Should I dig in some compost - or not?

I've decided that my new garden plan will be in sections. One area will be lawn, I've already sowed the seeds. I've got plans for other sections that will need compost or manure dug in, but I'm not ready to do those bits just yet.

Another small section hasn't been assigned a job just yet, but I'm thinking of sowing a wildflower meadow mix in it. The soil is very poor, starved clay that prior to me digging it over, hadn't been looked after in years from what I can tell.

I've read that wildflower meadow mixes prefer poor soil, so that the flowers have a fair chance of competing with the grass, but if I choose not to do the wildflower meadow mix plan, then something else will prefer the soil to be improved a bit.

Do we reckon I should dig some compost into anyway? Or should I wait til I've decided what to do with that patch?

 

Never put compost into a wildflower meadow; so, I'm afraid, you'll have to wait.



This is a piccie of a real wildflower meadow. Something to aim at? Daisies and Poppies.

 

What a beautiful picture Kindredspirit. :thumb:

The only sad thing is that it makes me think of the first world war

 

I am undecided. Its a bit of a headache to be honest. I think my back garden is pretty difficult to plan, because although a decent size for an urban garden, its not massive, and having a 2 year old to think about I need to make best use of the space to make it open enough for him to run about, while still be interesting for him, and all while being a nice place for the wife and I too.

I am keen on nature, and I want my son to learn to appreciate nature too, so apart from looking good, I want it to be full of activity with birds, butterflies, grasshoppers, bumblebees and all manner of bugs kicking about.

The patch I'm undecided about is only small, but it takes up a significant chunk of my non-veg section, so to provide my little lad with plenty of space it needs to be ok for him to explore or play on. The wildflower meadow plan seems to tick all the boxes, but it goes against all my instincts to not attempt to improve poor soil

 

Best advice I can offer?

Sell the child, clear the land and build a polytunnel!:D:D:D Joking ......honest!

You say your instinct is to improve the soil? I understand that, but surely if you want a wildflower/meadow style patch you should do as you do for any other area of the garden. IE: Give the plants what is best for THEM. If that means leaving the soil as it is for now, just do that mate.

One good thing about having a wildflower area is that it will look nice while you decide on what to do. Your toddler may be bored with it by next year and by then you may have other ideas for the patch.

Mrs Chopper has just suggested that a green manure mixture will also look good and colourful while putting natural goodness back into the soil. I kind of like that idea myself. Is your toddler able to appreciate something like growing cress or bean sprouts?

Chopper.

PS: I only eat children on Wednesdays. All other times I pickle them.

 

Worth a visit to East Ruston Old Vicarage when their wildflower meadow is at full tilt.

They resow every year, adjusting the mix according to what self sows, and what needs "help" to compete

http://www.e-ruston-oldvicaragegardens.co.uk/cornfield/index.php

 

That's a cool link, Kristen, their cornfield looks just stunning and, if Christopher Lloyd heaped praise on it, it must be good - inspirational even :thumb:

 

I flicked through some of the pages in Kristen's link. There's loads of inspiration to be had from there, not just for the wildflower bit, but they've done some cool things with little nooks and crannies too.

 

The East Ruston Old Vicarage garden is the most inspirational garden I have seen. I have read many people's comments that it is premier contemporary garden of our times.

There are some more pictures on my blog from our visit last year:
http://kgarden.wordpress.com/english-garden-visits/east-ruston-old-vicarage/

 

I've just looked at your blog, Kristen - wonderful, marvellous, I want to go there, drool, drool.
Really inspirational, thanks for sharing.

 

Sorry, repeating myself, but I can't recommend a visit highly enough. Bit of a pity its right on one side of the country rather than slap-bang in the middle!

I've been to numerous famous gardens - nothing has "done it for me" as much as this one