Re: Wildflower area - help needed.

Hi Squirrel

Thanks for the offer but I dread to think what damage could be done if we were let loose with equipment like that !!!  I still shake from the time my OH had an electric hedgetrimmer and decided to trim anything in his path, we ended up with a bald garden if you can imagine such a thing! it took 2 years for it to get back to the rambling wild mess that it is!!!     ☺☺☺☺☺☺

Hi all
Lovely to see you all really taking to this - I hope Wildlife, with that fantastic raised bed, is not going to be the only one with an explosion in a paint factory next year and the rest of you are planning where to site your arable flower beds!

Wildlife - its good to see that things are already coming through the mown area and you have collected lady smock and primrose to grow on.

My farming colleague propogates their lady smock from leaf cuttings apparently. I shall have to find out the technique and post it for you all.

John Day

My farming colleague propogates their lady smock from leaf cuttings apparently. I shall have to find out the technique and post it for you all.

I’d be interested in how they do that. I’m a bit addicted to taking cuttings so it would be good to try plants I actually want.

My enthusiasm for my spring meadow has greatly improved now I have a bed where I can grow summer meadow flowers. I did say I would gradually fill it with soil over the winter but inpatients is my middle name and it’s now full. It was quite alarming how much soil it took.

Undeterred by the rain I’ve been down in the spring meadow weeding out the worst of the fast growing coarse grasses and docs, I’ve planted loads of snowdrops and fritillary.

Now the grass is mowed and light has got in seeds are germinating. A lot of them just have their seed leaves so it’s not possible tell what they are. There seems to be a good number of lady’s smock but they’re still a bit small for me to be completely sure.

Wildlife, thanks for your update. I can certainly feel your enthusiasm through your writing. Sounds like you have been working extremely hard.  

Good for you WF! Sounds great already & I can't wait to see the results next year!!

That's the way to do it! (In the voice of Mr Punch)

Well done! It seems as if it's coming on in leaps and bounds. Roll on flowering time!

MarJus

I can't wait to see the results next year!!

Be careful what you wish for, if it works I could get carried away and post more photos than are necessary. It could be on a par with looking at someone else’s holiday snaps.

Hi Wildlife
This is really encouraging lets hope by you opening the sward it has give the seeds a chance to breath and you get your Lady smock back next spring. I don't care how many pictures you post of the grass meadow and your arable flower plot - as I've already said - I want to see these pages looking like an explsion in a paint factory!

John D, I've got lots of self seeded arable flowers well up (some assisted by me....cornflowers, corn marigolds,flax,chamomile etc) will they survive the winter or be cut off by frost and then grow up again. I will sow more in the spring to extend the flowering period

I think you will find that all the seeds which have come up will survive the winter. If you sow more in the spring you will get a longer display.

That's reassuring, thanks.

Colin

Hi Frog Prince
Sorry - just cacthing up a bit - its been full on here and so I've not been able to keep up with the Forums.

Wildlife is correct, what has come up will survive the winter and to prolong flowering adding more in the spring will be of benefit.

I think you'll have a stunning display to look forward to.

The first flowers have showed themselves in my spring meadow.

Snowdrops covering the bank with lots of daffodils and garlic to follow.

Snowdrops and crocus in the grass.

Last year I planted over 800 crocus bulbs but the badger ate all but a few.