There are many benefits associated with introducing native wildflowers into your cottage garden, from boosting biodiversity by attracting pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds to improving soil health by enhancing nutrient cycles and supporting beneficial microorganisms.
Many species also provide edible flowers and leaves, perfect for building nutrient-rich dishes and adding new flavours to your favourite recipes. Additionally, several wildflowers have a rich history of traditional medicinal uses, once valued for their healing properties in herbal remedies. By cultivating British wildflower species in your garden, you can create a thriving, self-sustaining ecosystem while preserving the natural heritage of local flora.
If you’re considering adding our cottage garden wildflower mix to your garden borders, here are some things to note:
What area will a packet of seed cover?
One seed packet will cover 1sqm of ground.
How many grams of wildflower mix should I buy?
We recommend sowing at a rate of 2g/sqm and increasing to 4g/sqm for densely populated growth.
When to sow: Avoid sowing in high summer when rain is infrequent. Ideally, sow in spring or early autumn. If sowing mid-season it can be sown when the ground temperature is above 12 degrees and the conditions are warm and wet. It’s vital to keep the area damp after sowing to aid germination and ensure the seedlings receive enough water. To do this, lightly water the area with collected rainwater. Do not drill. Take a look at these tips for successful wildflower seed germination.
Where to sow: Garden borders, patio pots, and pathway edges. This wildflower mix is also a cost effective way to fill an empty border with beautiful and productive flowers. You could even consider filling a window box with a mix of low growing wildflowers.
Sowing rate: We recommend sowing our cottage garden wildflower mixture at a rate of 2 grams per square metre. For more densely populated growth increase to 4 grams per square metre. To aid distribution, mix wildflower seeds with dry sand, sawdust, or flour at a weight ratio of 1:4 (seed to spreader).
The Best Wildflowers for Cottage Gardens
Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) makes a wonderful partner for your favourite perennials as it fixes nitrogen in the soil, improving conditions for surrounding plants.
The delicate pink flowers of musk-mallow (Malva moschata) bloom for long periods, attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects.
The funnel shape of corncockle’s (Agrostemma githago) flowers makes it easy for both short-tongued and long-tongued bees to access their nectar. We need more of these plants in our gardens to support our native British bee species, numbers of which are in decline.
Fill gaps in your garden borders with vibrant cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus). They are easy to grow, drought-tolerant, and can be sown directly onto soil in spring or autumn for vibrant summer blooms.
Partner common vetch (Vicia sativa) with sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) and enjoy the charming contrast between common vetch’s smaller, delicate pink-purple flowers with sweet peas’ larger, showier blooms.
The tall, lavender-coloured flowers of field scabious (Knautia arvensis) take style points from their cultivar cousins. Integrate them into established planting and enjoy all the biodiversity benefits of a perennial wildflower.
Perfect for sunny spots, viper’s-bugloss (Echium vulgare) thrives in dry, sandy, or gravelly soils and is drought-tolerant once established. It’s produces striking blue flowers that are highly attractive to bees.
Contents may change with each new harvest and depending on availability.
% WILDFLOWERS
8% Onobrychis viciifolia – Sainfoin
5% Galium verum – Lady’s Bedstraw
3% Lathyrus pratensis – Meadow Vetchling
6% Glebionis segetum – Corn Marigold
7% Vicia cracca – Tufted vetch
7% Knautia arvensis – Field Scabious
5% Dipsacus fullonum – Wild Teasel
7% Centaurea cyanus – Cornflower
6% Centaurea scabiosa – Greater Knapweed
6% Silene latifolia – White Campion
8% Trifolium repens – Wild White Clover
7% Silene dioica – Red Campion
2% Leucanthemum vulgare – Oxeye Daisy
7% Malva moschata – Musk Mallow
5% Silene flos-cuculi – Ragged Robin
6% Daucus carota – Wild Carrot
5% Echium vulgare – Viper’s Bugloss
Creating a thriving wildflower meadow takes patience, but with the right preparation and care, you’ll be rewarded with diverse native planting and a thriving habitat that supports biodiversity year after year.
Ground Preparation: Setting the Stage for Growth
The success of your wildflower meadow starts with good ground preparation. Our 100% wildflower seed mixes flourish best on sites with low to moderate soil fertility and minimal perennial weeds. A little effort in preparation will go a long way.
- Remove grass: Grass will always outcompete juvenile wildflower plants so don’t scatter your seeds onto a lawn or directly over grassland or pasture as you won’t get good results. In small areas such as gardens you can remove grass by digging out the sod, roots and all. In larger areas you will need to introduce a hemi-parasitic wildflower called yellow rattle, also known as the meadow maker, which will supress the grass’s growth and clear space for your wildflower seedlings to grow.
- Weed control: Begin by removing weeds through repeated cultivation or hand-pulling, focusing on stubborn perennials.
- Soil preparation: Plough or dig over the soil, removing any existing vegetation. Follow this by raking or harrowing the surface to create a fine, crumbly texture (a ‘tilth’).
- Firm the soil: After raking, gently tread or roll the ground to ensure an even, stable surface—this gives the seeds good contact with the soil for germination.
Once you have prepared the ground, wait another week or so and then pull out any further growth whilst avoiding disturbance to the soil. In doing this you are limiting competition from ‘weeds’ and ensuring the ground is clear for your wildflower seedlings to establish.
Sowing: When and How to Sow Wildflower Seeds
The ideal time to sow your wildflower seeds is in autumn or spring, when soil temperatures are above 12 degrees and moisture levels are just right for germination. However, by ensuring you keep the ground damp – by watering with collected rainwater – sowing can be successful right through summer.
How to sow:
- Divide and conquer: To ensure even coverage, split your seed mix and the ground into equal sections. Sow each portion of seed onto its corresponding section.
- Surface sowing: Scatter the seeds on the surface—avoid covering them with soil. Wildflower seeds need light to germinate.
- Press, don’t bury: Use a roller or simply walk across the area to press the seeds gently into the soil for good contact.
First-Year Management: Patience Pays Off
Around 80% of the wildflowers in our mixtures are perennials and these take time to establish, often flowering from the second year onward. The remaining 20% is made up of annual species which reliably flower in year one.
In the first year, you’re likely to see a flush of plants which establish from the soil’s existing seed bank—don’t panic. While untidy, these weeds offer valuable shelter for young wildflower seedlings and support insects essential to the ecosystem. You can always pull out what you don’t want to keep.
Key tips for year one:
- Avoid cutting until late summer, especially if yellow rattle (an annual wildflower) is included—it needs time to establish, suppress unwanted grasses, and drop its seed.
- In September, mow or cut back growth to around 50mm and remove the cuttings limit enrichment and expose developing wildflowers.
- Control persistent weeds like thistles or docks by digging them out before they spread.
Ongoing Management: Shaping Your Meadow for the Future
By the second year, your meadow will contain a broad mix of species, with the perennials firmly establishing their place. Management now focuses on maintaining balance and encouraging new growth.
Traditional meadow management involves:
- Summer hay cut: Allow the meadow to flower fully from spring until late July or August. Once the bloom period ends, cut back growth to 50mm.
- Seed dispersal: Leave the cuttings on-site for a week to allow seeds to drop and regenerate naturally. Remove cuttings after this period.
- Spreading diversity: Move cuttings to areas of the meadow that need more species diversity for natural reseeding.
- Autumn & winter mowing: Light grazing or mowing helps keep the meadow’s growth balanced—aim to maintain a height of 50mm. An optional spring cut will encourage fresh growth.
If enriching the meadow with new seed, it is best to do this in autumn. After you have cut the meadow back, scarify the ground to expose soil and broadcast the new seed evenly before rolling or treading it in.
A wildflower meadow is a long-term investment in both beauty and biodiversity. With patience, the right preparation, and consistent care, your meadow will flourish into a vibrant habitat that supports wildlife and adds natural beauty to any space. Whether you’re creating a small garden patch or a full-scale meadow, these steps will help your wildflowers thrive for years to come.
