science/projects/fff
The website of Flora
Locale has an extensive list of suppliers of wildflower plants
and seeds
www.floralocale.org
Suppliers
John Chambers
15 Westleigh Road,
Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN15 5AJ. Tel:
01933 652562 (also plants and bulbs).
Emorsgate Seeds
Limes Farm, Tilney
All Saints, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE34 4RT. Tel: 01553 829028.
Landlife Wildflowers
National Wildflower
Centre, Court Hey Park, Liverpool L16 3NA. Tel: 0151 737
1819. Website: www.wildflower.org.uk (also plants)
Really Wild Flowers
H V Horticulture, Spring Mead, Bedchester, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 0JU. Tel: 01747 811778. Website: www.reallywildflowers.co.uk
Further information
Maintaining a wildlfower meadow
Wildlife in gardens - an RHS Conservation and Environment leaflet
Useful links