Getting started with wildflowers

Wildflowers can make an excellent addition to your garden for a whole host of reasons. Local wildlife love them, they add lovely variety and colour and they are relatively low maintenance. You can plant them in beds but also in window boxes and pots, so whatever your set up, they can still add a lovely bit of interest to you home.  

In this blog, we look at some tips on how to embrace wildflowers in your garden or outdoor space.

Choose the right species

Select wildflowers that are native to your region. Native plants are more likely to thrive in your local climate and soil conditions, and they provide the most benefits to local wildlife. Research which wildflowers are native to your area or consult with local gardening experts.

Prepare the soil

While wildflowers are generally less demanding than cultivated plants, they still benefit from good soil preparation. Clear the area of weeds and debris, and gently rake the area to disturb the top layer of soil.

Planting wildflowers

The easiest way to plant wildflowers is by scattering seeds or seedballs. Take a look at Bluum's range of UK native wildflower kits for ideas. For seeds, follow these steps:

• Plant seeds either in the spring or the autumn.
• Scatter seeds evenly over the prepared soil. With seedballs, there is no need to bury them, they just sit on the surface.
• Gently rake the soil to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.
• Water the area gently to keep the soil moist until germination.

Maintenance tips

• Once established, wildflowers typically require minimal watering. During dry periods, water them deeply but infrequently.
• Regularly remove invasive weeds to prevent them from outcompeting your wildflowers.
• Remove deadheads and spent blooms to encourage more flowers.

Choosing your wildflowers

Combining different wildflower species helps to create a varied and visually appealing garden. That way you get the benefits from different bloom times, heights and colours of various species to ensure a continuous display of flowers throughout the growing season.

You can embrace a natural style by allowing wildflowers to grow in drifts or clusters. This approach mimics how they grow in the wild and creates a more organic, rustic look.

You can pair wildflowers with other native plants or even cultivated flowers to create diverse plant communities. This can enhance the visual appeal and support the ecology of your garden. 

You can also choose your wildflowers based on the wildlife you'd like to help support or attract. Check out the wildlife collection of seedballs – boxes specially put together with collections of plants that will support birds, butterflies, bees, hedgehogs, beetles or bats.

All in all, planting wildflowers really is one of the easiest, yet most rewarding things you can do in your outdoor space. Low cost, easy to plant, easy to maintain and loved by nature – you can't go wrong!