Updated 16/06/2025
Bringing a touch of the wild to the garden can not only create a relaxing environment for you but should also attract various pollinating insects.
Ornamental wildflower meadows can create spectacular colour and make a diverse environment that will be loved my birds and insects. They are perfect for bringing new life to an unused part of the garden.
Flowering meadow patches and borders are also low maintenance and cheap to produce; the seeds germinate quickly and can fill an empty plot in just a few months.
It’s best to sow in spring, but you can sow in autumn if you have light, sandy soils that aren’t prone to waterlogging.
Choosing the spot
Surprisingly, perennial wildflowers like the hard life. They require impoverished soil, because if it is too rich you will get mostly leaves and few flowers. So it’s best to grow a wildflower meadow in a spot you don’t usually cultivate, or one you haven’t used for a while.
However, if you have richer soil specialist seed companies sell special wildflower mixes containing seeds of wildflowers that will grow well in this type of soil, for example cornfield annuals.
There are wildflower mixes available for chalky soil as well as shady and full sun locations.
It’s a good idea to choose a mix that has a combination of annual and perennial plants so that you can enjoy the annual wild flowers in the first year after sowing whilst the perennial plants establish as quite often the majority of annual wild flowers fail to reappear in successive years.
Seed mixes are also available in different colour combinations. Or you can buy the seeds separately and mix them yourself.
Seed mixes vary, so check the coverage on the packet. However, as a rough guide, you need 1g per square metre of pure wildflower seeds and 5g per square metre of grass and wildflower meadow seeds.
Before sowing
Give your spare space a good weeding before sowing anything, as weeds will compete for light, space and food. Once you’ve removed everything, dig over the soil and firm it back down before raking it smooth.
Scatter your wildflower meadow seeds by hand. Rake in lightly and water thoroughly. If you’re particularly worried about birds eating them all, put some netting over the soil. But make sure you choose close woven netting that still allows light in but prevents birds getting caught in the weave.
The soil needs to remain moist and warm to enable seed germination. The key thing is to make sure they don’t dry out. A single blisteringly hot weekend will stop them in their tracks. And watch out for weeds coming back too.
Maintenance
Deadhead the flowers as they grow to prolong flowering. Leave the plants to self-seed at the end of the growing season – they will hopefully reappear next year but bear in mind some plants, such as ox-eye daisies, are better able to cope with plant competition than say cornflowers and so you may see far more ox-eye daisies re-appear than other wild flowers.
Clear away the old plants in spring to let the new ones get light. Again, keep on top of weeds to stop them taking over.
You may need to sow more seeds each year but the splendid display of flowers should be ample reward for your effort.
Convert a lawn to a wildflower meadow
This takes patience but it can be done. A meadow is much easier to maintain than a traditional grass lawn.
Stop applying fertiliser and spend the first year mowing the grass every week to weaken it. Then sow wildflower seeds over the top of very short grass in autumn.
It may take some time for seeds to establish in the grass, so you can always introduce stronger plug plants too.
I’d also recommend using Yellow Rattle. It’s a striking-looking wildflower takes over grass plants and gradually kills them off.
How to cheat
If you want a more instant effect, and you’re willing to spend a few bob, try laying wildflower turf. It is a pre-sown roll of grass and wildflowers that can be laid on any bare soil. It’s not cheap, but it is effective.
Be aware
When out and about, admiring the wildflower blooms, be aware that you can be fined for picking flowers!
The flowers on council parks, roundabouts, nature reserves and protected land are off limits, as well as private land.
When you are permitted to pick certain wildflowers, leave enough for the plant to regrow, and stick to the rule of only picking one flower out of every twenty so there are enough left.
The Countryside Code encourages people to enjoy the surroundings of the countryside and leave it as is. Not damaging, destroying, or removing trees, rocks, and plants is the main takeaway.
For more great gardening advice, make sure you head to my YouTube Channel. Make sure you’re subscribed with notifications on so you don’t miss any of my new videos.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1 – When is the best time to sow wildflower meadow seeds?
The best time to sow wildflower seeds is in spring (March to May), when the soil is warming up and conditions are moist. Alternatively, autumn sowing (September to October) works well on light, sandy soils that drain freely. Avoid sowing into heavy or waterlogged ground—seeds won’t thrive if they sit in cold, wet conditions.
2 – Do wildflowers need poor soil to grow?
Yes, most perennial wildflowers thrive in low-nutrient soil. Rich soil leads to lush leaf growth but fewer flowers. If your garden soil is fertile, opt for mixes suited to that, like cornfield annuals, which perform better in nutrient-rich conditions.
3 – How much wildflower seed do I need per square metre?
For pure wildflower mixes, sow at around 1g per m². If using meadow mixes containing grasses, increase to 5g per m². Always check your seed packet for exact guidance—it varies depending on species size and mix.
4 – What’s the difference between annual and perennial wildflowers?
Annuals, like cornflowers, germinate and flower in the same year but often don’t return. Perennials, like ox-eye daisies or knapweed, establish more slowly but return year after year. Choose a seed mix that combines both to enjoy a colourful first year and lasting results.
5 – Which wildflowers are best for supporting pollinators?
Wildflower meadows are brilliant for biodiversity. Cornflowers, ox-eye daisies, red clover, knapweed, and birdsfoot trefoil are top choices for attracting bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. Choose a UK-native mix to support local species and boost your garden’s natural balance.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
This sounds just what I would like to do. My concern is that, while it gets morning sun, there are a lot of trees around the area so not in full sun. Will wildflowers bloom if they don’t have lots of sun?
Thanks for the help and the suggestions.
Page
Hi Page, Most wildflowers like full sun, but you can buy mixes that are better suited to shade. It’s better to do this than to try and make sun-loving plants survive in the shade – even experienced gardeners can’t force plants in conditions they don’t like! David
grear ideas. But a caution: if you buy seeds make sure you aren’t planting ones that are considered non-native invasive species.
Also, do you have any advice for someone who wants to grow a meadow but has ‘yard police’ in her community? We have a city department dedicated to busting homeowners who are growing what they consider ‘weeds.’ I’ve already gone a couple of rounds with them trying to defend my native wild flowers.
Hi Patti, I’ve never heard of people objecting to wildflowers before! I know some species like poppies can be considered pests if you grow them near agricultural land, because they can get into crop fields. But I’ve never heard of the council or city departments getting involved. Try showing them seed packets that show they are native varieties, or write to them before you sow anything to explain what you’re doing and how you will control seed spread.
One of the reasons that non-natives can cause an issue is that they have potential to disrupt the environment. When you introduce or increase a species of flower you increase the likelihood of the insects that feed off that plant. One resident’s garden isn’t likely to make an impact but if many people in the area follow suit there could be a problem. Also, some wildflowers like blue flax can be quite invasive. They have huge seed pods and they look terrible when the flowers die.
hello David,
I’m in new construction at the beach w/ sandy, poor soil. Grass seed was blown in w/ hay overlay. Something “green” is coming up, however, I would love to convert to a meadow! Will wild flowers survive in this soil environment ; direct sun almost all day. no trees.
Thanks,
Mary Ann
Hi Mary Ann. Wildflowers love poor soil and strong sunlight – they naturally grow in uncultivated fields and along road verges. Try a hardy mix if the site is exposed to strong coastal winds, as some annual mixes can be more tender.
I keep hearing advice about ”checking for Weeds coming up instead of Flower leaves”; this is frustrating as maybe one doesn’t know the Difference between a Weed and a Flower leaves…1
I know. The best thing to do is to wait until it flowers. If it is a weed, be sure to pull it up before it sets seed. Once the meadow is established, the flowers should crowd out any weeds.
The first photo has a knapweed growing in it! I just want to pull it! It is a terrible weed around here!
cn I grow wildflower successfully in a pot? I live upstairs in an apartment in So Cali!
I have a small patch of wild flowers going in my flower bed. I have grown them before to attract Hummingbirds and Butterflies.
I’d love to post a pic if I could figure out how.
Hi Chuck, that sounds great – you can always post them on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DavidDomoneyTV
What critters eat the wild flowers? chipmunks, squirrels, deer.?
I David, I am hoping to grow a wildflower meadow in garden. The area is soil at the moment. I would like to know what kind of time frame it takes to establish a meadow from seed? Thank you
Hi Paul, most wildflower seeds are annuals, so they should grow and flower in one year. Sow in spring for flowers that summer, or in autumn for flowers at an earlier time that following summer. Always double check on the seed packets.
Thanks for the help. I am planning to plant my first garden in spring and want it to fit the area, so I am hoping to use some wildflower seed mixes. I would not have thought to put a net over the soil to protect the seed from birds. That was one of my parents’ biggest problems when they tried it. I will be sure to prepare for that.
I’m planing to make a wild flower meadow on an old gravel pit quarry so the land is extremely stoney with very little soil do you think it will take off? Also there are lots of brambles and stinging nettles, I’ve heard the wild flowers normally take over the weeds in the end but will they be stronger then the nettles? Any advise muchly appreciated. Tia
Hi Zoe, Wildflowers will grow on poor soil but they struggle to take over established weeds. It’s best to remove the weeds and start on bare ground.
Thanks for the idea, we want to create a contemplative garden, I have statue of mother Mary I found and a bird bath, so far so good. I love the picture you have of the the white daises and purple flower color combination I really think I want to do something just like that it is so pretty I like the simplicity and beauty of it. I have always dreamt of having our breakfast nook looking into a dreamy wildflower garden. I think you’ve helped with the hardest part the colors, and flower combinations .
I think the reason for the city or county becoming gardening monitors is because non native plants can cause havoc. The best known example , when a man brought to America a lovey bright yellow flower brought a plant that he liked .Today, is known as a noxious weed known it is not other, than Scotch Broom it not only triggers allergic has become an invasive species throughout the Pacific Northwest, where it competes with native plants and forms dense stands that are difficult to manage and remove. It has cost the timber industry here 40 million dollar loss in revenue. I actually think we should just leave the forest alone since we are running out of trees . But that is an example of what one plant has caused a staggering thought. . . Here there are stiff penalties here for stepping to far out there! Perhaps, that is why the city or county becomes involved, because to the Scotch Broom story.
Wishing all a beautiful flower garden!
Hello I purchase many seeds this spring due to strange weather in NE yet to plant but my landscaper put down sweet peet mulch in my garden before I could plant do I move mulch and plant or put seeds in mulch.
Thank you
It would be a gamble to plant in the mulch. Safer to remove it, or to at least clear spaces around each plant until it is established and then move the mulch closer. Another option would be to grow plants in pots until they are established and then move them into the garden, but it depends on how much you are planting!
Thank you for the article. I live in the US and don’t see “yellow rattle” a the places I normally buy wildflower seeds. Do you know of an alternative flower you could recommend, that does the same thing, as far as reducing grasses? I live in the Southeastern United States, in a hot and humid (but not tropical) climate. Thank you for any help you could give.
Thanks so much for all the tips! Can’t wait to try growing a wildflower meadow someday (hopefully soon)!
Hi David, Do you have any tips for preparing the soil before sewing? I want to convert an existing bed and my soil is a clay like soil and i figure it will be too rich. Do I need to add a lot of sand before I start in order to make the soil more palatable for the wildflowers?
Hi Sara,
Thanks for your comment. Wildflowers like to be planted in disturbed soil, so I would advise that you use sand alongside introducing a fair amount of organic matter. Some wildflowers will fare better than other in clay-rich soils, with plants like Yarrow, oxeye daisy, musk mallow, cowslip and white campion doing well in clay. I hope this helps!