No Mow May has been embraced by gardeners and local councils alike since it was introduced in 2019 by the wildlife conservation charity Plantlife. Increasingly, however, many of us want to create wildflower gardens or meadows which grow for longer than just a month.
Since the 1930s we have lost more than 97% of the traditional wildflower meadows that were once common in the UK, so providing a wildflower area in your garden is worthy of consideration. Areas given over to wildflowers and grasses not only attract pollinators but also provide much-needed shelter for insects, hedgehogs and amphibians. Where the density of insects is increased, small animals, bats and birss can find food.
Planning when to plant an area with wildflowers and grasses depends on your soil type. If you have lighter, free draining soils, September is the perfect time to get the area ready and planted. Whilst some seeds germinate quickly, others need winter cold to germinate in spring. If you’re eager to make a start this year, you could opt for plug plants to get ahead. Should your soil be heavier – usually cold and wet in winter – you will need to wait until spring before sowing. Take the time now to prepare your seeds in trays. Grow them on to plugs, keeping them in a cold frame until you can plant them out. Whilst most meadow plants require full sun and well-drained soil, you can purchase tailored seed mixes for semi-shade, damp or dry soil. Also, bear in mind that wildflowers do not grow easily on rich fertile soil as they prefer soil which is nutrient deprived therefore meaning they face less competition from other fast-growing grasses and weeds. If your soil is rich, remove the top few inches to create a less fertile environment for wildflowers.
To replicate a traditional wildflower garden or meadow, make it your mission to incorporate wildflowers into your perennial grasses for a beautiful summer display. This will then be cut in late summer and kept short until the following spring. The alternative is an annual ‘meadow’ which is typically grown without grasses using a mix of wildflowers from around the world. Whilst annual displays are more colourful, they offer less biodiversity than a perennial meadow. Without grasses, there are fewer or no foodplants for caterpillars of certain butterflies and moths, and they can be considered less wildlife-friendly than a traditional planting of grasses and wildflowers.
When you start researching the best way to create a wildflower area in your garden, some sources say simply leave the grass to grow and any wildflowers such as clover or dandelions will develop and grow. However, if you want to create a more spectacular wildflower garden, you will need to put in some hard work. If you are planting an existing lawn area you will need to stop using lawn fertilisers and weed killers, mow the grass less often and improve soil nutrients by leaving your clippings. Consider scarifying the lawn to expose bare patches or using a turf cutter to remove the turf, depending on the size of the area you are working on. Level the soil with a lawn rake, removing debris to create a fine seedbed.
Select the seed mix appropriate for your desired overall effect – but ideally focusing on British native wildflowers. Sow the seeds by mixing with sand to help distribution in late summer or autumn once you have prepared the ground. Rake the seeds gently into the soil, ensuring good contact. You may also at this stage plant some plugs and spring bulbs. To create a successful wildflower garden make sure to include yellow rattle; a semi-parasitic plant which will weaken grass and thereby create space for wildflowers to grow. It draws nutrients from the roots of grasses, reducing their competition, helping to diversify the meadow ecosystem. When King Charles III planted his wildflower meadows at Highgrove, yellow rattle was the first plant he established.
Once you have sown the seeds and planted the plugs, keep the soil moist but not waterlogged until you have germination. As weeds emerge, remove these so that they do not compete with the wildflowers. As birds are frequently a problem with any form of grass or flower seeds, cover the area with netting until the seeds germinate.
A wildflower garden or meadow area requires several years to get established and reach its full potential, so you need to be patient.
Popular choices for a vibrant meadow garden include:
Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare): Commonly seen in verges and meadows, with bright white petals and yellow centres, known for attracting pollinators.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense): With vibrant red flowers, this is a common and easy to grow wildflower attracting pollinators.
Musk Mallow (Malva moschata): A perennial with pale pink or purple flowers, known for its subtle, musky fragrance.
Red Campion (Silene dioica): A native wildflower with pink or red flowers, often found in hedgerows and on verges.
Ragged Robin (Lychnis Flos-Cuculi): Distinctive, fringed petals, often found in meadows and grasslands.
Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis): Tall, purple-blue wildflower which attracts butterflies and bees.
To add additional interest, consider planting Cowslip (Primula veris) which flower in spring along with British native primroses (Primula vulgaris), both of which will self-seed after they have bloomed.
Annuals like cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) and common field poppies (Papaver rhoeas) will add an additional splash of colour and will self-seed with new plants appearing year after year.
Finally, before you let a lawned area become a biodiverse haven, you need to remember that long grass is not suitable for children or dogs to play; indeed grass seeds can pose problems for dogs. Further, meadow areas can look untidy before being mown in late summer and once cut in autumn, there is little winter interest.
