Anyone here established their own wildflower meadow?

Blimey, in that case, good job I didn't show you the huge clump of Mistletoe growing in the old apple tree as well.

 

Go on Trunky show us it

 

Oh, all right then Lol, just for you.
Here's a photo I posted on here in the Viscum album thread last November:

 

Perfect....Thanks Trunky

 

I got given a packet of wildflowers and thought it would be a good idea to scatter them in an area of border near the bottom of the garden earlier in the year.
I now don't know what are weeds and what are these flowers? The weeds will now have to wait until some colour arrives.
I don't think I'll try this next year

 

I've done exactly the same and also do not know what is a weed and what is a flower.

Rusty

 

I've always wanted to convert my lawn into a meadow! I hate monoculture, I don't like the look of a close-shaven lawn, and I really don't understand what you Brits have against grass that you have to shavee it down to the ground every weekend! Sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings So, the last 3 summers I've been doing all I could to stop the family from mowing the lawn. This year, there are lots of daisies, clover, and little creepy yellow things not sure what they're called all over the lawn. Also lots of hawkbit and dandilion. Even a couple wild poppies!

One thing i've noticed though, while the back garden now looks all flowery and not too overgrown (probably because we walk over it a lot), the front lawn and the grass verge round the side of the house (where no one walks) have grown knee-high! A couple of weeks ago, I tried mowing the front garden for the 1st time this year. Suffice to say it looks worse now than it did before blunt mower wasn't much help :WINK1:

 

I have a question too, suppose I was to weaken the existing lawn in my front garden by either cutting it very very low, or even taking off the turf. Does anyone know of a few ground-cover wild plants that don't need ANY maintenance (apart from the recommended 2 hay cuts per year)? I'm putting a few trees and shrubs into the front lawn this year and I'm not planning to mow between them much, it at all. They are all small trees and aren't going to provide much shade in the next few years (maybe even 10 years or so).

I'm going to sow the area with clover, daisies and veronica chamaedrys but I need more variety than just 3 types of wildflower. Ideas?

I also want to introduce some spring and autumn bulbs into the lawn, so any insight into which bulbs can co-exist with a meadow-type patch will be most appreciated

Also, can anyone explain why the sellers of wildflower seed mixes always suggest a 20% flower, 80% grass ratio? I'd say there's roughly as much clover as grass in my back garden at mo, so why this 20/80 ratio?

 

the problem is, a lot of the time what people think of as a weed is also a wild flower or wild grass I would maaaybe get rid of rosette-forming, larger ones with a long thick root. That's if you really aren't into dandilions :WINK1:

 

Bluebells, Daffodils and Snakes Head Fritillaries will all be fine growing in a meadow-type patch of grass,

 

Bugle, Thyme, Marjoram, Hayrattle, Primrose, Cowslip, False Oxlip, Salad Burnet, Rest Harrow & Speedwell. Just off the top of me head.

 

thanks Ziggy, I'll check these out. Veronica chamaedrys is a type of speedwell BTW, the smaller-hairy leaved-deep lilac-blue flowered one. Love it!

Trunky, I've got some bluebells (campanula persifolia) in my back garden, these aren't bulbs but self-seeding annuals (or biannials?) and they are pretty invasive! I did think of putting some in the front garden as well, but then decided against it in case they overpower my tiny trees...

 

DohWell i'll be Beccabunga'red of course it is.

 

would snowdrops feel at home in a "meadow" patch? Or am I better off sticking some in the flower border? The border's going to have pretty rich soil...

 

More a woodland plant than open meadow.