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How to make a wildflower meadow

If you’ve got a patch of grass in the garden, the chances are it will make a beautiful wildflower meadow.

Just let the grass grow for most of the year, and with the occasional horticultural tweak, you’ll discover what wildflowers make an appearance.

Wildflowers are a great, and beautiful, way to encourage our precious bees and other insects to your garden. Find out more about The Bee Cause  and how you can help bees thrive .

Follow these easy tips to create a habitat that offers food and shelter to wildlife.

1. Cut in winter

Cutting the grass short over winter helps weaken the grasses that compete with wildflowers. Stop cutting around the end of February to allow other meadow plants to germinate or re-emerge after winter.

2. Grow native wildflowers

You might start to spot these bee-friendly wildflowers making an appearance in your garden. To add more species to your garden, try Plantlife’s wildflower selector to discover the right plant for your garden. Alternatively get our Bee Saver Kit which includes some wildflower seeds to get you started.

Long grass with poppies, cornflowers, cow parsley.

Long grass with poppies, cornflowers, cow parsley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Sow yellow rattle

Many meadow enthusiasts recommend sowing yellow rattle (Rhinanthus major). This is a pretty parasitic plant which weakens the grasses that compete with meadow flowers.

Top tip: lift up a section of your meadow turf and sow the seeds underneath; this is supposed to be more effective than sowing them on the surface. For a directory of native wildflower seed suppliers, go to floralocale.org

4. Create a walkway

Cut a path through the middle of your meadow or around the sides. This shows that your meadow is a deliberate feature you’re proud of – and not a patch of ground you can’t be bothered to maintain.

Honeybee feeding on wildflower.

Honeybee feeding on wildflower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Cut in late August

Traditionally hay meadows can be cut as early as June or July, but in the garden leave your cut for as long as you can over the summer – late August is perfect. This will allow flowers to set seed and contribute to next year’s meadow display.

6. Rake off the cuttings

This is very important. After cutting your meadow in late summer – you’ll need a scythe or strimmer – rake off the cut material.

This ensures you’re not fertilising the ground underneath with decaying plants, as wild flowers prefer low-nutrient soils.

Get up close with insects - wildflowers will attract them to your garden.

Get up close with insects – wildflowers will attract them to your garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Remove unwanted plants

If there is anything you don’t like the look of growing in your meadow, such as dock, simply pull it up or chop it down.

Even if unwanted plants return, constant harassment by cutting them back regularly will weaken them, meaning they provide less competition for more interesting meadow species.

8. Avoid pesticides

Lawn improvers and weedkillers create conditions in which wild flowers are unlikely to prosper.

Firstly because they might enich your soil. Secondly because many wild plants are the “weeds” targeted by such products. And that’s not to mention the potential harm to other wildlife, such as bees and butterflies.

Find out more about bees, pesticides and neonicotinoids.

Your guide to bee-friendly wildflowers

Your guide to bee-friendly wildflowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your guide to bee-friendly wildflowers

 

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