Our home wildflower meadow in May
With spring in full flow, our home wildflower meadow is getting going. In fact, I think this is its best year yet!
That makes sense, because the longer you care for a wildflower meadow, the more new wildflowers will enter and properly establish.
Watch the video: and read on for more details
What's new in the wildflower meadow this year?
I’ve noticed two new species move into our home wildflower meadow. That feels great! It kind of reinforces the sense that we’re doing things right.
The first is Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor). I noticed the leaves of one plant early in the year, and it went on to flower beautifully.
The second is Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra). A very impressive, tall plant, flowering after the Field Scabious has finished flowering.
Oh, we also saw the return of one of my favourite plants, the Cowslip (Primula veris). I don’t know where it went for a year, but I came back in exactly the same spot.
A late cut didn't help the top of the meadow
Something slightly less positive, but a great learning experience, is this. Last year, I didn’t get around to cutting the meadow until late in autumn. Many people will say this is fine. It gives wildlife a place to live and really allows seeds to ripen before falling to the ground. But there’s a problem.
Late cutting favours the dominance of coarse grasses such as Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus). These can outcompete wildflowers.
The top half of our meadow suffered slightly from my laxness. A reduction in diversity was obvious in this more nutritious part of the meadow. Not to worry, I’d planned on doing a bit of restorative action in the top half of the meadow later this year anyway.
Do you have a wildflower meadow or wildflower patch?
If so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. How is it doing this year? Have you noticed a change since last year?
Please let me know the details. I love this stuff!
Happy growing.
Joe
Joe Vary Dip. Hort (Wisley), MCIHort, CMTGG
Gardener, educator, consultant, and planting designer. Learn with me 1-2-1, or in the My Gardening Mentor community.