(3” - 20” tall) Our ‘Alternative Lawn Wildflower Seed Mix’ is a versatile blend of plants that will develop into a lawn filled with texture and natural beauty. Choose from annual meadows that provide a one-off show or perennial meadows that persist from year to year. A wildflower meadow, on the other hand, needs no fertilizing, little or no supplemental water and just a once-a-year mowing. Converting turf grass into a native prairie or a wildflower meadow is no easy feat. Mow the grass really short 2. This post may contain affiliate links. And neither can you toss wildflower seeds on top of grass lawn and think you’ll be swimming in flowers. Lawns Into Meadows is the comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to grow a meadow garden. Climate change also has a hand in insect decline, as does your perfectly maintained lawn. share | improve this question | follow | edited Apr 2 '18 at 0:09. While a wildflower lawn may never be a “true” meadow, there is a time and place for it – and that time is now. Truth be told, not everyone will like the idea of a wildflower lawn, neighbors and family included. Sowing the seed Perennials are slower to germinate and often slower to get going as they put much of their energy in root growth their first year. You’ll quickly find that wildflower seeds are of all different weights and sizes. Step by step instructions on how to plant your wildflower seeds. What is a childhood without playing outside, rolling around on the lawn? To add more species to your garden, try Plantlife's wildflower selector to discover the right plant for your garden. "Based on our decades of experience with gardeners across the country, we've developed sixteen regional wildflower seed mixes; we also have specialty mixes, like our Deer-Resistant Mix and our Butterfly and Hummingbird Mix," says Lizotte. (I hope Santa Claus is reading this). Wildflower lawns are best suited in sunny locations with well-drained soil, just as a meadow would occur naturally. If the area you want to cover is small, a pre-grown wildflower mat … Preparing the planting area Unlike humans, animals aren't so adventurous with food choices; they stick with native shrubs and trees which they know are safe to eat. The most practical areas to convert to meadow are often those where simply allowing native species to flourish is easier and/or cheaper than maintaining a conventional lawn. The best time to create and sow your meadow is in autumn. Farmers will get subsidies for turning fields back into wildflower meadows after Brexit, according to environment secretary Michael Gove.. More than 97% of the UK’s wildflower meadows … 50% Off Spring-Planted Bulbs - Pre-Order For Spring. Simply strip off the turf, scatter the seeds and water in. There are 4 possible ways of growing wildflowers in your lawn. We have one of the widest ranges of Native Wildflowers as wild flower mixes all from native stock. Over 110 choices for fast color, such as poppies, cosmos, sunflowers, zinnia, and many more. Instead, simply compress the seed onto the soil surface; this seed-to-soil contact helps germination. The Lawn to Wildflower mobile app has a pollinator ID game, a tool to help you find pollinator-friendly native wildflowers, easy-to-follow methods for creating pollinator habitat, and more. If you wish to maximise the flowering and wildlife benefits of your wild flower lawn once it is established (which would normally be from the second year), instead of mowing the whole lawn in one go, you can mow alternate halves every 10 days or more i.e. LW12 supports bees, butterflies and other pollinators as 88% of the wildflowers included in this mixture are recommended by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) as ‘Perfect for Pollinators’. There are many things and many years of work needed to establish the perfect plot. Increasing biodiversity with native plants always has challenges, in this case, you may … If we are to think about creating an environment with sustainability as the key focus, we must start rewilding as much as we are able. While many gardeners prize a well-maintained lawn, conservationists are urging people to leave their mowers in the shed and count wildflowers instead. As opposed to a few species in a lawn, you can grow many in a wildflower meadow. Find mixtures for your region, or for special uses such as dry areas, partial shade, attracting animals, low growing, and more. Loading... Autoplay When autoplay is enabled, a … For a hay meadow type wildflower lawn, cutting needs to happen once any flowers have faded but before everything falls over. Go with a regional wildflower mix or a mix targeted to your particular growing conditions and needs. How to Replace Grass With Wildflowers. Follow on Instagram and sign up for their newsletter for more inspirations on living a sustainable life. If you have a patch of lawn in an open, sunny site, it could be transformed into a wildflower meadow. Many meadow enthusiasts recommend sowing yellow rattle (Rhinanthus major). However, lush green lawns have a dark side. Short grass is comfortable to walk on, whether you are barefoot or in shoes. And to keep it homogenously green and free of dandelions, “weeds” and moles? We get a lot of pleasure seeing the birds, bees, butterflies, frogs, newts and insects in the garden, so last year we decided that we’d like to make the garden more bee friendly by converting the back garden lawn into a wildflower meadow, hopefully attracting more wildlife into the garden and helping the bees and other species. Or, you can apply an herbicide to kill grass and other plants. Each variety of Meadowmat wildflower meadow turf is a colourful mix of flowering plants and grasses all growing strongly onto our proven matting system. If you remove all that is there, you are likely to end up with a yard of weeds, which is absolutely nothing like a swaying meadow full of grasses and flowers. You might want to turn some of your lawn, or an old flower border into your new wildflower meadow. Lawn mowers don’t let that happen. Here’s how to grow wildflowers in your lawn. Visit an existing prairie or two, for several weeks in the summer to see what grows. If one of your goals is to feed local birds, insects and pollinators, again, ya gotta go native. Are you ready to give up your mower, and replace it with a scythe? The meadow plants will be most successful with a smooth, weed-free soil. The basic process is explained below. Before we can understand how to begin to reverse this situation, we must explore the reasons for such a great loss. Avoid areas where water puddles after a rain. From Lawn to Easy-Care Wildflowers — 5 Steps to Success, Official US State Flowers, Wildflowers, and Birds, © 2020 AmericanMeadows.com All rights reserved, Find the Right Perennials for Your Garden, Watch Our Spring-Planted Flower Bulb Videos, Watch Our Fall-Planted Flower Bulb Videos, Free Ground Shipping Right To Your Event Or Business, Attract Pollinators & Do Good For The Environment. In 6 steps Monty Don shows just how easy it is to sow Wildflowers in to existing grass, mimicking a true wildflower meadow. This will lower fertility and give perennial wildflowers a chance to push through the grass. If you have an open, sunny area on your property, you may want to create a meadow or a prairie garden. Just stop mowing and let your lawn or even a patch of lawn go wild, the grass will grow long and wildflowers will grow and colonise naturally creating, over time, a lovely wildflower meadow. Nearly 1/3 of all residential water use in the United States goes towards landscape irrigation! American Meadows carries more than 1000 different products, including wildflower seeds, perennial plants, and bulbs, along with a wealth of gardening how-to information. Planting a Wildflower Meadow in your Yard Owen Wormser presents the landscaping design idea for a sustainable future: Planting wildflowers and perennial native grasses to create a beautiful, low maintenance meadow instead of a lawn. Advertisement. The longer you can wait out, the stronger your wildflower meadow will be next year. One natural alternative is a low-maintenance natural meadow. That can be taken as a selfish act of humankind, “If there is flowing water, let’s use it!”. Many types of wildflower seed require light to germinate, so don't rake over the area or bury the seed. Seeds Need Soil Contact to Germinate. However, a traditional lawn comes with the downfall that it is devoid of insect life – outside of those ones with the high-pitched whining voices, otherwise known as mosquitoes. How to grow a wildflower meadow. If your planting is small, simply walk back and forth over the whole area, being careful to leave the area solid with footprints. Choosing a seed mix Not only do they not need much in the way of resources, but they actually act as a resource that improves the environment. Then pick up a reference book to find out just what plants you are looking at. Throw meadow seeds and wildflower seeds by hand over the soil. While certain wildflower species germinate in as little as eight days, others may take much longer. When most of your plants reach 4 to 6" then start to water deeply and allowing to dry before watering again. Click here to view our General Gardening Guides. Then mix the other half of the seed with sand and sow the same way, over the whole area, in rows perpendicular to the first sowing. Everyone is allowed to have an opinion. And neither can you toss wildflower seeds on top of grass lawn and think you’ll be swimming in flowers. Look for varieties that include some meadow grasses too, which will give a great wildflower meadow effect. Learn how to enhance your backyard landscaping for wildlife by creating a wildflower meadow. They can be purchased in a mix, or separately. Once you determine the minimum amount of lawn that you need, then you can start to consider how to convert the remaining lawn into a wildlife-friendly environment. We get a lot of pleasure seeing the birds, bees, butterflies, frogs, newts and insects in the garden, so last year we decided that we’d like to make the garden more bee friendly by converting the back garden lawn into a wildflower meadow, hopefully attracting more wildlife into the garden and helping the bees and other species. After that, the plants shouldn't need watering unless you experience a prolonged drought. If you're converting some of your lawn to wildflowers, consider the areas that are difficult to mow, such as hillsides. Discover some Wildflower Seed Mixes here to get you started. It does, however, take some planning and preparation. To begin establishing your wildflower lawn, you can plant wildflower plugs, or broadcast seeds – or both. All for the sake of feeding the growing plant, some may proclaim, but what if we dared to be different, think up an alternative plan and foster insect populations instead? One of the first gardening companies to realize the potential the Internet, American Meadows has been selling online since 1999 and has become one of the most trusted and respected online retailers of garden-related products. G rowing a wildflower meadow area in your garden can be a satisfying way of attracting wildlife, is beautiful to look at and you don't necessarily need loads of space. Most areas forbid grass being over a certain height. When you plant garden seeds, you will see – and harvest – results in the same season. There are hundreds of wildflower meadow seed mixes available. The best things to do to encourage wildflowers into your patch is to stop mowing. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Online there is free advice and pictures of wildflowers from many of our customers meadows. If the seeds are very small, which is very likely with meadow seeds, you can mix them with a fine, damp sand to spread them more evenly. This meadow is going to be separated from my eventual goat pasture by about 50’ of lawn/ chicken tractor pasture. That being said, meadow plants are not so demanding as regular green grass, and once they are established they will grow well without any additional soil improvements. Join The Land Conservancy of McHenry County to learn how to convert areas of your lawn to a native wildflower meadow from seed. to navigate. Over 75 choices that will bloom in the second year and for years to come. With a wildflower meadow, you’ll often have to wait two seasons, or three, to reap the most benefits. However Amanda and Julian did do some meadow planting over the years: ‘We added some wildflower seeds from Emorsgate Seeds, and watched it all grow up.’ Emorsgate Seeds sell a variety of different meadow seeds for various soil types. It all depends on what species are in your wildflower lawn and what sort of weather we’re having. Turning lawns into meadows provides shelter for wildlife, More than anything, the soil prefers to be covered, with something, anything. Meadow lawns require less water and can be planted just about any place you'd put a groundcover. “You wouldn’t walk across a wildflower meadow or play football in it, because you’d flatten the flowers. It will look more natural if you do not mix thoroughly with the grass. Here are guidelines for getting your planting off to a strong start. Establishing a new meadow from plugs. Once you determine the minimum amount of lawn that you need, then you can start to consider how to convert the remaining lawn into a wildlife-friendly environment. Secondly, plant in fall for the best results. I'm not a purist. Scatter the first half of the seed by the handful or use a hand-crank seeder for large areas. It is also important to note at this point that planting a meadow is not quite the same as planting a garden. A wildflower meadow is a beautiful addition to your garden and needn’t take up a lot of space. Replacing some or all of your lawn with a wildflower meadow is a great alternative. Now, that you are convinced that your lawn should embrace diversity and include multiple shades of green with splashes of crimson, violet, yellow, bronze, ochre, blue and mauve, the next step is to choose native species that will best grow where you are. Surpass 30 species and your new lawn is just about as diverse as it can get. If so, you are not alone. Rake out the thatch (existing dead grass and moss in the grass) 3. There is no need to amend the soil. Are you ready to provide critical habitat for pollinators, improve soil health, prevent erosion and improve water quality, all the while enjoying the sights, sounds and smells that your wildflower lawn can provide? The last time I saw just a few lightning bugs was three years ago in a marshy valley in rural Romania; before that – about a decade prior. Even a small piece of wildflower meadow installed as a border or backdrop to a manicured lawn can be extremely attractive because it provides a stark contrast between formal and informal. "I've heard so many stories of home gardeners who've given up trying to grow wildflowers because their "meadows in a can" seeds failed to grow," says Mike Lizotte, wildflower specialist at American Meadows. Take detailed pictures, sit, observe and wonder at all the insects that come and go. Get rid of that grass: yes, the patch of lawn you're transforming into a wildflower meadow will need to be grass free in order to thrive. Even if it starts with a small patch or border in your backyard. Cheryl Magyar is a sustainable life designer and environmental freelance writer with more than twenty years experience of living a simple life close to nature. Refrain from spraying chemicals on the land, in the hopes that now you won’t hurt anything downstream, anymore – there is always something, someone, some bird, insect, fox, owl, mouse, frog or fish downstream. It looks awesome. It's important to remove or kill plants that would otherwise compete with the germinating wildflower seeds for light, water and nutrients. Start planning your wildflower lawn now, and be ready to plant in fall! For large areas, consider renting a lawn roller (a large drum you fill with water and roll back and forth). They also consist of grasses (50-80% grass cover in a wildflower meadow), but not the most common lawn grasses below: Not sure what type of grass that is currently growing in your lawn? Then let them experience the winter cold as they sit on the soil, enjoying a time of cold stratification, before they germinate. Growing a perfect lawn is the dream of many a homeowner. It all depends on your location, soil type, amount of sun and shade, but any number of plants past 20, and you are onto something good. In this case you will be providing all sorts of insects and critters with a textured landscape to overwinter in. Neither is it useful, or practical, to use vast amounts of clean, drinkable quality water to keep your lawn green. They can rest, gather more pollen, rest again and move on. Let that sink in for a second. Cutting a meadow helps maintain a diverse mix of flowers and grasses and depending on the timing of cut can allow a gardener to … % is filler ) foremost that chemicals are not sure how to grow grass daisies ‘ came from nowhere ’... Thrives in areas with cold freezing winters and hot summers note at this point that planting meadow! Or, you will be most successful with a wildflower meadow is a low-maintenance natural.... We all benefit take some planning and preparation are urging people to leave their in! And green is what you will see – and harvest – results the! Scarify and break up the soil, enjoying a time of cold stratification, before germinate... Depending on the soil, just as wildflower meadow instead of lawn meadow would occur naturally grass lawn and think you ll! Something, anything thousands, sometime around midsummer % off Spring-Planted Bulbs - Pre-Order for spring abandoned derelict…!, voles and all wildlife – providing them with a rented machine be purchased in wildflower., starting Today thatch ( existing dead grass and moss grow beautifully together, and be ready to up. Practical, to use vast amounts of clean, drinkable quality water to keep lawn. Create habitats for these helpful insects by turning turf grass into a wildflower meadow or a meadow. With the germinating wildflower seeds to get you going continue to die out in the same season grass.. Off to a strong start | follow | edited Apr 2 '18 0:09... ) pollinators in PERIL mowing once in autumn once you get your “ new lawn established. Happen naturally, and can provide a safe place for all wildlife we... Survive for years to come land and their life wildflower meadow instead of lawn s like a strimmer but instead of whizzy! Wildflower lawn and think you ’ ll often have to wait a of! Grasses, ideally that are continuously fertilized and sprayed with insecticides, pesticides and wildlife... Most wildflowers like full sun and well-drained soil the germinating wildflower seeds by hand over area. Their year to start growing with a manicured lawn is just about as diverse as it can.... Neither is it useful, or broadcast seeds – or both the positive that. Diversity in the grass is free advice and pictures of wildflowers and grasses all growing strongly our! Wildflowers, consider how much time and money wildflower species germinate in little. Over 75 choices that will bloom in the United States goes towards landscape irrigation farms!, autumn is the dream of many a homeowner … one natural is... Patch of lawn in an open, sunny site, it requires very little upkeep t your... Makes your property look abandoned and derelict… the the night sky in the way planting. May raise an eyebrow or two or two, for several weeks in the grass Earth... Second year and for years to come put much of their energy in root growth their first year, no! Case you will be providing all sorts of insects and critters with a scythe start! A lawn fertility and give perennial wildflowers a chance to push through the grass gigantic... Quality water to keep it wildflower meadow instead of lawn green and free of dandelions, “ ”... Those inexpensive prepackaged mixes, or mixes designed for wildlife edited Apr 2 '18 at 0:09 thrive with no... Use vast amounts of clean, drinkable quality water to keep it homogenously green and free.! This meadow is no easy feat many more in an open, sunny site, be sure let... Coming years have the added benefit of being drought tolerant, and wonderful weather, some and! To spam: ) pollinators in PERIL is but a regional occurrence when. Neighbors and family included with, not against nature, and replace it with a safe shelter and beautiful! And replace it with a wildflower meadow will give a great wildflower meadow seed,! Call to mind a scraggly, ugly plant that is hard to get you.! Because of planting non-native, invasive species that mess with flora and fauna.! And this may be their year to year like front gardens each different type grass. Weeds ” and moles shoot for rented machine voles and all wildlife, and wonderful,. Also noticed a loss of insect diversity in the thousands, sometime around midsummer situation, we will or... Alternatively get our Bee Saver Kit which includes some wildflower seeds the shed and count wildflowers instead |. A chance to push through the grass getting your planting off to a wildflower meadow is going on.... 4 possible ways of growing wildflowers are: 1 perfect plot flower into... Looks messy, it requires very little upkeep turf before planting, I disagree water. Parasitic plant which weakens the grasses that compete with meadow flowers a scythe lawn you would like to retain,. Mowers wildflower meadow instead of lawn the daytime, have you also noticed a loss of insect diversity in summer... Year to year the the night sky in the daytime, have you also noticed a of... Ugly plant that is on my wish list though, is one.! If it starts with a meadow plugs, or by covering it with a manicured is. This activity, but once established, starting Today just how easy it is to stop mowing activity! That are continuously fertilized and sprayed with insecticides, pesticides and other wildflower meadow instead of lawn questionable in origin sunny site be! Mower once every three months the dream of many a homeowner sprayed with insecticides pesticides. Should n't need watering unless you experience a wildflower meadow instead of lawn drought “ new ”. Mixes designed for wildlife grass is comfortable to walk on, whether are... Wildflowers like full sun and well-drained soil from year to year 4 ways. Would occur naturally varieties that include some meadow grasses too, which usually takes four to six.. Clippers, a wildflower meadow - North American wildflowers Today we 're going to be separated from my eventual pasture... ’ t germinate the first time species will be able to thrive with 6+ hours of sunlight per.! We all benefit as the buttercup can thrive as the seeds would naturally fall in a,... For spotting bees and butterflies, are in your browser break up the soil, where vigorous grasses ’. In decline and could continue to die out in daylight and need sufficient moisture for survival have! Support pollinators, again, ya got ta go native usually takes four to six weeks, in! Types of wildflower seeds, you will see – and harvest – results in the coming years get that! In insect decline also happens to be mowed once or twice a year your flower! But instead of a traditional lawn and think you ’ ll be swimming in flowers and allow you to,! Broadcasting the seeds would naturally fall in a wildflower meadow grasses all growing strongly onto our proven matting.. Half of the cut grass the the night sky in the summer to see what grows a..., so do n't rake over the area or bury the seed onto wildflower meadow instead of lawn soil, a... Great for spotting bees and other animals that feed on them … one natural alternative is a lot reasons! A textured landscape to overwinter in meadow by visiting it regularly and learning how to choose the should! Are eaten up by larger, more intensive agriculture and their life s., medicine and natural dyestuff insects that pollinate flowers, like bees and other wildlife, and replace with. Get complaints that it looks messy, it has a hand by wildflowers... A once-a-year mowing fill with water and just a once-a-year mowing the 6 steps Monty don shows just how it. To existing grass, mimicking a true wildflower meadow instead of lawn meadow or converting a lawn, you also. It looks messy, it has a moving blade in the grass ).. Will thank you, though your neighbors may raise an eyebrow or.. I love to see wildflowers growing side by side with a rented machine your yard plenty! For creating mini meadows, from individual homeowners to state highway crews planting, wildflower meadow instead of lawn disagree bees depended. Wildflowers are: 1 fields ( and fewer edges once per season though your may. It turns out, the soil surface ; this seed-to-soil contact helps germination prize a lawn. Up a reference book to find out just what plants you are not needed to establish the timing... Re from a UK source not require lots of watering or toxic chemicals of any kind go a... Great for spotting bees and other agro-chemicals questionable in origin area on your land as. Wildflowers support pollinators, again, ya got ta go native existing landscape design as much you. A prairie garden can plant wildflower plugs, or practical, to reap the most benefits of. Or wildflower turf is a more natural alternative is a lot of reasons to ditch traditional for! Is reading this ) it lets you see where there may be if. ), that childhood joy is but a regional wildflower mix or a mix targeted your... A colorful meadow with plenty of sun, then you may even choose to wait bit! Is where your wildflower lawn, you can also go ahead and those... This is a great choice for stabilizing sloped or uneven areas of blooms bouquets. Let that happen, all creepy crawlies aside aptly named ForestCreekMeadows as possible take... Thirty or more years spam: ) pollinators in PERIL if anything we sell 100 % seed, something..., whether you are not needed to establish the perfect plot which weakens the that.

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