Wildflower area

[Liz]

I have decided to leave one part of my garden 'wild' for the birdies etc. Also to cut down on the weeding!:lol:

I just wondered whether anyone has done this and for any advice please?

I thought that a wildflower/grass seed mix might be the best way to go?

[jings00]

i have done this in half of my front garden, i used wildflower mixes suited to up here, from scotia seeds.
i also have a pack of suttons rapid green, for a wildflower lawn..not used this yet so don't know how it will turn out.

[jings00]

this year it will be more established....i the seeds were down about this time last year i think....and this pic was taken in august...
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i120/jings00/august2009011.jpg

[Liz]

Thanks ever so much for the info jings00 and your flowers look really beautiful!:D

The area I want to turn into a wildflower area is quite a big bit of border so do you think the seed mix you got would be okay? I take it the one you got was a mix of flowers and grass? Would you mind telling me which mix it was as I've had a look at the Scotia Seeds website.

Also any tips you can give me re preparing the ground etc would be ever so much appreciated.

The wildflower lawn sounds really lovely as well.

[jings00]

well the grass that was there out the front was all holes and just bad shape, so it got dug up, i stacked some o the turf at the sides of the wall, then raked over the earth and fired the seeds on. watered it when it was needing and that was about that.
i think the seeds i specifically went for was to attract bees and butterflies, i can't remember the specifics, and i got some poppy seed mixes from 99p shop as well i think?
the suttons rapid green has destructions on the packet,,,,says to dig chosen area, get rid o weeds and stones, rake to a fine crumbly surface to firm it and water. says blah blah bout seedling weeds, remove, blah blah...shake the pack, sow evenly, blah blah, rake in...keep area moist,after care is cut grass every one and half to two months, once established....
seems pretty straighforward.
course, i have fired some into the borders of my wildflower bit, and that is that. lol

[Liz]

Ok cheers for that! Blah, blah, blah are my kind of instructions!:lol:

[jings00]

lol aye, and even then i just look at em as a last resort

[Liz]

Glad I am not the only one who doen't look at 'de'structions.

I like to be creative!:lol:

[Beat Bug]

I would love a wildflower lawn, but hubby says no!

[jings00]

lol do some stealth seed scattering.......blame the birds....

[Kenn]

Just leave a few thistles guaranteed to bring in Bumble Bees,Butterflies and hopefully Goldfinches.

[htwood]

Few things prettier than goldfinches on thistles.

[Bill Fernie]

I have often thought about trying an idea I heard about along road verges.

I got this idea froma radio programme about a lady who had sent many years spreading wild flowers around her village. What she did was to cut the verge after the flowers had their seed heads on and spread the plant material along the next part of the verge. Over many years she branched out in all directions doing a little each year.

I wondered if preparing a small piece of verge one year and planting up with wild flowers and then doing what that lady did would work in Caithness. Even if only the small piece was successful it might spread naturally after that. I feel it needs a little help to get started as the local grasses would probably squeeze most plants out.

I may be too late to try it this year.

[dafi]

If its cut back hard after it has all seeded then every thing stands a better chance of coming up next year.Its the rank grass that squeezes out the following years growth.

Not that i want to put a dampener on things but you can head in to some iffy ground when you start to introduce non native plants to the wild though!!!

[Bill Fernie]

yes I think you are right but there are many plants aorund in Caithness although it may be tricky to collect the seeds to start off with.

[jings00]

http://www.guerrillagardening.org/

this sounds a little like what you mean

[Sandra_B]

See now, I think those wildflowers look so much nicer than regimented borders. What a lovely idea!!