Choosing the Right Wildflower Species for Your Garden
UK native wildflower seeds are perfect for transforming any space in any garden. Everyone loves exotic flowers, but wildflowers that originate from our own shores are the envy of the rest of the world. Once you know a flower and the conditions it thrives in, you can start to sculpt your wildflower meadow to suit your fancy. We have created a handy Wildflower guide covering colour, height, flowering period and ideal conditons:
Before diving into individual species, it helps to think about what you want to achieve with your wildflower meadow or garden.
-
For a pollinator-friendly garden, choose nectar-rich flowers like:
-
Field Scabious
-
Cornflower
-
Wild Marjoram
-
-
For a long-lasting display, opt for species with long flowering times such as:
-
Evening Primrose June to September
-
Foxglove June to September
-
Oxeye Daisy May to September
-
-
For tricky or shaded areas, go for shade-tolerant species like:
-
Garlic Mustard
-
Wood Anemone
-
Bluebell can flourish where sun-loving flowers struggle
-
-
To add scent, flavour, and multi-sensory interest to your garden, try:
-
Wild Strawberry
-
Garlic Mustard
-
Evening Primrose
-
We think that some of the most common UK wildflowers can also be the most beautiful. Here are just a handful of our favourites:
Forget-me-not (Myosotis)
Nostalgic clouds of tiny bright blue flowers. The delicate little bloom of the Forget-me-not is surely the inspiration for every child’s drawing of a flower - perfectly formed, abundant and perfect for the edges of borders, paths and background planting.
Height - 40cm
Flowers - May - July
Soil Type - Loams, Clay
Conditions - Sunny, Damp and Wet
Evening Primrose (Oenothera stricta)
Common Evening Primrose (or Evening Star) is more famous for its health benefits these days. Thriving naturally on dry waste grounds and verges, this gorgeous yellow bloom easily reaches 1m in height and is loved by insects. These sun shaped yellow flowers open only in the evening, and release a heavenly scent. Perfect for sitting outside late into the summer evenings.
Height 1m
Flowers June - October
Soil Type Sandy, Loam
Conditions Sunny, Damp
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Also known as ‘Jack-by-the-hedge’, the small white plant of Garlic Mustard is popular with foragers. The leaves are edible and give a delicate garlic edge to salads. This plant thrives well in shady or damp ‘problem’ areas in gardens. Growing on tall stems, the pretty heart-shaped leaves are dotted with tiny clusters of white, four-petalled flowers.
Height 30 - 80cm
Flowers April - July
Soil Type Loam, Clay
Conditions Sun or Shade, Damp and Wet
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
This wild fruit is not actually related to our commercial strawberries. The delicious edible fruits can produce well into September and even early October in mild conditions. Wild Strawberry plants spread quickly to the ground and produce pretty white flowers before fruiting.
Height 20 - 30cm
Flowers May - June
Soil Type Sandy
Conditions Sun, Dry
Field Scabious (Knautia Arvensis)
These lilac pom pom-like flowers on the ends of tall stalks are synonymous with summer, lining every cottage garden and loved by bees and butterflies. Whilst the word ‘scabious’ doesn’t conjure images of beauty (but rather hints at its historic medicinal use), the blooms of the Field Scabious are very pretty and have an extended flowering period.
Height 30 - 90cm
Flowers June Onwards
Soil Type Loam, Clay
Conditions Sun, Dry
Let us help you
If you are looking for a wide range of wildflower species designed to give you staggered flowering from April right through to October then our wildflower seed mixtures are a great place to start.
If you would like to attract local wildlife into your garden you can do that by sowing native wildflower seeds which will provide essential food for insects, birds and small mammals alike, as well as creating a beautiful summertime vista for yourself.
Keen to create a sea of wildflowers in your own garden? Buying wildflower seeds in bulk allow you to carpet larger areas, and choosing a wildflower seed mix or a plant collection means you can enjoy a range of expertly selected wildflowers in one easy click, too.
On the other hand, if you'd prefer to be a little more selective and buy individual wildflower species, you can choose from over 100 different ones - all of which have UK provenance.
You can learn all about the different species on offer in the handy guide we mentioned above. Turning your garden into a dreamy wildflower meadow and a haven for native wildlife is easy when you know how!
