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Creating a wildflower area without grass

NoviceAnnyNoviceAnny Posts: 22
in Fruit & veg
I have an area of my garden, fairly shady and with poor soil, where I want to create a wild flower area. Just flowers, no grass is what I'm  thinking, but the wildflower seed retailers seem to pack their seeds with 50% grass seeds saying this supports the flowers and prevents weeds. Do I really need grass?

Was planning to scatter some wild flower seeds about now, then more in Spring in the hope of having a glorious wild flower area by Summer. Is this a good plan?

Posts

  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    edited September 2021
    Wildflower packets do as you say.
    If you can get hold of certain wildflowers on their own and sow them and then plant them out as plugs this could be the way that you want.
    We are trying with yellow rattle and corncockle.
    Having succes with the latter and waiting on the former.
    Field poppies are brilliant though. If you can get some to flower and seed you will get thousands of potential new plants the following year.
    Don't give up.
    Visting an RSPB wildflower meadow for some years near us...they don't allow the farmer to cut for the hay until the wildflowers have seeded.
    A brilliant walk for the flowers and the insects...butterflies ...fantastic.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    edited September 2021
    How big an area are you planning? I originally tried seed,plug plants,the bought meadow turf, grass took over. Then hubby hired a turf cutter, removed all the grass,
     We bought wildflower border turf,grass free. It took about 7 years to establish.every year I add annuals and perennials.recently I purchased plugs of buttercup, meadows sweet,and native primrose.a lot of grass still managed to grow there.never had any yellow rattle germinate,this year was the first I have had field poppies.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719

  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    I think the 'fairly shady' will be your biggest challenge.  Native bluebells, primrose, and musk mallow.. maybe foxglove?  
    Utah, USA.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    edited September 2021
    My garden is north facing,these areas are under fruit trees,they don't get a lot of sun. You can buy wildflower seed mix and plugs specific for shade
  • borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
    There are websites that offer wildflower-only mixes minus grass seeds.  One example: https://www.wildflower.co.uk/products/wildflower-seed-mixtures/100-wildflower-seed-mixtures/
    They do a shade mix too (though it does say "light shade"). I'm sure you'll find others; I don't know enough to recommend one over another.
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