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Common Agrimony –Agrimonia eupatoria – grows best in well-drained grassland on sites where there is plenty of sunlight. Plants are attractive to Bees and other insects.  Common Agrimony is a relatively late flowering species. In mid to late summer its attractive brightly yellow spiked flowers brighten up our hedgerows and meadows. Common Agrimony looks best growing with other plants that flower in mid-summer such as Oxeye daisies, Black Knapweed, Meadow Cranesbills and Field

Wild Basil Seeds Wild Basil -clinopodium vulgare – grows best in dry grassland and is well suited to chalk and limestone soils on sites where there is plenty of sunlight. It has a variety of other habitats including woodland edges, rough grassland and bare open ground. In garden settings, Wild Basil plants can be introduced into a sunny border, or wildflower meadows on poorer soils. Wild Basil attracts a broad range of insects such as Bees, Butterflies and Ladybirds. It is us

Everything you wanted to know about Horseshoe Vetch Seeds Horseshoe Vetch growing on Cotswold Limestone Horseshoe Vetch – hippocrepis...

A nice photograph showing Wild Daffodils flowering in a wood near Kendal, kindly sent to us by Pip Hall.

Order Snowdrops in the green Snowdrops in February sunshine With spring rapidly approaching there are still a couple of weeks left to buy...

Dandelion Seeds Dandelion –Taraxacum officinale  is a familiar garden plant and and sadly often considered a weed in many a garden lawn....

Oxeye Daisy seeds Oxeye Daisy- Leucanthemum vulgare sometimes known as the Moon daisy this is a familiar wildflower of meadows and roadsides. It is an excellent general-purpose meadow plant, being well suited to all wide variety of soils and look best growing in full sun, but can also be grown in dappled shade. When sown as part of a meadow mixture, Ox-eye daisies are often one of the first flowers to appear, in the first or second year. Initially it is not uncommon for them

August sees the first signs of autumn with the first migrant birds departing our shores. One of the first and more obvious garden birds to leave are swifts and by the middle of the month most birds will have gone, their screaming calls no longer filling the air on warm summer evenings. Many of our resident birds meanwhile, enter a period of moulting at this time, in which they shed their breeding feathers and develop an often-drabber new plumage for the winter. This can be se

Betony seeds Betony seeds – stachys officinalis – can be sown onto on a wide variety of soils and will grow well in a variety of habitats such as open woodland, hedgerows and grassland. Plants will tolerate sites where there is plenty of sunlight and also a degree of shade, so all in all this species makes for a very good general-purpose wildflower. Betony is a low growing species with a rich red flower that appears from June to August. Plants are highly attractive to Bees an

As summer arrives, wildlife takes on an altogether more relaxed approach and by the end of the month birds appear noticeably quieter as the main breeding season draws to a close. The sound of birdsong and the dawn chorus is replaced by the begging calls of fledglings. On very hot days you may even notice a blackbird seemingly sunbathing on a lawn or rockery. No one is really sure of the reason for this behaviour which frequently sees them lying with outstretched wings and tai

Bluebell seeds Bluebell Seeds English Bluebell Seeds can be sown in semi-shade or sun but will look best grown in shaded woodland settings where the rich blue colour will be more intense. In the wild bluebells have a preference for acid soils and grow in a variety of habitats including woodlands, hedgerows, grassy banks and even alongside open coastal cliffs. In gardens, bluebell seeds can be introduced under small trees, or on the north and east side of fences and hedges and

Selecting the right wildflower combinations When choosing wildflowers that will grow well together it is important to ensure a) that the flowering time is likely to coincide b) That they will be well suited to the same habitat. A lot can be learned from observing nature and if possible trying to mimic  classic combinations that are commonly found in the wild. The photo gallery below is intended to offer a few ideas of wildflowers that look especially beautiful when grown toge

The Wildflower Garden in May As spring moves steadily towards summer, the breeding season is now in full flow for many of our resident birds. By mid month the dawn chorus will reach a peak and a very early morning walk in deciduous woodland provides an unforgettable experience. A visit to old woodland in May can also be a source of inspiration to the Wildflower gardener. In certain woods, vast swathes of Bluebell still exist and can be found flowering this month, along with m

The Wildflower Garden in April An unpredictable month weather wise, often with showers and sun but with the days lengthening and the ground starting to warm, April is the month that sees many of our native trees coming into leaf. Resident birds will already be egg laying and migrant birds such as swallows and warblers will be arriving into the country in huge numbers by the end of the month, the exact timing often affected by the various weather systems. In the Wildflower gar

Wildflowers for wet areas Plock Court Wetland area Benefits of Wildflowers for wet areas In February we wrote an article about growing wildflowers on clay. Clay soils often get very water logged in winter but what about areas prone to regular winter flooding that remain under water for long periods. Flood meadows have always played a part in flood alleviation and there are many benefits of growing specialist wildflowers for wet areas. As a scheme at Longford near Gloucester

grass seed with wildflowers Field Scabious in Limestone grassland When sowing a mixture of grass seed with wildflowers it is vital to select the correct type of grass seeds. Grasses should always consist of fine growing varieties such as bents and fescues. These generally fall into the category of “meadow grasses” and will provide a sward in which native wildflowers can establish and thrive successfully. When buying grass seed with wildflowers  avoid using any grasses that fa

Wild Daffodils With spring just round the corner, March is a month of great activity in the garden. An increase in the volume of birdsong is a sure sign that many of our resident birds are already busy defending territories and indeed nest building. Frogs, toads and newts will also be breeding now. Frogspawn will normally appear first, followed by toad spawn with newts normally laying their eggs last. In the Wildflower garden, yellow is the theme, with Wild daffodil, Primrose

Wildflower landscaping Wildflowers in park setting Wildflower landscaping ideas Outside of gardens and wild areas there is an increasing use of wildflowers to landscape urban and suburban areas. Wildflowers provide a cost effective alternative to bedding plants and can be used to landscape parks, road verges, roundabouts, golf courses and green roofs. Mixtures often contain a blend of native and non-native species such as Californian Poppy. The introduction of any non-natives

Wildflower Lawn Seed Cowslips By reducing the amount of cutting in spring and summer, garden lawns can easily be converted into a...

Wildflowers for Clay Ladies Bedstraw, a spectacular and useful wildflower for clay soil Recognizing clay soils Clay is a very common soil type and we are frequently asked which wildflowers will grow best on this type of soil. Clay soils are characterized by  frequent water-logging in winter, and drying out in summer. In very dry weather clay soils will often bake and start to crack near the surface. Clay soils are usually hard to work and will stick to the soles of boots and