Wildflowers definitely do better in poorer soils. This is because fertile soils can encourage grasses and weeds to grow. These plants may end up smothering your wildflowers and this will stop them growing and flowering. Most soils will be fine but if you are worried about the ground being too fertile, you can remove a layer of topsoil.

The seed mixes we have designed have been formulated to enhance the YourGreen experience.

For larger projects, we have the Meadow Maker – a 60% grass 40% wildflower mix or we have the Carbon Cure which has an increased grass content for those of you who are looking at ways to reduce/offset your carbon footprint.

There are also three very special mixtures which have been carefully designed to induce a specific mood.
We have a Tranquil Escape mix for relaxing, a Creative Calling mix for when you need some added inspiration and a Feelgood Factor for bringing those good vibes.

For all you bee and butterfly lovers, we have the Pollen Pact mix, which can be used in many different situations and, for the keen gardener, the Bed Maker to boost your flower beds and make your outdoor space come alive!

If it’s flower arranging or special gifts which you are looking for, look no further than the Florists Pick – a beautiful combination of flowers perfect for cutting and then using to make arrangements for your home or for someone special.

If you are sowing a meadow, large area or flower bed, follow the below sowing rate instructions:

For a 100% wildflower mix sow at 2.5g/m²
For a 60:40 grass + wildflower mix sow at 3.5g/m²
For a 80:20 grass + wildflower mix sow at 5g/m²

For growing in containers such as pots, planters and vertical gardens sow a thin covering across the whole of the container.

You can sow wildflowers from mid-March through to mid-October depending on the weather. Don’t sow your seed if it is still frosty or you are expecting a frost soon. It is also best to avoid sowing during drought periods in the summer. However, this is not too much of a problem if you water the seed and young plants well. 

If you’re struggling for space and don’t have a garden, you can grow wildflowers in containers such as pots and planters. The best mixes to try are the Native Flora and Space Saver mixtures. Both will create a fantastic and vibrant selection of annual plants.

If you have a small garden, try a wildflower bed. Again, you could use the annual mixtures – Native Flora or Space Saver. Or why not try our annual and perennial mix – Bed Maker for beautiful results.

Yes! There are many different types of wildflowers which grow in shaded areas. Some of the most beautiful flowers thrive in these environments such as foxgloves and bluebells. If you have a heavily shaded area use our Shaded Flora mix for the best results.

This varies depending on the wildflower varieties you sow. 

Annuals such as cornflowers, poppies and corn chamomile tend to establish quickly when the weather conditions are right, so they can flower anywhere between 10-16 weeks as soon as temperatures are right for growing. 

For perennials and biennials, they can take longer to establish – anywhere from three months to two years. When growing wildflowers, you are in the hands of nature so patience is key. It is well worth it when the plants flower and you have your very own wild haven.

1. Sow from March - September

2. Clear any weeds, grass or plants from the area

3. Break up the soil

4. If sowing into an area where there weren’t any weeds or plants (planters or pots) head straight to the 'How do I sow my wildflowers?' section

5. If you had to remove plants, leave the area for a couple of weeks and then repeat step one

6. Once you have done this, rake over the area and then walk over or roll to flatten the soil

1a. Use about 2.5g/m² of your 100% YourGreen wildflower seed mix 1b. Use about 5g/m² of your YourGreen grass & wildflower seed mix

2. Spread seed by hand. For large projects use a contractor/spreader 3.

Sow half of pack from left to right and half from top to bottom of area

4. You don’t want the seed too deep so rake or cover over the seed but don’t bury it (depth 0.5cm)

5. Walk over, press or roll the area to get seed to soil contact

6. Water well for the first few weeks, keeping the area moist

7. After sowing reduce traffic (if applicable) as we don’t want to damage the young plants

8. Remove any weeds which appear - best to do this by hand.

Meadows

1. Water area if soil is dry and plants are suffering

2. If you want your meadow to really pack a punch, cut to 5cm every couple of months in the first year - up until autumn. Remove the cuttings please!

3. In following years, cut once in spring (7 or 8cm high) and then again in the autumn. Don’t forget to remove those cuttings!

4. If growing a 100% annual meadow (our Native Flora mix) only cut once in the autumn and resow the mix each year

5. Removing weeds is always going to help keep your meadow in shape! Pull weeds out by hand.

Beds

1. Water regularly, especially if it’s dry weather. Soil should be moist.

2. Cut once in spring (optional) and then again in the autumn. Remove all the cuttings please!

3. If growing a 100% annual mix (our Native Flora or Space Saver mix) only cut once in the autumn and resow the mix each year

4. Removing weeds is always going to help keep your bed in shape! Hoe the area and pull weeds out by hand

Pots & Planters

1. Water daily and keep soil moist.

2. Cut once in spring (optional) and then again in the autumn. Remove all the cuttings please!

3. If growing a 100% annual mix (our Native Flora or Space Saver mix) only cut once in the autumn and resow the mix each year

4. Removing weeds (if they appear) will do the world of good! Pull weeds out by hand

No matter where or how much you are growing, it’s important to water the ground after spring sowing and whilst the flowers are establishing in the first couple of months. Check the soil for moisture if you can but a general rule of thumb is to water twice a week during this period (water more often in warm spells). Try to use a gentle pressure for watering as the seed may be washed away!

For autumn sowing you may not need to water, unless it’s a particularly dry period. Just keep an eye on the soil moisture and the weather to double check.

If you are growing wildflowers in pots, planters and/or vertical gardens, these will need a good watering every day from spring through to when they die back in the autumn.

This very much depends on the mixtures you have grown. Annual plants will not return the following year as a rule of thumb. They tend to grow, bloom and perform their whole lifecycle all within a twelve month period. However, corn annuals often shed quite a lot of seed, so you may see new plants grow the following spring. 

Perennials are slightly different. They do almost the opposite of annuals as they will not flower in the first growing season but they will last and flower for many years after this – as long as the area has the relevant maintenance.

There are also some wildflowers known as biennials. These will flower in the second growing season and their total life cycle is two years. Like the annuals, they will shed seed so you may see these new plants grow and flower after the first two years.

Wildflowers are beautiful, natural, environmentally-friendly and can be used for so many things…but they can be a bit temperamental when it comes to getting them going!

If you haven’t seen your flowers bloom in the first growing season, it could be because of the type of seed you used. If your mix is full of perennials or biennials, they will not flower in the first year but will flower the following season.

If your wildflowers haven’t grown at all this may be due to the three following reasons. Firstly, the grasses and weeds may have smothered the establishing wildflowers and caused them not to grow. We definitely suggest giving it another go. The main thing to check is that all grasses and weeds are removed in the prep stage and also to remove all clippings when cutting. The second reason could be that the seed was put under major stress at the time of sowing – this might be too much traffic over the area or extreme weather such as frost or too much rainfall or drought. Thirdly, the seed may have been sown too deep and therefore was unable to germinate in the early phases of development.

The above are the most common reasons for why your wildflowers may not have grown or bloomed. If you would like us to rule out any issues with seed, please email hello@your-green.co.uk with your contact details, your order number and the issues you’ve had. We would love to help and try and get any problems sorted for you.

Although we would usually advise not sowing any areas where grass already exists (as it’s extremely competitive), you can follow the instructions below to sow wildflowers successfully in an existing lawn or grassed space.

Top tip: ‘It’s better to sow in grassed areas in the autumn”

PREP

1. The first step is to open up the grass so that there are clear bare patches of soil across the area.

This is where the wildflower seed can make contact with the ground. You can use a harrow for large areas or a lawn rake is fine for small areas. For areas with young grass, this will be a lot easier.

2. Rake over the grassed area quite hard 

This should mean that the grass is ripped out – make sure to remove any waste. 

3. Aim for a minimum of 50% bare soil.

This will give the wildflower seeds a good chance of making contact with ground. 

4. Choose a YourGreen wildflower mix to suit your needs.

Ideally a 100% wildflower mix such as Pollen Pact, Native Flora, Space Saver, Tranquil Escape, Creative Calling, Feelgood Factor or Florists Pick.

SOW

1. By now you have your YourGreen wildflower seed mix but you need to know how much to use…

For a 100% wildflower mix sow at 2.5g/m²
When using a  60:40 grass + wildflower mix sow at 3.5g/m²
A 80:20 grass + wildflower mix should be sown at 5g/m²

2. Sow your mix
Most of the time it’s best just to spread by hand. If you are looking at a much bigger project you can use a contractor/spreader. You can also mix the seed with sand or soil to make spreading a bit better but don’t worry if not.

3. Straight after sowing think; – tread, traffic.
You don’t want the seed too deep so rake some soil over the seed but only a small amount (depth 0.5cm). If you can, walk over or roll the area to get seed to soil contact. After sowing reduce traffic over the area as we want the plants to get the best start! Remove any nasty weeds which appear – best to do this by hand.

4. Water does wonders
If you can, keep the soil moist in the early stages – ideally watering a couple of times a week and more if the weather is nice (here’s hoping!).

We do supply wildflower turf and we would love to help with your enquiry. Please email us at hello@your-green.co.uk with your contact and enquiry details.

Our wildflower seeds are all sourced in the UK in order to help with our sustainability pledge. Sourcing locally also helps to reduce our business’ carbon footprint.