The Meadow Makers' Network Forum

Hello,
I’m reclaiming a brookside area of my small orchard which was covered in briars and marsh grass but is now down to bare earth almost.
Does anyone recommend a specific mix of seeds and or methods to help my create a wildflower plot?
Looking forward to hearing from you
Tim

https://moormeadows.org.uk/information/ ... ew-meadow/
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One option would be to wait this season to see what naturally comes up, what is in your natural seedbank apart from the briars and marsh grass. You might have kingcups, primroses, marsh valerian, mint, fleabane hiding in there waiting to come out. Waiting a season would also help with controlling the regrowth/reseeding of the briars and marsh grass which will probably regenerate this year. You might also sow a "nurse" cover just for the first year, of easy annuals such as phacelia or poached egg plant, both of which bees love and don't need a period of chilling, on the bare earth areas in order to restrict docks, thistles and other unwanted plants from colonising the bare earth whilst you wait to see what other nicer plants are there. The new perennial wild flowers may not be particularly obvious the first year, as they may take 2 years to get to flowering size. Then throughout the spring and summer, you could look at your local hedgerows and collect seed from them to sow on your bare areas - violets, valerian, knapweed etc, possibly safeguarding them by starting them off in pots if in small quantities.

Thanks Amy, I like the sound of the nurse cover idea, any recommended suppliers you know of please?
Kind regards,
Tim

I should say that phacelia is not a native, but is used widely by farmers under the environmental schemes so is already "out there" in the countryside - though it is unlikely to persist through the winter to grow another year and therefore is not a threat to native plants, and, it is approved by bumblebee expert, Prof Dave Goulson: "Perhaps the single most attractive plant for bees on the planet!" http://www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/goulson ... es/flowers

I have bought from https://www.organiccatalogue.com/produc ... sqm_781183 which gives you a decent amount from an organic source for a reasonable cost - you can buy it anywhere, but garden seed suppliers only supply tiny packets.

Great thanks Amy, I'll give it a go.
Tim