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rethinking long grass area
bookmonster
Posts: 399
We planned this area as a mini meadow, and planted bird's foot trefoil and red clover plugs in amongst the grass. I was prepared to get yellow rattle if the grass swamped them, but what actually happens is the bird's foot trefoil takes over in the summer, and we are left with bare patches where it blocks the light at this time of year after it's been mown. I was thinking of adding in more plants - perhaps trying red clover again - and mowing every 2 or 3 weeks to allow flowering, but stop it getting too long. Any thoughts welcome. I'd prefer any plants to be guinea pig safe. 
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Posts
If if you want to keep it shorter you need a different sort of plant ... have a look here https://www.scotiaseeds.co.uk/shop/flowering-lawn-mix/
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I think if I was doing a mini-meadow on that scale, I'd plant it like a 'prairie border' but using a native ornamental grass like Molinia caerulea, and native wildflowers (ones with a bit of 'oomph' like greater knapweed, red campion, betony, meadow cranesbill) dotted amongst it. You'd cut it all down once, in February/March.