If you want to add some colour into your garden, wildflowers are a great option. They come in all shapes and sizes, attract a range of wildlife, and look beautiful throughout spring, summer and even autumn.
But when exactly is the best time to sow them?
Head gardener at Exbury Gardens, Thomas Clarke, tells us that between March and April is the best time to sow wildflowers in spring.
He explains that earlier sowing leads to earlier flowering, so you can plan the visual effect by adjusting your timing. “Staggering sowing by a few weeks is a useful approach, as it extends the flowering period,” says Clarke.
Experts from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) also recommend mid-spring.
Clarke identifies that there are two different types of wildflower mixes.
“Annual mixes provide flexibility, allowing you to refresh and vary the display each year. Perennial mixes establish longer-term meadows that persist for several years, although some species may become dominant over time.”
Factors such as soil type, moisture levels, and light exposure (full sun or shade) will all influence which seed mix performs best, so it’s worth considering which mixture best suits you.
Bring some colour into your garden this year with a mix of wildflowers.
(Anka100 via Getty Images)Popular types of wildflowers
Poppy – delicate, blood red blooms that attract bees and other pollinating insects
Corn Marigold – golden in colour and rich in pollen and nectar
Oxeye Daisy – gorgeous white and yellow flower heads
Primrose – dainty five-petalled yellow flower cups
Cornflowers – unique sky-blue flowers
Mallow – bright purple/pink flowers with a delicate musky scent
How to sow wildflowers
Ideally, to create a wildflower meadow, you need to start with bare ground, says Clarke. “Bare ground is soil that has been cleared of vegetation and normally dug over or rotovated so you can start from scratch.”
Next, you simply measure out the patch where you want to sow and scatter your seeds across.
Guidance from the RHS says: “The easiest way to get an even distribution is to mix the seeds with a small quantity of dry sand – you can then see where and how densely you’ve sown.”
Then, lightly press your seeds into the soil, gently water the area, and leave them to grow. It’s that simple.
What are the easiest wildflowers to grow?
“The easiest wildflowers to grow are annuals, which can be sown from seed and will flower in the same season,” Clarke says.
“Examples include mallow, cornflower, corn marigold and poppy. Although they only live for one year, they will usually set seed for the following season.”
How to care for wildflowers?
“Caring for wildflowers is easy,” says Clarke.
He explains that if you are growing your wildflowers within grass, you should allow the plants to set seed before cutting. Where possible, he recommends removing all cut vegetation after mowing in late summer, as this will give you a better result the following year.
If it is an annual bed, you can leave it until autumn, then cut it down and sow fresh seed in the spring.
Where to buy wildflower seeds
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