Create a wildflower meadow

Where to grow

If you have a patch of lawn in an open, sunny site, it could be transformed into a wildflower meadow. Apart from providing cover and food for wildlife, it requires far less maintenance than a traditional lawn and can be planted with a wide range of wildflowers to provide interest from spring to the end of summer.

What to do

Lawn preparation

• Lawns that are naturally low in fertility are ideal, but if yours isn't, there are several things you can do to bring the nutrient levels down and prevent vigorous grasses from taking over. Stop using fertilisers and weed killers, and mow the lawn regularly, keeping the grass very short.
• Remove all clippings to prevent nutrients being returned to the soil. You may need to keep this up for two years until it's ready to be planted with wildflowers.

How to plant

• The wildflowers you use largely depend on your soil conditions, personal preference, and if you have a colour scheme in mind. Wildflowers will establish best if planted in the autumn as small plug plants.
• For a natural look, arrange these in groups across the lawn and take out a core of soil using a trowel.
• Make holes about 15cm (6in) deep and 5cm (1.9in) in diameter.
• Drop a handful of compost into the bottom of the hole to help plugs establish quickly.
• Water and spread leaf mould around each plug to help it grow without competition.

Aftercare

• Cut the grass at the end of summer after most of the wildflowers have had a chance to set seed.
• If you only have a small meadow, use a strimmer (wearing protective clothing, such as goggles, ear protectors, stout boots and gloves) or a scythe.
• Larger areas can be cut with a power scythe, aiming to leave grass no taller than about 1cm (1/3 in).
• Cut again in spring.
• After removing grass, rake up all debris to prevent nutrients from being returned to the soil.

How to cheat

• If you have a bare area of soil, try laying wildflower turf. This is naturally low in nutrients and supplied in rolls so it can be laid like a normal lawn. It contains 50 per cent grasses and 50 per cent native wildflowers, including ox-eye daisy, bugle, yarrow, yellow rattle and birds-foot trefoil, available from a number of specialist suppliers.

Watch video

Five to try

• Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) - white daisy flowers
• Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) - spikes of reddish flowers and crimson leaves in summer
• Cowslip (Primula veris) - yellow flowers on long stalks
• Ragged robin (Lychnis flos cuculi) - delicate pink flowers
• Red Campion (Silene dioica) - large pink or red flowers