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After,
hopefully, a productive but relatively leisurely time in the garden through
mid summer, we should now be in the mood for a new project. Late summer and
early autumn are good times for planning and embarking on changes in the
garden, as the weather cools and rain refreshes both plants and soil.
Thoughts of improvements are still in our minds and best acted upon whilst
the enthusiasm is with us! This is also a good time to sow seeds,
especially those of some of our native wildflowers, and to plant bulbs, so a
perfect project as the summer winds down is to create a flowery lawn.
A wildflower meadow is one of the most enchanting and exciting environments
that we can see in our countryside and of course it is also is a magnet for
wildlife, but creating and maintaining a garden meadow is a huge task
requiring time, resources and energy. Much easier then, for those of us
with smaller gardens or little time, to convert a grassy area into a flowery
lawn where smaller wildflowers can thrive and produce their nectar and
pollen, and beetles, bugs, butterflies and bees can forage for food and find
a potential breeding spot. Flowery lawns come in all shapes and sizes and
their enormous advantage is that they can, in general, be created in
existing grass, whatever the species. The key is to choose your plants well
and even a patch of rye grass can bloom! |
Starting with an older
lawn However, if your garden is blessed
with a lawn that has never seen a blade of cultivated rye grass, your
options are good and your task easier. Older houses, especially those built
before the 1970s, generally had lawns sown from a variety of grass species
including the narrow leaved fescues. These small non-invasive grasses made
a soft lawn area that did not necessarily wear well under children’s feet or
constant use, but allowed small wildflowers such as veronica, daisy and many
species of moss to thrive. If you suspect your lawn has this type of plant
structure, simply leaving it for a few weeks may yield some surprising
results. Species such as orchids and cowslips have been known to appear in
lawns that have been closely mown for years, or more common wildflowers
including selfheal, betony, buttercup, birdsfoot trefoil and lady’s bedstraw
may be thriving unnoticed in many an old lawn. If you suspect that some of
these wildflowers are present (even a few broad leaves amongst the fine
grassy ones should give you a clue) then do nothing now. Wait until early
spring and leave a small patch unmown from late March onwards and see what
appears. This approach in my own new garden has revealed buttercups,
daisies, two species of Veronica, oxeye daisies, clover, selfheal,
silverweed and common mouse ear. In places there are even self-sown
Polyanthus in a variety of colours - a good indication that cowslips and
primroses can be added in the next few weeks. Admittedly the ‘no-mow’
policy has revealed large numbers of dandelions, but the goldfinches and
even bullfinches have flocked to the garden for those, so I am more than
happy.
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Choosing your species
The next best scenario is that you have the
right grasses but no obvious flowers. Now is the time to prepare by finding
a good source of native wildflowers as small plug plants – the best means of
establishing wildflowers in a grassy area. It is important with any
wildflower establishment to take soil conditions into account. Use the
supplier’s information to choose the best species, such as birdsfoot trefoil
or wild carrot which need free drainage if you have a light soil, or select
ragged robin, buttercup or lady’s smock for clay. Some versatile species,
especially cowslip, will grow just about anywhere, as will selfheal or
yarrow. You may prefer to stick to shorter species that flower in late
spring and early summer – that way you can mow your flowery lawn for the mid
summer period after seeds have set and fallen. If your supplier’s
information is scant, use a wildflower book to check the kinds of conditions
your preferred flowers enjoy. Planting species inappropriate for the
conditions in your garden dooms them to failure and is a waste of money
Preparation and
Planting While you are waiting for your
plantlets to arrive, prepare the area where they are to go. The grass
should be cut well and all cuttings taken off, preferably for a few weeks
before planting. This will help to remove thatch and make space for your
plugs. Any flowery lawn will look better and be more accessible to
examination (and appreciation) if it is closely mown around the edges.
Crisp edges help to define it as a special habitat and also emphasise the
fact that it is deliberate, and not simply an area you have forgotten
about! When conditions are good (some rain at least and not ‘Indian Summer’
weather), plant your plugs in groups, using a narrow trowel or a bulb
planter. Water them into the autumn months if necessary, or until they show
signs of having established.
At this stage, bulbs too
can be added. The most obvious are snakeshead fritillary (damp soil only)
and wild daffodil. Ensure that your bulbs come from a cultivated source and
are not removed from the wild. If your flowery lawn is to be in light shade
(another condition to take into consideration when planning) then a few
bluebells may also be worth a try. |
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Rye
Grass Lawns
Those
of us with weedy, mossy grass in our gardens are indeed lucky where flowery
lawns are desired. If your house was built after the 1960s, or grass seed
and turf were sown in more recent times, there is every chance that you have
a rye grass lawn – wonderful for games of football or tough, evergreen
paths, but to my mind without character and lacking the diversity of species
that add to the garden’s ability to attract and sustain wildlife. But fear
not, because nature always has an answer, and indeed there are ways to add
colour and charm to the monotonal green rye grass lawn. Bulbs will thrive
in this type of grass, as will cowslips. If you are happy to have a later
dash of colour try knapweed, which can out compete the competitive rye.
Once flowering is over cut and rake the area well from mid summer through to
the end of the year, and you will have flowers for several months every
year. |
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Maintaining a Flowery Lawn
Keeping your lawn colourful and floriferous relies on the same principles
for maintaining a wildflower meadow. The area must be cut and the cuttings
removed, generally in late June. You can then continue to cut as short as
you like for the rest of the season, using your lawn for picnics, sunbathing
and any other task that a ‘normal’ lawn would perform. Indeed you have the
best of both worlds – a colourful family friendly area for the summer that
buzzes with insects through the spring. An ideal compromise for the
wildlife-friendly family garden!
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Suppliers of Wildflower Plugs – Wiggly Wigglers,
www.wigglywigglers.co.uk
Suppliers of Wildflower Bulbs – John Shipton,
www.bluebellbulbs.co.uk
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© Text and photographs Jenny Steel
2009 |
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