Complete novice

[Thinkbiglittleone]

Could someone advise the best "wild flowers" and when to plant them. We are making a section of the garden into a fairy, animal wild garden area. With bird feeder, bug hotel etc and just wondered best plants, flowers are best for wildlife etc.

Tell us about what's there already - lawn (and if so, is it one you've put lots of fertiliser on?)/flowerbed etc; how much sun does it get and what plants do you have there currently? Any idea what soil type you have (eg sandy, heavy clay etc)?

For example, if it's a sunny spot on poor, thin soil over chalk then you have a huge range of options. If it's a damp shady spot on heavy clay then you need to think differently. Trying to establish wildflowers on a fertiliser-rich lawn is an exercise in frustration. So tell us a bit more about where you intend to plant them and we can make suggestions for appropriate species, how to establish them and how to keep them going past the first year.

I agree with @twobluechickens that your soil, fertiliser level and aspect are important.

For now, you could plant some native bulbs to make a start. Supermarkets and garden centres have snowdrops, narcissi, friterillies, native bluebells you could consider. Also pale yellow primroses.

Bulbs are a great idea. Also you might want to think about shrubs/trees that have good nectar but also berries in autumn.

I try to have a succession of flowers and fruit so there's something for insects all year round. At the moment my Pulmonaria are just coming into leaf - these are a favourite of hairy-footed flower bees which will zigzag among the flowers early in the year.

I’m exactly the same! Joel Ashton ‘Wild Your Garden’ has lots of good advice. Very similar to previous posters. There are you tubes and a book. The shop on the website sells various seed mixes and plants. Also you can search for bee and bird friendly plants on the RHS https://www.rhs.org.uk/ website shop. I used this last year for an area of pots at the front. I also used Shire Plants https://shireplants.co.uk/wild-native-flowers/ Both sites give advice on what conditions the plants like and how to care for them. The area of pots worked well although my planting was very random and wouldn’t win any prizes. Good luck.

@invisibleoldwoman I like the random approach too - they just get shoved in where there’s space!

Here is another site I used. Very helpful. Bee Happy Plants https://beehappyplants.co.uk/