Including a patch of native wildflowers in your garden is a great way to create an insect-friendly habitat, be it a few metres of ‘buzzing border’ or a larger ‘majestic meadow’. Native perennial seed mixes containing flowers and grasses can be bought from a number of suppliers (see below for a few suggestions) and sown in spring or autumn.

Many suppliers will even recommend mixtures based on your soil conditions to ensure maximum establishment success. Keeping weeds to a minimum by preparing the land well before sowing will also help your border or meadow establish, and including a flowering plant called ‘yellow rattle’ could help to keep the grass in check. 

In some cases it may be possible to sow without grasses, though be prepared to do some weeding if you decide to go down this route as grasses are often included in flower mixes to keep weeds at bay!

Mowing and removal of cuttings in late autumn/early spring will make sure your border or meadow flowers year after year, as well as providing some roughage for the compost bin!


Related