yours isn't, there are several things you can do to bring the nutrient levels down and prevent vigorous grasses from taking over. Stop using fertilisers and weed killers, and mow the lawn regularly, keeping the grass very short. Remove all clippings to prevent nutrients being returned to the soil. You may need to keep this up for two years until it's ready to be planted with wildflowers.
Preparing the ground For small areas, remove weeds by hand or cover with black plastic or a weed-suppressing membrane for at least three months prior to sowing. For larger areas and where vigorous perennial weeds, such as nettles, docks and dandelions, are present in large numbers, non-chemical control methods may not be effective. In these situations instead spray off existing vegetation (unless it is already species-rich) using nonresidual systemic glyphosate-containing weedkillers Dig or rotovate the soil, then firm and rake to make a seedbed as for a new lawn Don't incorporate manure or fertiliser as high fertility encourages excessive vigour in grasses that then crowd out the wildflowers Allow four to six weeks for the soil to settle and for any weed seeds to germinate. Spray or hoe these off before sowing On very fertile soils it may be an advantage to remove the top soil but, for anything other than the smallest area, this requires machinery.
Sowing Even large areas can be sown by hand quite easily Rates will vary between individual mixes but, as a rough guide, pure wildflower seed should be sown at one gramme per square metre )and wildflower and grass seed mixes at 5grammes per square metre per sq m These tiny amounts can be difficult to broadcast evenly so mix the seed with silver sand to make it easier to handle To further ensure that the seed is scattered evenly, sow half lengthways and the remaining half widthways. Rake in lightly, water thoroughly and leave them to grow naturally. However, be prepared to protect the seed with netting if birds prove to be a problem
How to plant
How t o cheat
If you have a bare area of soil, try la ying wildflower turf. This is natura lly low in nutrient s and supplied in rolls so it can be laid like a normal lawn. It contains 50 per ce nt grasses and 50 per cent native wildflowers, includ ing ox-eye daisy, bu gle, yarrow, yellow rattle and birds-foot trefoil, available from a number of specia list suppliers.
Cut again in spring. After removing the grass, rake up all debris to prevent nutrients from being returned to the soil.
What to plant Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) - white daisy flowers Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) - spikes of reddish flowers and crimson leaves in summer Cowslip (Primula veris) - yellow flowers on long stalks Ragged robin (Lychnis flos cuculi) - delicate pink flowers Red Campion (Silene dioica) - large pink or red flowers
Converting a lawn to a meadow
Lawns can be converted into wildflower meadows, but it can take a number of years for the balance between grass and wildflowers to be established. • Stop feeding and weedkilling the turf • In the first year, continue mowing weekly to weaken the grass • Some wild species will establish and thrive • Raise others from seed, introducing them as one- to twoyear-old pot-grown plants planted into holes in the turf Many wildflower suppliers offer plug plants that are ideal for planting into an established lawn. For a natural look, plant in small groups of the same plant
The wildflowers you use largely depend on your soil conditions, personal preference, and if you have a colour scheme in mind. Wildflowers will establish best if planted in the autumn as small plug plants. For a natural look, arrange these in groups across the lawn and take out a core of soil using a trowel. Drop a handful of compost into the bottom of the hole to help plugs establish quickly. Water and spread leaf mould around each plug to help it grow without competition.
Aftercare Cut the grass at the end of summer after most of the wildflowers have had a chance to set seed. If you only have a small meadow, use a strimmer or a scythe. Larger areas can be cut with a mower, aiming to leave grass no taller than about one centimetre. www.countrygardener.co.uk
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