Wild flower meadow

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Beano

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Wild flower meadow
« on: February 07, 2012, 13:33 »
I'm hoping to plant a small area at the top of our garden as a flower meadow.
The thing we laughingly call a lawn is mostly moss with a few blades of grass in between.
The soil is therefore not too fertile for wild flowers. We're going to scrape away the moss and thinking of sowing a wild flower and ornamental grass mix designed for the job.
Am I on the right track and does anyone have any suggestions on how to do a proper job of it? The seed mix seems to be very expensive therefore can't afford not to do it right.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks.
El.

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Trillium

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2012, 16:18 »
You'd need to get rid of the bulk of the moss first, and this article helps quite easily.

http://www.gardenguides.com/88769-home-remedies-lawn-moss.html

I find that simply scraping up some moss with a hoe, then spraying with the vinegar solution helps. The paper is a bit of fuss. Moss doesn't care for acidic areas.

Once the moss is under control, use a coarse rake or something similar to rough up the soil a bit since it's usually quite compacted where moss thrives. A rotovator with tines set high would also do the same job since you're not after saving any grass.

Through the year I purchase many very cheap packets (usually on clearances) of assorted wild flower seeds or very hardy annuals and perennials that would suit. When I have enough, I take a quart or more of compost or potting mix and mix in the seeds, then hand fling over the area. I try to do that before rain is expected. Then they're on their own.

I avoid tall gangly plants like delphiniums, hollyhocks, etc as they tend to either break in wind, or in the case of hollyhocks, take over. This past summer I saved most of the seed from my own plants in addition to purchased seeds so that makes it more affordable and varied. Once the meadow is established you can always hand plant any taller flowers you want in the area.

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Beano

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2012, 16:29 »
Thanks for the reply Trillium.
There is a large area of moss, not just small patches. As a matter of fact it's mostly moss, so its going to be a bit of a job getting rid of it altogether.
Collecting the wild flower seeds using cheap clearances sounds a good idea, but do you put any ornamental grass in with them? I would quite like the meadow to be a mix of tall grasses and flowers.

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Trillium

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2012, 19:18 »
Add whatever you like but I recommend avoiding ones like the tall pampas grass, etc as they'll quickly take over and you'll have a nightmare on your hands. Stick with only the small clumping types of grasses.

A rake should scratch up much of the patchy stuff, a sharp spade should scrape up most of the thicker patched areas. Best to be rid of it first so it won't thrive in the soil/seed mix you'll throw down. After scraping up the areas, spray and leave for 2 weeks or more before seeding.

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sunshineband

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2012, 19:21 »
We are hoping to create a wildflower area at work, and are scraping off the top layer of soil, complete with grass.

The reason is that low fertility is required, so removing the top layer helps reduce this.

The wildflower mix is native plants and includes no grasses in it

Hope that helps too  :D
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Beano

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2012, 10:25 »
Thanks both, you have been very helpful. The way I was thinking of doing it was going to cost a small fortune and I still would not be sure of the result.
I dont have a problem with the soil being fertile because it wasnt top soil to start with. No wonder really that the lawn never flourished.
We'll be planting a damson tree in the same area so it should look pretty when it eventually gets going.
Thanks again for your suggestions and help.

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sion01

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2012, 15:28 »
One of the most successful bits of the garden last year was a patch where i just mixed some wild flower seeds with some old seed packets and just hoe'd them in.Amaranthus,corn cockle,corn marigold,poppies,nigella,borage,evening primrose etc etc.Not all wild I know but it was a fantastic mix of colour for months and the bees/butterflies loved it.The patch just hummed with bees and hoverflies.Oh and Dill too.I can't wait to do it again this year

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Trillium

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2012, 16:13 »
A lot of my seeds were not true wildflowers either but I planted what I had and could afford, and it was still beautiful. Many will self-seed and keep increasing over the years. As I find true wild flower seeds, I'll add them, as well as some hardy perennials like hollyhocks and foxgloves, which the bugs love.

I constantly have wild mallow trying to grow in my veg gardens and will transplant some this year. Normally they detest being moved, but I'll keep watering them until they take then they can happily reproduce in the meadow while their encroaching cousins in the veg patch suffer a fate worse than death  ;)

I also get a lot of borage self seeding in the veg beds and I'll move some of that to the meadow area. I also have St John's wort to start up; I found this plant was covered in bees all summer so a definite must have in the meadow.

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Beano

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2012, 16:23 »
It's such a coincidence that Sarah Ravens was on BBC 2 with a programme called "butterflies, bees and blooms" talking about this very subject.
It has been good to hear how you have created successful flower meadows. I'm looking forward to getting started now.

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sion01

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2012, 20:43 »
I've got a clump of red campion in the border and it looks fantastic as long as you remember to dead head to stop it seeding.I've seen plugs for sale.They are really worth it

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Trillium

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Re: Wild flower meadow
« Reply #10 on: February 16, 2012, 21:02 »
One of my problems is that I never remember in time to deadhead my Maltese cross (aka red campion) until after they've flung seed everywhere  :( But I can pull up lots of young seedlings to give to friends who admire them. Definitely going to move lots of those in the meadow as well.

Same with chive seeds. Not really a flower as such, but wow, do the bees love the flowers. I have a 15ft row of chives edging my gravel path beside the strawberry bed and you have to watch your ankles for all the bees there  :D



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