Wildflower meadows

 

I’m still trying to find ways of disposing of the 25kg bag of barley that I have. I tried making the ill fated heat pads that burst into flames and even throwing handfuls of seed in the dogs dinner (cooked of course) don’t really get through it fast enough so I thought “Why not just sow it outdoors?” The young shoots are supposed to be really healthy juiced like you would wheatgrass, barley grass if you like. I threw out handful after handful in the hedgerow and onto an area of rough ground near to the house at the end of March and left it alone for a while to become established.

Not one seed has germinated. Well, I presume they haven’t germinated, I can’t find one anywhere. They all seem to have disappeared. There are a lot of extremely fat, happy looking pheasants roaming around though. Maybe they have something to do with it. The gun club will have a great time this year.

Wildflower Meadows

My wildflower meadow hasn’t fared much better this year either. I cleared and area about the size of a snooker table early in early spring. It was an area of poor stony soil and thought it would be ideal as it was in full sun most of the day. I raked it over and firmed it down ready for the seeds. Paul Blaker, my friend from Nottingham was here in March and he managed to pick up some “bargain” boxes of wildflower seeds on his travels. The instructions were simple: “Open the box and throw the contents onto the soil then enjoy the abundance of flowers that appear in summer. Paul got the three boxes for 2 euro, which should have told us something. The contents of the box were manly sawdust and a lot blew away in the wind as we opened them. The only seed I saw after the wind dispersal were nasturtiums which plopped heavily onto the soil and a few specks we assumed were also seed.

Checking the area today all I see is one tiny flower, all alone in a sea of annual weeds and masses of coltsfoot (why didn’t the pheasants eat these seeds?). Coltsfoot is classed as an invasive plant in some places, but it does have its uses, namely Coltsfoot rock. There’s a company in the UK that make sweets out of it that are good for bad chests, coughs and tickly throats. Certain countries have banned it though as it can cause liver failure if too much ingested. I doubt I’ll do much with mine other than strim it down occasionally as a marker to where my wildflower meadow could have been.

Why not try your own wildflower patch in your own garden?

There are many benefits to planting wild flowers. They re-seed themselves and the flowers are very beneficial to wildlife. The other great advantage is that the meadows only need cutting once or twice a year when it is established. Throwing wild flower seed on to your existing lawn will probably end in failure as some preparation work will be needed to give the seeds chance to germinate. The favourable time to prepare an area is now and autumn, however most wildflower seeds will germinate in summer if they are kept moist. Here are a few pointers to get you started.

What type of wildflower meadow?
It is important to choose the meadow that will be most successful on the site you have to offer:
Perennial: Perennial meadows thrive best on poor soils because the grasses compete less with the wildflowers. Varieties include: Columbine, Greater Knapweed, Field Scabious, Wild Carrot, Hedge Bedstraw, Meadow Clary, Perennial Cornflower, Perennial Flax,

Annual: Annual meadows, usually of cornfield annuals, need rich soils. These are a good choice where you are converting an existing border. The mix includes plants such as cornflower, corn poppy, corn marigold and corncockle. Some barley and wheat seed will add an authentic touch. Additional sowing might be needed over the years to get the ground established

Choosing seed
Wildflower seed merchants supply mixtures of wildflowers and grasses suitable for various soil types and situations. Choose one that suits our climate. Prices vary when you are looking for seed. The price for native Irish seed might be higher than UK varieties. Get good quality seed and not boxes of sawdust!

Converting a lawn to a meadow 

• Lawns can be converted into wildflower meadows, but it can take a number of years for the balance between grass and wildflowers to be established.
• Grasses attract butterflies so it’s an important addition to a wildflower meadow.
• Stop feeding and weedkilling the turf.
• In the first year, continue mowing weekly to weaken the grass.
• Raise others from seed, introducing them as one- to two-year-old pot-grown plants planted into holes in the turf.
• Many wildflower suppliers offer plug plants that are ideal for planting into an established lawn. For a natural look, plant in small groups of the same plant.
• In general once established the Wild Flower meadows can turn what is often a neglected part of the garden into an attractive area that needs little maintenance.

Book choice.. Making a Wildflower Meadow