Our Advice Section & Customers Meadow Pictures

Meadow Flowers are commonly thought of as Wild flowers. There are though, a number of groups that wild flowers can fall into. It is important if you are trying to create a natural meadow that you understand what flowers are appropriate.

Cornfield Annuals.

Cornfield Annuals in 2017

These include species such as Poppy, Cornflower, Corn Marigold etc. They are short lived and generally very colourful. Historically they appeared in arable fields, when the farmer ploughed the field each year it brought new seeds up to the top. With the advent of agrochemicals, they have all but disappeared in arable fields.

They are often included with meadow flower mixes to add some colour in the first year.

Woodlands and Water Edges

Yellow Flag Iris

There are specific wild flowers that you would expect generally to see just in certain habitats. So, in woodlands you would find species such as Hedge Bedstraw, Wild Foxglove and Bluebells. By the edge of water, you may find species such as Yellow Flag Iris, Purple Loosestrife and Teasel.

Some of species of wild flowers may sometimes appear in meadows but they are most likely found by water or in shaded areas.

Meadow Flowers.

Most of us when we walk down by seaside, down country lanes of across old meadow areas

Meadow Flowers

will, if we look, notice different wildflower in amongst the grass. The grass is an important part of this equation It provides the normal back drop for the wild flowers.

There are hundreds of different wild flowers that can be found growing wild in the UK. But some of the more common ones are Birdsfoot Trefoil, Cowslip, Campions, Plantain, Ox eye daisy , Wild carrot etc.

Many people now would like to introduce Meadow Flowers into their garden. They work best on poorer soils. This is not that they will not grow on better soil, more that on good soils the species you do not want use the fertility better. On poorer soil it is more of a level playing field. Once they are established if properly managed they can be left to grow out over the summer and then cut down in early autumn. This reduces considerably the management time. The flowers are attractive and beneficial to butterflies and Bees etc, and bring more of them to your garden over the summer.

If you wanted to introduce an area of Meadow Flowers into your garden, then follow these simple rules.

• Sow a mixture that is largely perennial flowers. You cut these down then they grow back each year.
• Sow them with some grass or into grass if it is poor and has been ideally thinned out.
• Sow in an area you are happy to grow wild (they are called wildflowers for a reason!)
• The meadow may take a couple of years to get going so be prepared to be patient.
• Once established leave to grow out over the summer and enjoy.

If you would like any more information on Meadow Flowers, then please contact Tim Evans on Freephone 0800 0854399 or by email shop@meadowmania.co.uk

Wild Flowers fall into three main categories Annuals, Biennials and Perennials; it is important to understand them if you want to make sure you get the best out of them.

Annuals

Cornfield annuals

These are species such as Field Poppy, Cornflower, Corn Marigold. They tend to be very colourful and quick to grow.

Annuals will only last one year they multiply by growing fast shedding seed and the seed then grows the following year. For them to grow again there must be some bare soil that the seed can germinate and grow in. Historically the main annual wild flowers appeared in Arable Fields each year after the farmer ploughed the field. This is why they are sometimes called cornfield annuals.

They are often sown with a perennial meadow mix to give some impact in the first year. It is important to understand that with this approach Annuals are unlikely to appear from the second year as the meadow will smother them out.

Biennials

Teasel Biennials

These are Wild Flower species such as Wild Carrot. Wild Foxglove, Teasel, and Dark Mullein.

A biennial plant takes two years to complete it's life cycle. It will germinate and grow, survive through one winter, and in the second year it will grow more, bloom, and then may die.

You may not see them in the first year then it can look like there is a mass of them in the second year then they may die out. If you want to see the species, such as Teasel, every year then sow seed for two consecutive years. The species may self seed and you will then see them every year.

Perennials

Meadow Buttercup Perennials

This is the widest range of wild flower species. They include such things as Buttercups, Daisies, Campion, Scabious and many more.

Perennial wild flowers take longer to establish, you may not see them in flower until the second year. But once they are established they come back year after year. Generally they are not as colourful or as striking as the annuals. Their natural habitat is amongst grass and perennial wild flowers work best when you have a range of them with grass as the back drop.

The aim is to have different ones in flower in different months. Normally you would cut the meadow down towards the end of the summer. End of August/early September. Then the grass and perennial wild flowers grow back.

If you are unsure about this then please feel free to contact Tim Evans for more advice by email at shop@meadowmania.co.uk or by Freephone 0800 0854399

Red Flanders Poppy

Every year the Flanders Poppy comes back into the news as we remember those who have lost their lives.  Many people want to plant them to create some sort of memorial over the summer.

Flanders Poppy Latin name is Papaver Rhoeas. This is commonly called the Field Poppy sometimes the Corn or Red Poppy.

This sort of poppy is an annual. This is important in that in the right conditions they grow quickly, will flower in the summer but generally will only last one year. The ground has to be cultivated and tragically they appeared on ground that had been churned up by War. Then the following summer Red Flanders Poppies appeared as if a memorial of the battles. This was the case in the 1st world ward which is where the name Flanders Poppy came from

Historically they also appeared in arable fields when a farmer ploughed a field. With the dominance of Agrochemical control they have nearly disappeared.

Poppies ideally need a cold spell  to trigger germination. They do best if sown in the autumn. They can be sown in the spring but do better if sown in early spring,

Poppy seed is exceptionally small and fine. There are about 8,000 seeds per gram.

Before planting, the ground needs clearing and preparing. It helps to bulk the seed up with a medium such as sand. Spread at about 1 to 2 grams per sq metre.

Walk all over it or roll afterwards. The seed wants to be very slightly pushed into the ground rather than buried too deep.

If it successfully established then Poppies should flower between June and August.

If you want to try and get them to reseed the second year. Wait until the seeds have shed. Cut the area down and leave on the ground for a few days, then rake the ground hard and roll afterwards.

Flanders Poppy Seeds