Lawn Meadows

Does anyone else here have a lawn meadow?

About 5 years ago I converted my lawn to a lawn meadow, i.e. dug it over and planted in lawn meadow seeds (a mix of grasses and wildflowers). Whilst last year it was better than it had been, it is still disappointing re. ratio of wildflowers. I have tried adding more seeds at various stages with no luck, i.e. I guess (if they have germinated even) that they don't take off before being suffocated for light by taller surrounding growing grasses etc.

 

Any photos? What wildflowers have you tried/got? For perennials, you'd be better sowing the seed elsewhere, growing on the plants then planting out into the grass. Annuals like poppies and cornflowers (often sold as 'meadow' flowers) won't compete with grass at all (need bare soil with limited competition).

Are you planning on letting the grass grow long all summer, or cutting occasionally?

 

Well currently there is nothing much to show - just short stubbles - since it is still low from being scythed late last year. (I have read that an annual scything is advisable....did it twice a year initially).

I can't recall what was on the packet when I first started this project - some 5 years ago now. I heed what you say though re. poppies and cornflowers unable to compete with grass. I have some poppy seeds that I was going to sow next month. How should I introduce them then....propagate them indoors? I doubt that they would be tall enough to transplant by the time the grasses start to grow.

How do poppies get established in a meadow then i.e. when you see them naturally?

 

Poppies, cornflowers and other annuals don't really grow in meadows, except where there is substantial ground disturbance making bare soil. They're best sown direct but into bare earth - I doubt they'll transplant well. Poppies I think also do better sown in autumn rather than spring.

Cowslips should do well in a lawn, especially if it's kept cut after they've finished. Should do OK with other low species (e.g. clovers, bird's foot trefoil).

Have a look at the Emorsgate website - www.http://wildseed.co.uk/
Good advice there on species selection, management etc. Prices are reasonable too. I have grown their Cornfield Annual mix successfully in flower beds by broadcast sowing into the bare earth between perennial plants - the downside is that some of the 'permanent' perennials can get a bit swamped.
I'd look at something like the species list in Emorsgate's Wild flowers for lawns mix, or their other meadow mixes, and see what species you think would suit you (bear in mind that some of these are fairly common 'lawn weeds'). You could try sowing a suitable mix direct into the grass (bearing in mind their advice about creating bare patches and keeping the grass very short initially), or you could order species seed individually (1 g of each would be plenty) and sow indoors.

There are also places that sell 'wildflower plug plants' for transplanting into lawns. These are more expensive than seed, and again if they're small you might want to grow them on individually to a larger size before planting (e.g. space out in part of a vegetable bed).

 

Thank you King Edward. Your advice is very helpful.