As any of you gardeners know, not all goes to plan. Rather optimistically, early this spring, after completing my pond I ordered various grass mixes to sow around the garden.
But, the best laid plans of mice and men… - for the first time in two years we had a dry spring. It wasn’t practical enough to try watering – I was needing all the water I could get from my water butts to fill my pond and keep my plant tubs watered. There was no way I would use the mains – it’s not sustainable.
Now I suppose if I’d cried hard enough about it, I’d have watered the seeds enough to make them grow. Instead, I just resigned myself to leaving things be and starting again this autumn which is usually the preferred time to sow a lawn anyway.
I checked the Floralocale website for some reputable suppliers to re-order my seeds. Its very important when creating a flower rich grassland to get seeds that have been harvested from genuine British stock. The Floralocale website explains a lot about the issues of native provenance.
Although I have only a medium sized garden, its one of those old long but very narrow Victorian types, I managed to create the opportunity for two different grasslands:
When I finished my pond, I did not cut the liner off. I saw an opportunity to use the topsoil from excavating the pond to cover the liner and make a damp grassland area. Wet grassland has an amazing mix of flowers in the spring and summer as you can see from the picture. I don’t think mine will look quite as spectacular as that and certainly not in as nice a setting, but…..
Living on what was originally heathland, probably about 200 or more years ago, you don’t have to go down far to hit sandy subsoil. The subsoil dug from the pond, was transported to cover an area at the end of the garden on which I will sow an acid grass mix.
The kind people at Emmorsgate Seeds were very understanding of my requirements – someone has to be! To further complicate matters, I also requested a small amount of mixed clovers and vetches to sow as a nectar rich path by my vegetable patch. ‘Oh and while I’m at it’……. (don’t you just love those customers!) I also asked for a woodland mix ready to sow as part of my mini copse and hedge plan, which will feature in other blogs during this winter.
The seeds have duly arrived and been sown. Now I just have to wait for the rain again to germinate them. As soon as they grow I’ll post a picture in my blog.
Looking forward to seeing the pics, John. Hope the seeds germinate ok this time- we (Warks) had the first frost last night!!!
I’d be interested in the progression your mini copse, I completed mine last winter and am unsure how much I want to under plant it. I have spring bulbs, primroses and ferns at the moment.
Hi Wildlife Friendly
Sounds a perfect ground-flora combination under your copse - perhaps you could let us have some photos next spring we can publish here? The only extra plant I personally wouldn't be without in my spring woodland garden are the Lungworts (Pulmonaria) which in my experience is the best ground-level spring bee plant.