Are Wildflowers easy to grow?

The answer to this question is yes! If you give wildflower seeds the correct conditions to grow, then the rest of the work is done by nature. Wildflowers are a welcome addition to your garden, especially in areas where nothing else wants to grow.

Tips for growing wildflowers

Wildflowers can grow almost anywhere. You will often see wildflowers growing on abandoned embankments by the sides of the road and in wild areas of the countryside. This is because they find it easier to compete with grasses and weeds in low-quality soil with hardly any nutrients. Another bonus is that you can plant wildflower seeds almost any time of the year and still be guaranteed success. The only exceptions are that you should avoid sowing when it’s frosty or icy outside or when cold weather is forecast in the weeks ahead.

The first steps to take for growing wildflowers:

• Select the area where you want to grow wildflowers
• Remove all grass, flowers, weeds, and anything else on the surface
• Dig over the soil to break it up so it is loose and crumbly, then rake it to create a level seed bed
• Sow the wildflower seed at a rate of 5g per m2 (either by hand or with a seed spreader)
• Cover the newly seeded area to protect it from birds
• Keep the soil moist during dry periods. But since we live in the UK, nature will do most of the watering for you throughout the year!

When to sow wildflower seeds?

Spring and autumn are the best times for sowing and growing wildflowers. This is because choosing either spring or autumn ensures the perfect conditions for sowing and determines when you will see your first flowers bloom. So keep reading below, where we've broken down the things to consider when deciding when to sow to get the best blooms from your wildflower seeds:

Planting your wildflowers in spring

Sowing wildflower seeds in spring is ideal because the coldness of winter has gone (in most areas of the UK). Typically, from March to Early June, soil temperatures have increased to provide the perfect growing conditions, combined with an increase in sunlight and rainfall, while pollinators (such as bees and butterflies) are active all day long to pollinate your flowers!

Planting your wildflowers in autumn

Like spring, autumn is a superb time to sow wildflowers in your garden! The best time to sow in autumn is a few weeks before the winter frosts arrive in your local area (you can check this on the MetOffice website). Planting your seeds at this time of the year will enable them to undergo what is known as the stratification process during the cold of winter, which enhances their germination rate for better growth when the following spring arrives.

However, since our seeds are stored in cold conditions year-round, this process is not essential to sowing. They will provide excellent growth whenever they are planted!

When will my wildflowers bloom if I sow in autumn?

If you sow your wildflower seeds in autumn, they will not appear until the following spring, but they will kickstart your wildflower meadow for summer!

Be wary of the cold winter weather!

Winter is the only time you should be wary of sowing wildflower seeds, especially when the soil is frosty or frozen! Once there is a coldness in the air, or if you can see your breath when breathing outdoors, you will usually have missed your opportunity to sow wildflower seed for that year! This is why sowing your wildflower seeds in the final weeks of October is recommended; this way, you will avoid the colder weather and give your wildflower seeds the best conditions for growth.

Our range of vibrant wildflowers

Our Absolutely Annuals and Bloomin’ Marvellous Meadow seed mixes feature 100% wildflower seeds. Other seed mixes we offer combine annuals, perennials, and meadow grasses; we have a blog post explaining the difference between annual and perennial wildflowers. 

Annual wildflowers shoot up within 60-80 days from when they’re sown. Whereas perennial wildflowers will take up to 1 year to establish. Our Absolutely Annuals is a 100% annual seed mix that will bloom vibrantly after a few months for one season.

Additionally, our Bloomin’ Marvellous Meadow seed mix is a luxurious mix of 100% annual and perennial wildflowers that will return year after year.

If you have chosen a wildflower seed mix containing meadow grasses (like Bees Please or Hi Butterfly), the grass will grow first, creating a nursery for the following wildflowers.

Now you know how straightforward it is to grow wildflowers, you can read our blog post on maintaining your wildflower meadow. This will help you keep your wildflower meadow blooming season after season.