Wild flower garden - first attempt

[Richie]

Thats the one. Meadow buttercups are taller and are rather nice

Yeah creeping is a bugger. I'm taking a proper active role in this wildflower patch so as to remove undesirables until it's well established.

The other buttercups I have are about 1m+ tall now.

It was only sown this year but, as you'll likely know, the weather has been crap and everything is late this year. The patch is only about 6m² so not huge and easily manageable enough to be extra vigilant for invasives.

Hopefully from next year or 2.onwards, it'll fill right out.

 

[Richie]

A little time spent this morning cutting the grass and attending the wild area.

Removed a couple of small nettle plants and thinned out some Willowherb (took about 8 away leaving a few)

Any ideas what these might be?

I think the first one may be Yarrow according to Google Images.

Google Images has the 2nd one as poppy but I'm not sure. Actually says either Common Poppy or Opium Poppy (I may need to change my name to Pablo )

 

[rodders]

I'd agree with yarrow/achillea for the first one.

 

[Richie]

I'd agree with yarrow/achillea for the first one.

Yeah, I think.im going to dig this one out as it can be quite invasive

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Clover is spreading nicely on our lawn. I’d happily have a lawn of the stuff, seems hardier than our grass and I’ve found the mower height that leaves the flowers intact. The bees seem to love it. Have planted a load of flowering bushes this year.

I love how Buddleia never fails to attract bees and butterflies:


No idea what this bush is, but it seeded into our garden years ago, grows like crazy, flowers for ages and the bees love it:


It also leaves berries for the birds.

I’ve turned our garden into a wildlife haven with daily visits from hedgehogs, field mice, frogs, foxes, nesting birds. I love to see it.

Our bird and hedgehog feeders have never been so busy.

Planning a wildflower patch next year. Think it’s too late now.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

No idea. I did a small area because I know it's better to remove the grass. And I didn't want the effort of doing more.

Will double the size this winter by putting the same carpet over the next patch of grass.

TBH I would just go with cardboard and then weigh it down. It will kill the grass but attracts worms etc to come up to the surface better than carpet.
Where the cardboard touches the ground it will completely disappear over time.

 

[Richie]

Yeah, I think.im going to dig this one out as it can be quite invasive

You see one, you see more

Went through the whole area and dug out a good few of them. Now I know what they look like as young seedlings, I can get to them before they do anything IF more appear.

I realise that you can't just let a wildflower patch grow with zero maintenance but this should get less and less each year as the flowers I want become greater in number and more established leaving the "weeds" to wilt under too much competition.

 

[Richie]

No idea what this bush is, but it seeded into our garden years ago, grows like crazy, flowers for ages and the bees love it:


It also leaves berries for the birds.

I don't want to concern you but the first almost identical image that came up for this bush on Google Lens was Japanese Knotweed

 

[413x]

I don't want to concern you but the first almost identical image that came up for this bush on Google Lens was Japanese Knotweed

I think its safe. Apparently has fluffy white flowers

 

[CaptainRAVE]

I don't want to concern you but the first almost identical image that came up for this bush on Google Lens was Japanese Knotweed

It’s definitely not Japanese knotweed. Thankfully have none of that anywhere near here.

Have decided to put in a mini wildlife pond. Should help the garden frogs.

 

[pinkowl]

It looks like pheasant berry, we have it in our garden. If it is that then I believe the berries are edible and apparently taste like caramel. But taste at your own risk!

 

[Blackjack Davy]

A little time spent this morning cutting the grass and attending the wild area.

Removed a couple of small nettle plants and thinned out some Willowherb (took about 8 away leaving a few)

Any ideas what these might be?

I think the first one may be Yarrow according to Google Images.

Google Images has the 2nd one as poppy but I'm not sure. Actually says either Common Poppy or Opium Poppy (I may need to change my name to Pablo )

Yarrow (achillea millefolium) another common weed of grassland though there cultivated forms with pink or reddish flowers

Second is definitely poppy probably common/field/corn poppy and definitely not opium poppy they're quite different

 

[Blackjack Davy]

It looks like pheasant berry, we have it in our garden. If it is that then I believe the berries are edible and apparently taste like caramel. But taste at your own risk!

Yep pheasant berry a common garden shrub (you'll know knotweed when you find it its almost demonic the way it grows)

 

[Richie]

Yarrow (achillea millefolium) another common weed of grassland though there cultivated forms with pink or reddish flowers.

Looks like the "common" yarrow given the white head ready to open up. I removed it and a few other ones as well. I'll keep an eye out for it.

Second is definitely poppy probably common/field/corn poppy and definitely not opium poppy they're quite different

I'm not sure what variety. I didn't sow any poppies so they must have been brought in by birds or were already in the ground.

 

[Blackjack Davy]

If its crimson flower its common/corn/field poppy its a bit small to be 100% sure from that photo. If its orange it'll something else i.e. california or iceland poppy but from the photo I'm almost certain its a red poppy i.e. the ones immortalized from the battlefields of WWI they readily spring up on disturbed land and representations of them are sold on poppy/remembrance day

 

[413x]

Really pleased how these guys are doing!
So much blue in the mix!

Looking forward to doubling it up this autumn

 

[piggin]

I have always wanted a wild flower garden and in memory of my father I would love it if I could have blue bells

 

[Richie]

I have always wanted a wild flower garden and in memory of my father I would love it if I could have blue bells

Growing bluebells from seed can take a couple.of seasons. It's far better to buy bluebells "in the green" and plant them like that.

The first year may not be great but it sets them up for the following years.

 

[Richie]

Woke up this morning and this has happened overnight to the (quite large).poppy that mysteriously appeared.

I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if it would flower very well as that area is pretty much in shade all day but it must have gotten sufficient light to allow blooming.

It went from closed to open in a few hours by the looks of it... Ain't nature nice

There are a further 4 or 5 flower heads on that 1 plant so let's hope they all open up in the next day or so as well and I have a half dozen poppy flowers ready to seed and grow more for next year.

 

[piggin]

Growing bluebells from seed can take a couple.of seasons. It's far better to buy bluebells "in the green" and plant them like that.

The first year may not be great but it sets them up for the following years.

Thank you very much for the advice.
I will give this a go