Making a mini wildflower meadow

No Mow May and what I’ve dubbed Just Leave It June if I can stand it - although it can be a slog to cut the long grass afterwards.

I was dismayed at the lack of insects last year - the Buddleia was devoid of butterflies. However I’ve already seen quite a few Peacocks and Small Blues around so I am a hopeful of a better year.

Yellow flowering shrubs have seems especially floriferous this spring: Forsythia, Kerria and Mahonia that was alive with bees.

The blue cornflower and purple allium are now out providing nectar for them.

I’m growing my usual annuals: nigella (love in a mist), several varieties of poppy and sunflowers - all loved by insects … and cosmos which, like sunflower seedheads, attracts flocks of goldfinches in autumn.

Gorgeous picture * Churchview* . Because we don’t get too much rain here the grass is looking pretty dire just now, especially as we have a blue spruce hanging over part of it. I love the wildflowers, here is one we saw on a recent holiday to the west.

No Mow May around here only led to Can’t Be Arsed August and beyond until November due to the council being too broke to keep on top of all the communal green areas, and maintain the equipment.

Then came the frantic hacking back of shrubs…..

Last year there was a wild area in the local park planted with wild flowers. By the end of May there was lovely, colourful display of poppies, marigolds, cornflowers etc. The first of June arrived and so did the park maintenance man with a heavy duty strimmer and a motor mower.

You can probably guess the rest.

I’m leaving our small front lawn. I may pop a few wildflower seeds in just to see what happens. Shall we all try to remember to post our photos in midsummer? Is anyone out there prepared to remind us? (My memory being shocking).

I am thrilled with this thread and am a big fan of wild meadows. I feel we all need to think what we can each do to make wild gardens popular . Classic green grass is not native and not beneficial in any way to our environment . . Bugs are in huge decline and I notice that
When we drive to France that here there are next to no bugs on the car here but in France you are soon covered . Without bugs there will be no birds /healthy crops . When I grew up there were large flocks of sparrows and other species that are so rare to see now . The sides of roads were often “ unkempt “ but full of beautiful wildflowers . Let’s all do our part not just in May but other months as well ! One year I was quite diligent in getting some wild flowers to grow and noticed immediately the difference in the butterflies and native moths that are so important !!!

Wow nanna8 that flower is fabulous. It made me think of the costumes in My Fair Lady. I have relatives in Tasmania who are very concerned about the lack of rain. I hope you get some soon.

It's so good to hear other people are planting for wildlife too.

Skydancer I'll post pictures of this year's wild flower patch as it develops in the hope others will do the same.

Would love to do this. I did sow some wild flower seeds a few years ago, but it wasn't very successful, just got a couple of poppies. Can anyone recommend the best seeds to buy?

Replying to Sue22 I had fantastic results some years ago from the environmental group called 38 Degrees. They were giving away free wildflower seeds and I think they still do. The important thing is that seeds are fresh and not from old packets. I’m sure most garden centres will have a good selection.

Su22

Would love to do this. I did sow some wild flower seeds a few years ago, but it wasn't very successful, just got a couple of poppies. Can anyone recommend the best seeds to buy?

Someone has just been to do weeding for us today. He's worked hard, done a good job but has also weeded out my Welsh poppies. I was planning to plant poppies, cornflowers and daisies in that small patch too, perhaps I'd better put a notice there - Do Not Weed Here!

Sue22 I have used various brands of seed in the past all with good results. Normally I pick up a couple of packets at the supermarket and they always seem good. This year went to the garden centre where I found a huge range and some labelled 'for birds' or 'for pollinators'. They also did different colour ranges, packets for shady areas, woodland areas - all sorts. I like the blowsy, colourful mixes.

Oh no Allira what a shame. Welsh poppies are so beautiful too.

The bottom third of my garden is given over to wildflowers. Half of tat area has what was originally wild flower turf and has perennial wildflowers - the other side is seeded each year.

Do be aware though that some management is needed. The whole are needs to be scythed/strimmed each year; and there is the problem of grass and thistles which tend to take over. I am not well enough to manage it now and am going with the flow on the takeover bid from the thistles. I live very rurally and it is a losing battle, so I am hoping they will look pretty at some point.

Lovely photo. I let self sown seeds grow in the slate where I park my car. So far there’s Bluebells, ox eye daisies. Crainsbill geraniums, aquilegia, oriental and Welsh poppies, and hollyhocks. When they flower is fab.

That's a good idea Churchview. I have a garden bed that I usually plant with annuals. I like to have some cut flowers for the house, but maybe this year I will look for a packet of mixed seeds. Something to benefit pollinators as well as my vases!

Nanna8, that is an orchid of some sort. Zebra orchid if google is correct. Lovely! We have several species of local orchids here, but I think they are all quite tiny.

It's been lovely to see the bumblebees out and about. Our garden now has blueberries blooming, and we have a lot of fritillaria in bloom. Our apple tree has a few buds just beginning to open.

Allira

Su22

Would love to do this. I did sow some wild flower seeds a few years ago, but it wasn't very successful, just got a couple of poppies. Can anyone recommend the best seeds to buy?

Someone has just been to do weeding for us today. He's worked hard, done a good job but has also weeded out my Welsh poppies. I was planning to plant poppies, cornflowers and daisies in that small patch too, perhaps I'd better put a notice there - Do Not Weed Here!

The poppies are still there, flowers have gone, perhaps he thought they were past their best and dead headed them! 🙂

I have a small front grassed area, I wouldn't give it the credit of calling it a lawn. I've been doing no mow may for a few years, ans in 2023 a cowslip popped up. Last year there were two cowsips and this year three. There are also hundreds of daisies, some lovely bright dandelions and signs of a campion. I've only had the grass mowed once since last year and that was only a few weeks ago. So all this lovely wild flower garden for no effort or expense at all. I've just popped outside and spotted some creeping jenny showing through the grass too.

I know several people who have a wilflower garden & let it grow for birds & insects. However when I tried it, council neighbours dumped rubbish on my private bit, & council told me to get it cleared & cut or they will come in & do it against my will & charge me for it, I can't win.

There's no way my hubby can go along with no mow May

I've planted/ sowed wildflower seeds today in a raised corner planter hope they come up ! Never tried it before so fingers crossed .I got the for pollinators one

Good luck Susiewakie and everyone who's joining in with this. I've mown a path through our lawn today and left the rest. The blackbirds really seem to like the mown path. I can see two out there now hunting for worms.

Beautiful flowers Churchview.
I've bought some Mr Fothergills wild flower seeds from B&M. 3 packets for the price of 2.
I'm ready to sow them and hoping they grow.

We leave our fairly small front lawn uncut unti September. I planted a load of wild flower seeds a few years ago and from April onwards it’s truly beautiful. The yellow cowslips and primroses are just coming to an end with large white daisys, poppies and some sort of purple flower taking over. Loads of bees and butterflies come all summer

Churchview

Good luck Susiewakie and everyone who's joining in with this. I've mown a path through our lawn today and left the rest. The blackbirds really seem to like the mown path. I can see two out there now hunting for worms.

I love this "path" idea, Churchview. I will do the same here. I have been gathering and planting lots of natives and foods for the birds and bees. Pretty soon they will think my place is their restaurant.

My garden is full of bees/ wasps/ hornets not sure which - this is strange considering most of the flowers have been eaten by rabbits and deer! Whenever I visit a garden centre I can't resist buying a couple more plants and then curse myself for just buying more food for the rabbits etc. I spray everything with so called animal repellant but nothing works.