Wildflower Circle

Wildflower area

We prepared this area in the summer of 2022 by removing the top layer of turf. This reduces competition from more vigorously growing grasses like cocksfoot. It also helps to reduce the fertility of the soil, which many wildflowers favour.

In the autumn of 2022 we raked the area to produce a medium tilth and sowed wildflower seeds. Seeds grown this time of year tend to flower earlier in the spring, using the winter frost to kick-start their germination. This helps to aid pollinators as they come out of hibernation, by providing more nectar sources.

We used a wildflower and grass seed mix suited to heavier soils, from Emorsgate Seeds.
The complete mix was composed of 20% native wildflowers and 80% slow growing grasses.

Flowers:
Yarrow
Agrimony
Betony
Common Knapweed
Lady’s Bedstraw
Meadow Crane’s-bill
Meadow Vetchling
Rough Hawkbit
Oxeye Daisy
Bird’s-foot Trefoil
Musk Mallow
Black Medick
Ribwort Plantain
Cowslip
Selfheal
Meadow Buttercup
Great Burnet
Pepper-saxifrage
Ragged Robin
Tufted Vetch

Grasses:
Common Bent
Sweet Vernal-grass
Quaking Grass
Crested Dogstail
Red Fescue
Meadow Foxtail
Meadow Fescue

We do not cut this not cut this area from spring through to late July/August to give the sown species an opportunity to flower. After flowering in July or August we take a ‘hay cut’, where we cut back with a scythe, petrol strimmer or mower to ~50mm. We then leave the ‘hay’ to dry and shed seed for 1-7 days then remove the arisings.