Lockdown is unlocking. Suburbia’s gardens are looking stunning since people have been turning their hands since spring to planting and growing. Summer may well be here already but it’s not too late to create a wildflower meadow of your very own.
Wildflowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators which helps declining wildlife populations. And wildflowers also improve your garden’s health.
What to plant and when
Meadowsweet, foxglove, campion, meadow buttercup, selfheal, or yellow rattle are all very easy to source and grow. They produce beautifully varied and colourful flowers bees and butterflies love. Plant them towards the end of summer or in early autumn for a vibrant summer garden the following year.
If you’re lucky enough to have a large garden, the only question is which corner to set aside for the bees and butterflies.
But you can also enjoy wildflowers in window boxes and containers. If you plant in boxes, choose the biggest container you can find. This is because the roots will not survive in restricted spaces. If a large pot or plant is difficult to find then an old sink or bath make perfect self-contained wildflower beds.
To Create a Wildflower Meadow, OPOH Recommends
Based in Wiltshire, MeadowMania has been a family business since the 1950s. They’ve been selling wildflowers for over 25 years and are more than happy to give advice on what works well in your garden. All of the British wildflower seeds they sell are native stock grown in the wild in the UK, and if you spend more than £37.50, you’ll get free delivery to the UK mainland.