Landlife’s Wildflower Meadow Conservation Mixtures are composed of common core plants that provide a framework for mobile species such as orchids to colonise if the conditions are right. Our perennial meadow mixes, once established, will flower every year.
Soils and Sowing.
Unlike the Cornfield Annuals, these mixes establish and will be more sustainable on poor soils, light subsoils, grits, gravels and limey soils, but be patient, establishment will be slow and don’t expect flowers until year 2. Sow in the Spring or Autumn. Mow or strim your meadow once the seeds have dropped in the Autumn. 
About Grass
Beautiful areas of wildflower meadows can be created without the use of grass in the mixtures. Since our last catalogue, we have taken a bold step and removed all grass from our meadow mixes. Over the past few years, our most successful wildflower areas have been created without adding any grasses to the wildflowers. We have decided to give the wildflowers sold in this catalogue the same head start without the difficulty caused by competition from grass growth. No grass also means much less maintenance particularly in the early years. You will find that local grasses will rapidly find their own way in to your wildflower meadow, seed may be in the soil, most will blow in and ants may even carry it in! Wildflowers will quickly colonise and green up an area by themselves. Don’t worry, it will not look bare without the grass and it also means that annuals can be added to give the mix first year colour.
The Traditional Meadow will suit heavy soils. Spray weedy sites with glyphosate. Sow into a weed free tilth at 1g per square metre, choose a sunny aspect and tickle the seed in. If establishing into existing poor grass you will need to create at least 50% bare ground by scarifying and mowing short – sow in the Autumn. On lighter soils, mow short, spray off the grass and sow into the dead turf. Results with these techniques may vary.
Mix Composition
Our wildflower mixes list percentages of seed making up the mixtures by both weight and seed numbers. Some species of wildflower such as bellflowers can have over 5,000 seeds per gram whilst others such as Corncockle just 30. When putting the ready made mixes together, we use this information alongside the knowledge we have on germination rates and germinability to try to ensure the mix has a good final show.
Landlife Wildflowers’ Conservation Mixes comply with all of the requirements under Defra’s Fodder Plant Seed (England) Regulations 2002 (as amended).
If you have any questions, please give us a call, or email gill@landlife.org.uk - our staff are always happy to help.
How much seed will I need?
Use this table to help you calculate the amount of seed mix required.
