Creating new flower-rich landscapes is the most cost-effective way of bringing excitement, colour and character into our gardens and green spaces. A lack of knowledge and understanding around meadow creation and management for aesthetic purposes has put many off trying but growing ‘meadows’ has never been more reliable. New seed mixes and establishment techniques have reinvented the idea of meadow landscapes and restored confidence in this valuable planting approach.
All mixes, whether annual or perennial, are designed for long-flowering and naturalistic displays. These meadows can bring a range of benefits: apart from being stunning and enhancing wildlife value they also have a wide range of commercial and domestic use. They are increasingly used by local authorities to replace traditionally managed areas such as intensively mown grass verges, bedding or rose beds with councils reporting a surge in positive feedback from the public and improved PR as a result.
Annual mixes provide the most colourful and reliable displays. They offer vibrant colours and are suitable to use in all areas, from planters in domestic & commercial gardens to park and field-scale landscapes. No need to worry about your soil condition as they work in all types of garden soil. Perennial mixes provide an artist’s impressionistic look to a meadow. Long term they are more sustainable than annuals and offer exciting new design possibilities. They do however require more careful preparations and attention through to the end of their first year. After that management and maintenance is relatively simple.
