We have moved to a new home and garden, in a paddock down the road from our old house. We will be building a 'proper' house at some stage, but in the meantime are living in a wonderful 6 x 4.8m hut that my son and husband built for us. I can't develop a permanent garden in one part of the main house site, as I know construction traffic will cause mayhem. So I have sown a wildflower meadow!! Mixed success so far, but things have finally started to grow and flower after our crazy wet summer. Some photos follow, of the meadow in early stages......Many many more species to develop yet.
I have been documenting the flowers as they open, and these are the early starters.
The area is approx. 270 square metres. It was a freshly shaped mound with bare soil when I attacked it. No irrigation. Plants left to fend for themselves. Pest eradication measures involve a gun!! I bought a big pack of Bee Pollinator seeds from Kings Seeds, and sowed them in late November. Way later than I should have. And in my hurry, didn't wait for enough of the weeds seeds to germinate so I could zap them first, so have been fighting a losing battle with Plantain and Buttercup ever since. I would advise letting weeds germinate at least twice, and blanket spraying it all twice, THEN sowing seeds. (Sorry to any anti-sprayers out there).
It is important to rake the ground before and after, so some soil sits on top of the seeds. Some of my area was very hard from digger compaction, and in hindsight I should have spent time loosening it up, but it was forecast for a week of rain and I was in too much of a hurry to get the seeds sown so they could utilise the moisture!!
I have now sprayed out some areas that didn't take well (those compacted areas, of course), and will prep that ground ready for autumn sowing of seeds I have been collecting for just such a purpose! Most of the plants I will let self-seed, others I will remove the seed heads so they don't return. Maybe! Watch this space!!
NOTE: Never spray plants once they are flowering, as bees will absorb it.
