Creating a "woodland meadow" in garden?

Discussion in 'NEW Gardeners !' started by Weedstoo, Aug 15, 2022.

  1. Weedstoo

    Weedstoo Gardener

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2021
    Messages:
    45
    Ratings:
    +21
    Hi.

    This area is mostly under large trees, so in shade a lot of the day. Ground is all grassy (it was left to overgrow in the nature friendly part of the garden).
    It just looks like a mess though and would rather have some colour in the wild part . . .

    So, what is the best way to create some kind of woodland flower meadow? I take it it will be a bit more difficult than just sprinkling those seed mixes?

    I did read somewhere that you can sow one particular wildflower and it supposedly will attach itself to the grass roots and kill them off. But I forgot the name of it.

    Any ideas what I can do? Some of it will extend from under the trees so will get more daylight (sun).

    Also, would one recommend particular types of flowers - as in - often if you get a wildflower mix you do not really know what is growing where and might mistake them for weeds?

    Here is the photo of the type of ground (it was mowed lawn a few years back). GrassUnderTrees.jpg

    Any ideas welcome . . .thanks.
     
  2. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2005
    Messages:
    47,718
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Mid Kent
    Ratings:
    +84,362
    Ive got a small area under trees that I have slowly been covering with wood chippings mostly from my own prunings and loppings of the trees.

    It's pretty much killed off any grass that used to grow there now .

    Recent years I've been planting clumps of polyanthus and the likes here and there along with blubells.

    It looks pretty dead this time of year, more of an early spring and summer thing.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • groundbeetle

      groundbeetle Gardener

      Joined:
      Jun 23, 2021
      Messages:
      311
      Gender:
      Female
      Ratings:
      +438
      Your areas under trees sound like maybe a good place to grow primroses and polyanthus? I grew some and though their flowers are beautiful in spring, they make too many leaves afterwards and I am constantly cutting back their leaves both during flowering and afterwards. Their big, messy leaves that take over other plants are making me wonder whether to just eradicate them altogether from my garden, which would be a pity.

      Maybe under a tree they would form less leaves, and flowers in spring?

      I feel the same about spring bulbs, really beautiful when they flower but their leaves take months to die back, and I don't have any space to move them to so they are out of the way of other plants. I think I will only grow Cyclamen for spring flowering, as it flowers all winter and all spring, its leaves aren't messy, its leaves are attractive, and the leaves do die back during summer. Cyclamen likes shade, which is another advantage. Violas and Violets like shade too, and apparently Violas can flower all winter. Violets are supposed to flower in spring, I only recently planted some so will have to see. I will probably only grow spring bulbs in small pots that can be moved out of the way, or shared with something happy to be cut back in autumn such as Feverfew, which then grows back as the spring bulbs' leaves die off.

      I did read that Violets can take over your garden with their underground root systems. But that is an advantage in that they would be more drought proof. And they are happy under the shade of a tree, as are Cyclamen.
       
      Last edited: Aug 15, 2022
    • Clueless 1 v2

      Clueless 1 v2 Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Jun 26, 2022
      Messages:
      1,789
      Gender:
      Male
      Ratings:
      +2,274
      Yellow Rattle.

      If you don't feed the grass, it will gradually become less vigorous all on its own, but yellow rattle is the flower usually recommended in this context.

      I'd also scatter some mixed clover seeds. Crimson clover is gorgeous but I've found it a bit harder to establish than the native clovers.
       
    • NigelJ

      NigelJ Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Jan 31, 2012
      Messages:
      6,042
      Gender:
      Male
      Occupation:
      Mad Scientist
      Location:
      Paignton Devon
      Ratings:
      +20,951
      @Weedstoo
      I have an area like yours and I planted snowdrops, Anemone blanda and A nemorosa, Narcissus bulbocodium, Autumn and Spring crocus, Fritillaria melagris, Primula, Arum maculatum and A italicum over the years these have spread and give a good display; I wait until the leaves have died down before cutting the grass. The grass grows poorly enough not to need to yellow rattle to slow it down.
      Later in the year I have Iris foetidissima, Dianella tasmanica a number of self seeding geraniums, Reineckea carnea (Japanese woodlander spread gradually) and several ground cover Rubus and a few ferns recently added. Also a couple of hydrangeas and Japanese anemones.
      To some extent it depends on where you are in the UK most years I benefit from plenty of rain and decent humidity.
      Over the years cyclamen have spread in from elsewhere and the anemone, crocuse and snowdrops are wandering out.
      The trees are a combination of Norwegian spruce and American red oak.
       
      • Like Like x 1
      • Weedstoo

        Weedstoo Gardener

        Joined:
        Sep 20, 2021
        Messages:
        45
        Ratings:
        +21
        How long is your flowering season?

        Everything in the garden has died off now - apart from the Rose bush.
         
      • Weedstoo

        Weedstoo Gardener

        Joined:
        Sep 20, 2021
        Messages:
        45
        Ratings:
        +21
        Yellow Rattle - that was the one. Though I am unsure how it is supposed to work. Like do I have to sow the yellow rattle and wait an entire year before sowing the other flowers? Or kind of bung that in with the other seeds?
         
      • Clueless 1 v2

        Clueless 1 v2 Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Jun 26, 2022
        Messages:
        1,789
        Gender:
        Male
        Ratings:
        +2,274
        I've never grown it. My lawn naturally has clover and daisies in it. And I let the dandelions flower in spring. I haven't done anything special, I just don't feed the lawn very often so the other stuff has a fair chance. I've seen yellow rattle elsewhere where the grass is much stronger, presumably down in an effort to establish a wildflower meadow. I've seen a lot of meadow mixes that contain yellow rattle along with other flowers and wild grasses so I presume from that you don't have to wait, because you'd have a job picking out all of a particular type of seed from a mix :)
         
      • NigelJ

        NigelJ Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Jan 31, 2012
        Messages:
        6,042
        Gender:
        Male
        Occupation:
        Mad Scientist
        Location:
        Paignton Devon
        Ratings:
        +20,951
        @Weedstoo
        The spring with the snowdrops, crocuses, primulas and anemones is the most floriferous season. However there is generally something of interest.
        Some of the geraniums are still flowering, a couple of flowers are emerging on the Japanese anemone. The Dianella has iridescent blue berries at the moment
        Dianella tasmanica.JPG
        and there are red drumstick seed heads on the arums. In October the Autumn Crocus will be flowering, the Iris foetidissima seed heads will be splitting to show the bright orange seeds and the silvery marked foliage of the Arum italicum will be emerging. The Rubus are mainly grown for the colour and texture of the foliage as are the Reineckea.
        This year a lot of things have struggled with the heat and dryness. I may have lost a couple of things not fully established and others will take a couple of "normal" years to recover.
         
        • Like Like x 3
        • NigelJ

          NigelJ Total Gardener

          Joined:
          Jan 31, 2012
          Messages:
          6,042
          Gender:
          Male
          Occupation:
          Mad Scientist
          Location:
          Paignton Devon
          Ratings:
          +20,951
          Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) is a hemiparasite of many grasses. It takes nutrients from the roots of the grass so weakening the grass and making it easier for wildflowers to grow. It is an annual, but should self seed. I'm not sure how it will do in a shady habitat.
          The grass under my trees has never grown strongly and even in a "normal" year only needs cutting a few times between April and October. Which bits get cut, when depends on flowering times and the state of the foliage. The area only gets one or maybe two all over cuts a year. If an area has little grass growth or green foliage it doesn't get cut. The Iris foetidissma, self seeded geraniums and arums are liable to a cut if getting out of hand, they generally survive.
           
          • Like Like x 1
          • Weedstoo

            Weedstoo Gardener

            Joined:
            Sep 20, 2021
            Messages:
            45
            Ratings:
            +21
            I presume I should NOT use any kind of pesticides to kill the grass off?

            Not sure if it really shows in the photo but there are loads of deep grassy roots in the area.
             
          • pete

            pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

            Joined:
            Jan 9, 2005
            Messages:
            47,718
            Gender:
            Male
            Occupation:
            Retired
            Location:
            Mid Kent
            Ratings:
            +84,362
            I now spot kill weeds with glyphosate in spring.
            Most years mine is too shady for much to grow in the summer.
             
            • Like Like x 1
            • NigelJ

              NigelJ Total Gardener

              Joined:
              Jan 31, 2012
              Messages:
              6,042
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Mad Scientist
              Location:
              Paignton Devon
              Ratings:
              +20,951
              @Weedstoo
              Mine have gone in mainly as plants and bulbs, the primroses, Fritillaria, geraniums, Anemone and possibly crocuses self seed through the grass and moss without a problem.
              It would help if you filled in your location on the Personal Details page as that gives people at least a general idea of climate and so forth.
               
              • Like Like x 1
              Loading...

              Share This Page

              1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                Dismiss Notice