Frequently Asked Questions
Here you’ll find a collection of answers to commonly asked questions I receive. Click on the Question to reveal the Answer.
It is merely the location and size of the site and the type of grassland which was converted to a wild flower area.
You should sow an annual wild flower mixture anytime between September and the end of May to have a good long flowering season during the summer. Personally I would say spring or from March onwards is best. If you particularly like Corn Marigold, which is included in my Annual wild flower mix then sow the annual seeds from March onwards as Corn Marigold does not cope so well with frosts as does the other species. The later you sow annual wild flowers after the end of May, the later in the summer they will begin flowering and if we have a long dry summer you risk getting poor weedy looking plants as a result.
You can sow all my other wild flower mixtures (which are perennial ones) anytime. The grasses I choose to include in my perennial mixtures are less competitive and at a lower than average ratio to the wild flowers to create a graceful appearance and reduce the competition for the wild flowers helping them to flourish. Take a look at the FAQ link at the bottom of the following paragraph to guide you more.
Take a look at the following FAQ to guide you when creating a wild flower area:
Yes, they are ideal as my seed mixtures are all of native origin and are the most species rich mixtures available, which creates a very long flowering season which is necessary for on going nectar provision for bees and butterflies. My seed mixtures also contain extra special flowers such as native orchid. You can view all the details from the ‘seed mixes’ page of this website.
Wild flower plant plugs are little plants ready for you to plant out in the ground. They are a great alternative to using wild flower seeds if you wish for quick results. The advantage of plant plugs is that they can be planted straight into an area of short mown grass, so are good for introducing wild flowers into lawns, unlike wild flower seeds which require bare ground. Being hardy you can plant them out at any time of year: spring, summer, autumn or winter. However refrain from planting if the ground is frozen or during a drought!
I have created my own unique collections of wild flower plant plugs to suit your planting requirements. Just like my seed mixtures my plug collections are very rich in wild flower species. Each collection contains plants of 15 different wild flower species. I have selected the best and most attractive wild flowers for each situation to provide you with a very long season of flowering with beautiful variations in colour and form.
Here I will post a copy of my wild flower seeding instructions for my unique ‘annual wild flower seed mix’. I will present it just as it appears in each packet of seeds that you might order from me.
Instructions for creating your annual wild flower area
These are the methods I use when creating my bright and colourful annual flower areas.
Within the area to be seeded kill off any existing vegetation. You can achieve this by placing a piece of old carpet or black plastic etc on top of the area to stop light reaching the ground, after a few weeks the vegetation beneath should have died away leaving bare soil. Alternatively for larger areas spray off existing grass or weeds with Glyphosate (Roundup) weed-killer. Two weeks after spraying, cut the weeds as tight to the ground as possible and remove the cuttings. I only advise the use of Glyphosate as some other weed-killers do not break down on contact with the soil and so remain active to kill or weaken the future germinating seedlings. It is also the least harmful chemical weed-killer to use from a wildlife perspective.
The best time for sowing the annuals is between September and May to have a good long flowering season during the summer. The later you sow them after this the later in the summer they will begin flowering. If you find that you are not able to sow the seeds as quickly as you had hoped, or have seed left over that cannot be used straight away, do not panic. As long as you ensure the seed is stored in a cool and dry place it will be viable for 12 months or more.
You now have two options:
Either
- Broadcast the seeds evenly directly onto the surface of bare ground. It is not essential to cultivate the ground first, so long as you have exposed bare ground where light and warmth can reach the soil surface over an extended period and grass won’t grow back in profusion during the summer.
OR
- Cultivate the ground. Create a fairly fine seedbed but be aware that when cultivating ground you will bring to the surface weed seeds from within the soil which will germinate along with your sown seeds in the spring. These may not be a problem amongst your annual flowers but if you are concerned then cultivate the ground early and allow some of the weed seeds to germinate first and then carry out the weed control procedure outlined above before seeding. If you use brought in non-sterile soil for your seedbed, the same advice applies.
Seeding. If seeding by hand, divide up the seed packet and your plot into quarters and this way you will get early warning if you are sowing too thickly and are likely to run out of seed before you reach the end of your plot! If you have scales to measure 2 grams accurately, do this and then between your fingers carefully scatter that quantity of seed over a marked 1 metre x 1 metre square of flat material such as a cardboard or plastic sheet etc. By doing this you will get to see the seed pattern/quantity that you should be using when sowing at 2 grams per square metre. You will also get an opportunity to see the array of different seed shapes and sizes as many are very tiny and hardly noticeable from looking at the packet. Save the seed from this exercise to sow with the others. If you are using a mechanical spreader, calibrate it to output at 2 grams per square metre.
I would encourage you to take the time to put some seed on a piece of plain white paper and use a magnifying glass to see their wonderful variety of shape and size. Even more amazing is looking at them under a microscope at x20 magnification – this is how I check and identify seeds – tiny round seeds that look the same to the naked eye can be from several different species and will have a very different appearance when magnified x20. At this magnification they can be seen for what they are, some of Mother Nature’s incredibly beautiful designs!
Do not cover with soil. Don’t worry about birds eating your wild flower seeds, I have never found them to be a problem.
When will the wild flowers appear? If you sow in the autumn (from September) some of the plants will germinate within a month, particularly the Corncockle (stocky, hairy little seedlings) they will survive the winter quite happily. Most of the plants will germinate in April and May depending upon rain and temperature. Flowering will usually start from May and can carry on right through the spring and summer. If you sow in the spring (March, April or May) the plants should start germinating a few weeks later, with flowering starting in June. The later you sow the longer you will have to wait for flowering.
Future management to keep your wild flower area healthy. Annual wild flowers need to create new plants from seed every year (unlike most of the flowers in my other seed mixes, which contain perennial species). So at the end of the summer or during the autumn cut and clear the wild flower area, knocking any seeds still present within their pods to the ground and remove any weeds (you can spray the area with Roundup to clear any grass etc as it will not effect the seeds present). Then you can either trust that enough seed has been spread from the year’s flowers to generate a new population of annuals next year or you can spread some fresh seed onto the soil.
If you follow these simple management instructions your wild flower area should be a blaze of colour and bring you much pleasure and fascination.
Colin Reader
www.wildflowerlawnsandmeadows.com
Here I will post a copy of my wild flower seeding instructions for my pernnial wild flower seed mix. I will present it just as it appears in each packet of seeds that you might order from me.
Instructions for creating your wild flower area
For using my ‘clay, loam and sandy soils mix’, my ‘chalk and limestone soils mix’ or my
‘general purpose economy wild flower seed mix’.
Choose a site that receives quite a lot of sun. For shaded areas use my ‘woodland and shade mix’.
Within the area to be seeded kill off any existing vegetation. You can achieve this by placing a piece of old carpet or black plastic etc on top of the area to stop light reaching the ground, after a few weeks the vegetation beneath should have died away leaving bare soil. Alternatively for larger areas spray off existing grass or weeds with Glyphosate (Roundup) weed-killer. Two weeks after spraying, cut the weeds as tight to the ground as possible and remove the cuttings. I only advise the use of Glyphosate as some other weed-killers do not break down on contact with the soil and so remain active to kill or weaken the future germinating seedlings. It is also the least harmful chemical weed-killer to use from a wildlife perspective.
For field areas or weedy long grass lawn areas, where a lot of weed seeds have been allowed to drop and build up in the soil’s seed-bank, it is best to spray the area off twice. Carry out the second spray when the area has greened up again, which can be several months later. Then undertake the seeding. This will reduce the amount of weed seeds that will germinate from your soil along with your sown wild flower seeds. This double weed-killing is not usually necessary when converting a previously well cared for, mown lawn area.
You can sow your seeds anytime of the year but the rate of germination will depend on the level of moisture and warmth in the soil. Native wild flowers are hardy and winter sowing is fine but don’t expect to see germination until the ground warms up in the spring. Not all the species germinate at the same time, some are months behind others so there is always new things to spot when you inspect your wild flower area. If for any reason you find that you are not able to sow your seeds as quickly as you had hoped, or have seed left over that cannot be used straight away, do not panic. As long as you ensure the seed is kept in the bag and stored in a cool, dark, dry place it will be viable for 12 months or more.
It is preferable not to cultivate the ground or you will expose many more weed seeds dormant in the soil’s seed-bank, which will germinate along with your sown seeds. Sow your seeds on the surface of the soil which has been revealed by the weed killing process described above. If you need to cultivate the ground because it is rather compacted etc.. or you need to bring in soil, do this early to allow the weed seeds to germinate and then carry out the weed-killing procedure outlined above, before seeding it.
Seeding. If seeding by hand, divide up the seed packet and your plot into quarters and this way you will get early warning if you are sowing too thickly and are likely to run out of seed before you reach the end of your plot! If you have scales to measure 3 grams accurately, do this and then between your fingers carefully scatter that quantity of seed over a marked 1 metre x 1 metre square of flat material such as a cardboard or plastic sheet etc. By doing this you will get to see the seed pattern/quantity that you should be using when sowing at 3 grams per square metre. You will also get an opportunity to see the array of different seed shapes and sizes as many are very tiny and hardly noticeable from looking at the packet. Save the seed from this exercise to sow with the others. If you are using a mechanical spreader, calibrate it to output at 3 grams per square metre.
I would encourage you to take the time to put some seed on a piece of plain white paper and use a magnifying glass to see their wonderful variety of shape and size. Even more amazing is looking at them under a microscope at x20 magnification – this is how I check and identify seeds – tiny round seeds that look the same to the naked eye can be from several different species and will have a very different appearance when magnified x20. At this magnification they can be seen for what they are, some of Mother Nature’s incredibly beautiful designs!
Do not cover with soil. Don’t worry about birds eating your wild flower seeds, I have never found them to be a problem as the seeds are too small, some grass seeds may be taken but this will not affect your final wild flower lawn or meadow appearance. However if you have a lot of rabbits and are doing a relatively small wild flower area then do protect the area from the rabbits as they love young seedlings and will eat them before you even notice your seeds have germinated.
When will the wild flowers appear? If you sow in the spring you should see germination within a few weeks depending upon the levels of warmth and moisture in the soil. There will then be a succession of different species germinating throughout the following weeks and months. If you sow between September-February most of the annuals will germinate from April (although Corncockle can germinate soon after sowing if the weather is not too cold and will happily survive the winter). The large assortment of perennial wild flower species in my mixtures will germinate a month or two later than the annuals with germination continuing throughout the year. Although the annuals will flower fully in the first year (from May onwards) and some of the perennials too (from late June onwards), many of the perennials spend their first year bulking up their leaf growth and root structure and so the colourful display you will see throughout the first year will be mostly coming from the annual wild flowers. It is from April of the second year when your wild flower area will burst into perennial bloom, with different species flowering en masse from early April right through until October and even November.
Future management to keep your wild flower area healthy. Treat your wild flower area like a hay meadow – cut it once towards the end of every year and remove the cuttings. If you don’t remove the cuttings they will act as a mulch and snuff out many of the more delicate wild flower species thus reducing the diversity in your lawn or meadow. For a small area that you can cut by hand with a strimmer or mower you can leave the cutting until October (or whenever it’s looking sad and untidy). Meadows will usually need to be cut earlier for practical reasons of getting machinery on the land before it gets too wet or before the rains flatten the grass making it hard to pick up (you don’t have this problem with smaller areas when using a strimmer and rake!). Try to leave your meadow cutting until at least mid August or you will be missing out on a lot of the flowering. Remember it is only the annual species which need to drop their seed to survive (and most will have done this by mid August), the majority of species in these mixes are perennials which do not rely on their seeds to survive, but continue year after year from their vegetative growth and so cutting any of these plants when still in flower will not damage the plant or the future of your wild flower area. Consequently cutting paths through your wild flower lawn or meadow is fine, indeed I would encourage this but use a mower that lifts and removes the cuttings when you do it.
If you follow these simple management instructions your wild flower area should survive indefinitely and bring you much pleasure and fascination year after year. No two years will be the same as different species will bloom at differing levels of abundance, producing an ever changing feast of colour and form for your enjoyment.
Colin Reader
Here I will post a copy of my wild flower seeding instructions for my ‘woodland and shade wild flower seed mix’. I will present it just as it appears in each packet of seeds that you might order from me.
Instructions for creating your woodland & shadewild flower area
This mix is suitable for varying woodland and shade conditions.
Within the area to be seeded kill off any existing vegetation (this is not necessary if the vegetation is very sparse). You can achieve this by placing a piece of old carpet or black plastic etc on top of the area to stop light reaching the ground, after a few weeks the vegetation beneath should have died away leaving bare soil. Alternatively for larger areas spray off existing grass or weeds with Glyphosate (Roundup) weed-killer. Two weeks after spraying, cut the weeds as tight to the ground as possible and remove the cuttings. I only advise the use of Glyphosate as some other weed-killers do not break down on contact with the soil and so remain active to kill or weaken the future germinating seedlings. It is also the least harmful chemical weed-killer to use from a wildlife perspective.
Where a lot of weed seeds have been allowed to drop and build up in the soil’s seed-bank, it is best to spray the area off twice. Carry out the second spray when the area has greened up again, which can be several months later. Then undertake the seeding. This will reduce the amount of weed seeds that will germinate from your soil along with your sown wild flower seeds. This double weed-killing is not usually necessary when converting a previously well cared for, mown lawn area.
You can sow your seeds anytime of the year but the rate of germination will depend on the level of moisture and warmth in the soil. Native wild flowers are hardy and winter sowing is fine but don’t expect to see germination until the ground warms up in the spring. Not all the species germinate at the same time, some are months behind others so there is always new things to spot when you inspect your wild flower area. I have found that woodland and shade areas are a bit slower to establish than open situations where there is more sunlight and the soil is warmer.
As long as you ensure the seed is kept in the bag and stored in a cool, dark, dry place it will be viable for 12 months or more should you not be ready to sow it straight away.
It is preferable not to cultivate the ground or you will expose many more weed seeds dormant in the soil’s seed-bank, which will germinate along with your sown seeds. Sow your seeds on the surface of the soil which has been revealed by the weed killing process described above. If you need to cultivate the ground because it is rather compacted etc.. or you need to bring in soil, do this early to allow the weed seeds to germinate and then carry out the weed-killing procedure outlined above, before seeding it.
Please note: if you suddenly allow a lot more light into a woodland by coppicing or creating a ride you will trigger the germination of many seeds already present but previously dormant within your soil’s seed bank and these can germinate along with your sown seeds. This may not be a problem but be aware of bramble which can colonise and spread in these situations.
Seeding. If seeding by hand, divide up the seed packet and your plot into quarters and this way you will get early warning if you are sowing too thickly and are likely to run out of seed before you reach the end of your plot! If you have scales to measure 3 grams accurately, do this and then between your fingers carefully scatter that quantity of seed over a marked 1 metre x 1 metre square of flat material such as a cardboard or plastic sheet etc. By doing this you will get to see the seed pattern/quantity that you should be using when sowing at 3 grams per square metre. You will also get an opportunity to see the array of different seed shapes and sizes as many are very tiny and hardly noticeable from looking at the packet. Save the seed from this exercise to sow with the others. If you are using a mechanical spreader, calibrate it to output at 3 grams per square metre.
I would encourage you to take the time to put some seed on a piece of plain white paper and use a magnifying glass to see their wonderful variety of shape and size. Even more amazing is looking at them under a microscope at x20 magnification – this is how I check and identify seeds – tiny round seeds that look the same to the naked eye can be from several different species and will have a very different appearance when magnified x20. At this magnification they can be seen for what they are, some of Mother Nature’s incredibly beautiful designs!
Do not cover with soil. Don’t worry about birds eating your wild flower seeds, I have never found them to be a problem as the seeds are too small, some grass seeds may be taken but this will not affect your final wild flower lawn or meadow appearance. However if you have a lot of rabbits and are doing a relatively small wild flower area then do protect the area from the rabbits as they love young seedlings and will eat them before you even notice your seeds have germinated.
When will the wild flowers appear? In shaded areas germination is more spasmodic than in open situations, but generally speaking once spring arrives you should see germination of some species within a couple of months of seeding (later than many people realise…so don’t panic if nothing appears to be happening for a while). There will then be a succession of different species germinating throughout the following months and into the second year. Many of the perennials spend their first year bulking up their leaf growth and root structure and so flowering will be limited throughout the first year. It is from April of the second year that you should expect most flowering. Once established different species can flower in succession throughout the year till October or even November.
Future management to keep your wild flower area healthy. If you have created a wild flower area along a sunny woodland ride or glade and there is a good amount of grass present then treat your wild flower area like a hay meadow – cut it once a year and remove the cuttings. If you don’t remove the cuttings these can act as a mulch and snuff out some of the more delicate wild flowers thus reducing the variety of wild flower species able to survive. Do this cutting towards the end of every year. For a small area that you can cut by hand with a strimmer or mower you can leave the cutting until late October (or whenever it’s looking sad and untidy). Larger areas will usually need to be cut earlier for practical reasons of getting machinery into the wood before it gets too wet but try to leave it until early September or you will be missing out on a lot of the flowering. In more shaded areas you may have not have enough bulk of vegetation to warrant cutting it every year, but try to ensure a mat of dead vegetation does not build up within a wild flower area over a few years. If it does you need to cut it lower and remove the cuttings.
Most of the wild flower species in this mix are perennial and do not rely on their seed to survive, but continue year after year from their vegetative growth and so cutting any of these when still in flower will not damage the plant or the future of your wild flower area. So cutting paths through them is fine.
If you follow these simple management instructions your wild flower area should survive indefinitely and bring you much pleasure and fascination year after year. No two years will be the same as different species will bloom at differing levels of abundance, producing an ever changing feast of colour and form for your enjoyment.
Colin Reader
How to create a wild flower area depends upon your site’s conditions and whether you wish for an annual or perennial wild flower area. So please refer to the “How to..” questions listed above which relates to your site or project.
Yes if you go to my ‘Rarities’ page, at the bottom of the second table you will see packs of native Yellow Rattle seed for sale. Order by using the drop down box at the top right corner of this page. The cost is £10-00 for enough seed to cover 100 square metres (or £16-00 without the discount received if you buy any of my wild flower seed mixtures at the same time). If you think you have too much grass invading your wild flower area then add some Yellow Rattle seed by scattering it on the surface of the ground after cutting the existing grass short (ideally remove the grass cuttings before scattering the seed). In a meadow do this following a hay cut or tight grazing. The time to sow the seed for best results is between July and November.
Yes that’s right. I provide a service doing garden design and planting using only our beautiful native wild flowers. There is such a huge range to choose from, all perfectly adapted to our soils and climate. We are so used to the cultivated garden plants we buy from garden centres that we rarely think of using native flora for our gardens. We admire breathtaking wild flowers landscapes where they survive in the countryside and forget that we can create miniature versions in our gardens, either in flower beds, alongside driveways or in areas of lawn, we have lots of beautiful plants for almost any situation. They are low maintenance, frost and drought hardy and attractive and helpful to our native wildlife, as well as a joy to the eye. I can create flowering to last all season long using a range of different species of wild flower plants anywhere in your garden. Gardens don’t need to be big either, little town gardens of just a few square metres can be turned into a mini oasis of colour and interest for people and wildlife! All our plants are so frost hardy that they can be planted anytime; in fact autumn to spring is a good time so that you don’t need to water them. I do most of this work in and around East Sussex where I am based. For this service I charge £30/hr for on site design and £15/hr for labour. Please email or ring me to find out more.
Yes. You can purchase any of my special grass seed mixtures by themselves. Bags for seeding areas up to 250m2 (of 1kg in weight) cost £25-00. Please contact me to place an order.
Yes it is very easy to create. It is simpler than a meadow because it has usually been kept mown short and so there are very few weed issues. Its creation and management can be carried out without the need for any machinery larger than a mower, or strimmer and rake.
Yes, with every seed order I always enclose my simple step by step guide on how to successfully create your wild flower area.
Always choose the sunniest site that you can. If you have shaded areas, then consider using my woodland & shade wild flower mix for these places.
No, this is something of a misconception. Wild flowers will grow well on fertile soils. However it is the rapid growth response of other competitive species, particularly grasses that can cause problems on very fertile sites. If you prepare the site adequately before seeding you should have little problem. It is usually agricultural land which has had a lot of manure or fertilisers applied in the past that can be a challenge. It is the Phosphorus level within the soil which is the main element I test for as an indication of fertility. Generally speaking I would not attempt to convert an area with a Phosphorus Index of 3 or above (26-45 ppm in the soil), unless it was for an annual wild flower meadow (as my annual wild flower mix would do well in this situation). I have successfully created and managed excellent perennial wild flower meadows with Phosphorus levels of 2.7 and below. Other elements must also be taken into consideration in addition to the fertility of a site, such as the amount of direct sunlight it receives, how well draining the soil is etc. These all come into play as factors either favouring the wild flowers or their competition.
No. It would only be in the most extreme cases when this would be necessary (please see answer to question above).
Not without a little preparation. Weeds will tend to take over, such as Nettle, Ragwort etc. Clear the ash and the section of top-soil into which the very high nutrient levels will have leached and back-fill with new soil before seeding.
An annual wild flower area will fully mature in its first year. A perennial wild flower area will fully mature in its second year. To allow for this I include various annual wild flower species in my perennial mixtures to ensure colour and interest during the first year.
Yes. I include wild Orchid seed as standard within all my perennial wild flower seed mixtures and you can buy additions to any mix by going to the ‘Rarities‘ page of this website. I have seed from a variety of other native Orchid and Helleborine species for sale, all of British origin as specified.
Yes. I have created a unique range of native origin, British wild flower seed mixtures for these situations. They are all very rich and diverse in species. Please refer to the ‘Home’ page of this website for an overview and the ‘More details’ link for each mix, to learn all about their contents. Keep your eyes on my seed mixtures as I will vary their contents every so often to keep them fresh and exciting. They will include native species that you will be unlikely to find elsewhere within a wild flower seed mix.
When creating wild flower landscapes for clients I needed mixtures that were very rich in species to give non-stop flowering from spring through summer and well into the autumn. I found the standard wild flower seed mixtures available did not have a large enough range of species within them (and they were all so similar in content) and so I began designing and trialling my own. It is a decade since I first started designing seed mixtures for my own landscaping projects and following many requests to do so, I have now made these available for sale on this website.
Yes, I provide advice over the phone or on site. Please refer to the ‘Advice’ page of this website for details.
Yes, I was creating wild flower lawns and meadows for clients for 10 years before I set up this website and I continue to create them, I love doing them! This practical experience provided me with the necessary knowledge to design the seed mixtures that I now sell, to create wonderful landscapes, large and small. Please refer to the ‘About’ page of this website for more about me and the geographical area within which I undertake wild flowering projects.
Be very cautious when considering using herbicides to control weeds in wild flower situations. If a herbicide product states that it will kill thistles, it will usually also kill other members of the thistle family, which you may be surprised to learn includes many of our wild flower species, such as Oxeye Daisy, Knapweed, Cornflower, Corn Marigold, Yarrow etc. I suggest that you seek advice before using any weed-killers within a wild flower situation. I provide advice on the management of weed issues, either over the phone or on site. Please refer to the ‘Advice‘ page of this website for details.
It depends upon how fertile your soil is and consequently how quickly your grasses grow back following the hay cut. Bear in mind that wild flower seeds require warmth and light to germinate. If the grass has grown back tall to shade them before they can germinate, little will happen. Most of our native perennial wild flowers do not germinate until late June, unlike our native annuals which germinate from April. I would advise that you add more Yellow Rattle seed to the wild flower seed mixture (available from my ‘Rarities‘ page). This annual species is semi-parasitic on grass and will weaken its growth and open up the sward reducing the amount of grass present and consequently letting in more light during the summer to help other wild flower species to establish. You should carry out this seeding following the hay cut.
Yellow Rattle is an annual wild flower which can only continue within the sward by growing a new plant from its seed each spring. Therefore to get rid of it just mow it tight to the ground, several times during the spring and summer, to prevent it flowering and setting seed. Your other perennial wild flowers will not be killed as they grow back each year from their root system and parent plant.
Yes I can create designer mixtures for clients. E-mail me the details and if you know which species you require send a list of them to me together with the area you need to seed and I will supply you with a quote for the mixture. Please note that the cost of such a mix will be higher than using one of my standard mixtures, there is a minimum charge of £250 per order, so this is not so economic for very small areas.
Yes I assist with the creation and management of wild flower areas. Please refer to the ‘Advice‘ page of this website for details of how I can help.