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A
wildflower lawn is just a patch of grass that isn't cut as short as usual and where
you encourage low-growing wild flowers, such as primroses, violets and cowslips.
Some people also like to encourage some lawn weeds. A wildflower meadow is
wonderful in summer and attracts butterflies and bees. You can either let the
wild flowers come up naturally, and weed out the ones you don't want, or you can
plant the wild flowers of your choice into the turf in spring, they will
self-seed once they are established. A wildflower lawn doesn't need feeding but
it will need cutting a couple of times a year in early spring and autumn.
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Cornfield Collection Cornfield
Collection. 5500 Seeds £2.99. A collection of five
different species of native wildflower once a common
sight in cornfields. This summer-flowering mixture is
ideal for providing a splash of colour in sunny areas of
the garden with poor, well-drained soil. By purchasing
Landlife seeds you are helping to protect existing
wildflower areas and develop potential new sites where
wildflowers may grow. CAUTION: toxic if eaten
skin eye irritant. |
White clover (Trifoliurn repens) makes a very good
'lawn'. Sow it in the same
way as a normal grass lawn, using clover seeds that you can buy from specialist
seed firms. Clover stays green in dry weather and it grows to only about 5-8cm
(2-3in), so it doesn't need regular mowing. Clover is a mass of flower in summer
and very attractive to bees.
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Cornflower Seed Shaker. £3.99. This mini
shaker contains seeds of the annual cornflower along
with vermiculite to help spread the seeds.
All you need to do is prepare the soil,
removing all weeds and stones. Shake the contents out of
the can over the ground and rake the area lightly. Tamp
down firmly by walking over or rolling the seeded area.
Keep the planted area consistently moist with a fine
spray for about three weeks or until the seeds start to
germinate. The best time for sowing is between February
and September. |
The
classic flower lawn is chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile 'Treneague'). You can also
grow a lawn of creeping thymes; a mixture of matforming alpines; or one of the
flowering chamomiles, such Chamaemelum nobile `Flore Pleno'. Flowering lawns
don't need mowing; just a clip over after flowering, but they have to be weeded
by hand so you may not want a large area. The types of plants used in flowering
lawns need a sunny spot with excellent drainage so dig plenty of grit or gravel
into the area before planting.
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