The Meadow Makers' Network Forum

Hello,

We have an area of 122sq m of topsoil which is almost certainly nutrient rich which we would like to plant up with wildflowers this season. Can anyone please suggest where we could access suitable seeds and how much material we need?
Many thanks
Stephan Harding

Stephen - Goren Farm are our local seed supplier. Their wildlflower mixes have sowing rates in the descriptions here: https://www.goren.co.uk/collections/mixes

Hi Stephan
I've now given away all my Yellow rattle seed for this season - that's the plant you really need to weaken the grasses through its hemi parasitic nature. I was told by the nay sayers that our field was 'too rich' for wildflowers. Also it was full of 'rubbish' plants like nettles, docks and thistles but I have come to love these plants for the biodiversity they attract. The nettles are seething with caterpillars, the creeping thistles become alive with butterflies, hoverflies and so much more, then the goldfinches move in. The docks have these wonderful gold green beetles and now we have rattle so much more is establishing. Birdsfoot trefoil, eyebright, knapweed, pig nut, self heal even orchids, devils bit scabious and ragged robin in the wet areas. I doubt you will get rattle now I know Goren have run out - come and see me later in the year and harvest some from our field

Goren say on their website that they still actually have a limited quantity of seed mixes containing small amounts Yellow rattle, and as the seeds are to be sown into bare top soil this is likely be sufficient, but as Nicky says, his rattle seed will be excellent to help promote diversity within established grass areas.