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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To plant up my lawn like a wild meadow...

28 replies

NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 05/08/2013 09:08

I'd like to plant up my front lawn with wild flowers this Autumn...I've read up on how to grow wildflowers to help bees and butterflies and you apparently plant plugs in the Autumn (that's tiny plants) and they grow on in Spring and Summer....

like this sort of thing

What would the neighbours think though as this is a modern cul de sac where everyone mows their lawn and just has a few shrubs or hanging baskets out.

It will ruin the look of the cul de sac (which isn't to my taste anyway) would people look at it and thing Hmm ?

Nearby me on another street there is a Georgian house with a tiny little front garden all planted with wildflowers and it's gorgeous...poppies, big tall daisies, cornflowers...just stunning...would it work for me though?

OP posts:
queenebay · 05/08/2013 09:10

Yea just do it! Drives me mad that my neighbours cut their grass every week. Mine is wild but lots of bees come and visit.

OutInAllWeathers · 05/08/2013 09:10

Personally I think that looks beautiful and it would make me smile if I walked by.

Original poster
NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 05/08/2013 09:11

Ooh good! I don't want to seem like I'm trying to be "different" but I do want to make a lovely sight...

OP posts:
CruCru · 05/08/2013 09:13

Sounds nice. Have you thought about putting some camomile in? Nice to walk on.

FruOla · 05/08/2013 09:15

Oh, please do it. I've always thought they look gorgeous. Anyway, it wouldn't look like an untended lawn.

I watched a fascinating TV programme about Highgrove some time ago and apparently Prince Charles has a couple of wild flower meadows.

Crumbledwalnuts · 05/08/2013 09:21

Good luck with that. It's a wonderful idea but weeds take hold very quickly, and it's not good in the winter. It's very hard to tell what's a weed and what isn't, apart from dandelions, until the plants are quite well on, and weeding a meadow garden is difficult.

froubylou · 05/08/2013 09:23

Do it. We have a big back garden and I just chucked a load of meadow seeds on the bottom 1/4 of it this year. Found out I was pg in April and DP not a gardner so wanted to keep things low maintenance.

It looks fantastic and has loads of wildlife in it. Some days it looks like it's all moving.

moogy1a · 05/08/2013 09:23

I planted up borders with wildflowers a few years ago. Each spring I'm making the borders bigger and bigger. It looks fantastic. and really easy. Just throw seed on bare earth each spring and that's it!
I found getting annuals gave the best results rather than perennials. Also means you can chose different seeds each year. Eg. this year I've got a mix but then bought extra cornflowers and poppies seed.
Honestly, you'll be amazed how gorgeous it is ( and I really am no gardener)
My neighbours are now copying me Grin
Let m eknow if you want the name of a good online supplier.
Oh, and I pay about £25 a year for shed loads of seed. I go a bit overboard but that's the only expense in the year on the garden.

moogy1a · 05/08/2013 09:24

crumbled that's why I use annuals. Just strim it down in Autumn then next spring rake it all over to get rid of weeds and off you go again!

thebody · 05/08/2013 09:27

sounds lovely but will need lots of tending to keep weeds out. go for it.

NaturalBaby · 05/08/2013 09:28

Do it! I'm eyeing up my garden and trying to work out which are to turn into a wild meadow.

FrogsGoWhat · 05/08/2013 09:28

That looks lovely - but my mother tried to do this with her bottom lawn and to be honest the wildflowers haven't really taken off, so it is just thigh high grass mainly and does look a real mess. Not that it bothers me or my mother - but it drives her neighbours wild!

MrsCosmopilite · 05/08/2013 09:29

Do it!

We planted our back garden up as a meadow a couple of years ago. It does now need a good cut back and some of the more dominant plants removing but it has been a haven for wildlife.
We have a vast selection of beetles, hoverflies, bugs and so on. Although we get slugs and snails, because we don't have any "show" plants, their presence is not a problem. Bees have been plentiful this year too, and we've got a small frog and hedgehog colony!

moogy1a · 05/08/2013 09:30

the body as long as you start off with bare earth and put lots of seed down, weeds aren't a problem, honestly. The wildflowers win the war against dandelions etc. ( which I know are wildflowers, but you kwim).
Must admit, looks a little sparse during winter; think bare earth. We're usually covered in snow though so you can't see it!)

ArtisanLentilWeaver · 05/08/2013 09:30

moogy1a - where do you get your seed? Do you bring plug plants on or send off for them?

LazyFaire · 05/08/2013 09:33

Not the least bit unreasonable.

It will look and smell lovely

It will require a lot less work than a lawn

It will provide much needed habitat for bees, insects and birds.

Good luck eyeballing your judgey neighbours though (if they turn out to be judgey, you might start a trend you never know?!)

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 05/08/2013 09:33

Bugger the neighbours. It'll look gorgeous and think of all the bees and butterflies you'll be attracting.

NaturalBaby · 05/08/2013 09:35

moogy1a yes please to more details of your seed!

Plonkysaurus · 05/08/2013 09:37

I really don't understand why your neighbours are entitled to an opinion. It's your garden, and wild flowers are lovely. Much nicer to see something completely natural than a garden pruned to within an inch of its life and devoid of wildlife. Go for it!

Original poster
NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 05/08/2013 09:42

Crucru I was just looking at Chamomile! Gorgeous. Pinky it's my front lawn and the whole cul de sac is open plan with no fences....so there's a "look" which I will spoil, but I am also now thinking of doing the back!

OP posts:
moogy1a · 05/08/2013 09:45

I buy the cornfield annual mix from here:

www.meadowmania.co.uk/ ( seeds)

Then buy separate seeds of poppies/ cornflowers etc. from somewhere else that I can't remember. Just mix the seeds up and throw them on bare earth. Walk on them to slightly press them into the ground then wait for loveliness

moogy1a · 05/08/2013 09:46

Although in the back garden we put down bronze American seed mix and it's also fab.

moogy1a · 05/08/2013 09:53

here we go for individual seeds
wildflowersuk.com/seeds.asp?categoryID=2

FruOla · 13/08/2013 07:35

NeoMaxi, have you seen this article on the BBC News website today www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23669941. It's about scientists from 4 universities who have been planting wild flower meadows in four cities (Bristol, Reading, Leeds and Edinburgh) and apparently you can go and visit the meadows. There's a link, about halfway down the article (www.bristol.ac.uk/biology/research/ecological/community/pollinators/urbanmeadows/flowermeadows.html), saying where they all are.

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