Topic: Wild/mixed flowers

[Mrs Ava]

I have inherited 3 packs of mixed flowers and wild flower seeds.  Not really practical in my garden so thought I might sow them under my 2 apple trees as I figure this ground will be too shady for crops.  Good or bad idea?  I guess I have nothing to loose as the seeds cost me nothing, and even if only half of them grow, I will have some pretty flowers for cutting and encouraging bees onto the plot.

[Colin_Bellamy-Wood]

Hi Emma Jane - I say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.   Last year, I allowed the grass under my (one) apple tree to grow long, and any wild flowers to grow naturally, and there were a few.   I found some nasutium seeds, and scattered those too, and a few grew.    I was also hoping that any nasturtums would attract the "woolly aphid moth" away from the apple tree.  

I had a chair under the tree, and it was lovely to sit there when t got too hot, and Annie found the long grass a welcome place to stretch out and keep cool.

Let us know (in due course) how you got on.   I allow stinging nettles to grow along the back fence for the butterflies - do you do something similar?

[Mrs Ava]

I am going to give it a go Colin, as you said, nothing ventured....and the seeds were free so even more reason to bung 'em in.

As for nettles, I would love to leave them, but my kids find stinging nettles magnetic and find even the tiniest growths, get stung, and then spend the rest of the visit wailing!  Tough choice, but I'm afraid I would rather watch the butterflies doing their thing on other overgrown patches and have happy kids, then listen to them crying and watching them get sore.