Topic: Meadow flowers in the lawn

[davholla]

I have a small lawn and would like to grow some wild flowers in it.

http://www.meadowmania.co.uk/default.cfm/loaddoc.47

What do people think about these flowers (as in link)
A good idea or a bad idea that I will regret ?

" 100%  Wild Flower Seed mixture for clay soils

This is our wild flower seed mix which is best suited to clay soils.

 

It is a mixture of 100% wildflowers . There are 17 different wild flowers in the mixture which will cope with heavier soils.

 

The application rate is 1.5 grams per square metre or yard.

 

The Poppies and Oxeye daisy may dominate in the first 2 years. Then the other species will come to the fore.

 

Best sown into existing grass not containing any perennial ryegrass.

 

The aim once established is to have different species of height , colour and appearance from May through to August.
   
 Wild flower species
   

 
   

%

Betony
   

Stacchys officinalis
   

5.0

Birdsfoot Trefoil
   

Lotus corniculatus
   

2.5

Corn Poppy
   

Papaver rhoeas
   

2.5

Cowslip
   

Primula veris
   

5.0

Lady's Bedstraw
   

Galium verum
   

10

Lesser Knapweed
   

Centaurea Nigra
   

5.0

Meadow Buttercup
   

Ranunculus acris
   

   15.0

Musk Mallow
   

Malva moschata
   

2.5

Ox-Eye-Daisy
   

Leucanthemum vulg
   

10.0

Ragged robin
   

Lychnis flos cuculi
   

2.5

Ribwort Plantain
   

Plantago Laneceol.
   

10.0

Self Heal
   

Prunella Vulgaris
   

7.5

Sorrel
   

Rumex acetosa
   

2.5

White campion
   

Silene alba
   

10.0

Wild Carrot
   

Daucus carota
   

2.5

Yarrow
   

Achillea Millefolium
   

2.5

Yellow Rattle
   

Rhinanthus Minor
   

5.0
Total
   

 
   

    100"

[calendula]

if the lawn really is a small one but you plan never to use it for anything else except maybe a small path to walk around it then planting it up as a meadow will be fine but if you want that lawn for anything else then I think you might regret it

[caroline7758]

I think it's often hard to get wildflowers to establish in a lawn from seed- you might be better sowing in plugs and planting out later, or buying as plugs.

[star]

You also need very poor impoverished soil for wild flowers or the grasses will just outcompete the fragile wild flora.

But you'll never know if you dont try.......and it could look stunning. Plugs are a very good idea too, it gets a good root ball so the plants you value have a better start.

Good luck ;)

[Eristic]

Have a nice lawn and a nice flowerbed.