CREATE A WILDFLOWER MEADOW

Ruth extols the benefits of a nature-friendly lawn

How a nature-friendly lawn brings great benefits

ONE of the best things we have done in the garden is create a summer wildflower meadow, simply by not mowing from April through to early autumn.

Yes, it can look scruffy and much of the grass turns brown by the time autumn comes around, but the pros far outweigh the cons.

Our garden lies on chalk grassland and if left alone it nurtures a rich diversity of wild grasses and native wild flowers including scabious, vetch, self heal and bird’s foot trefoil.

Since letting the lawn grow, the garden has started to attract a wider variety of insects.

This year alone we have had several species of butterflies (including common blue and the little copper), moths, beetles and a chirruping orchestra of crickets and grasshoppers. These have brought in the bats, and a tribe of hedgehogs has also moved in. September is the best time to start a wild flower meadow. Begin by sowing yellow rattle, a semi-parasitic plant that weakens the roots of established grass, making it easier for flowers to get a foothold. Do your research. Generic seed mixes are widely available, but can damage local diversity as they often contain seeds from plants that may not grow naturally in your area. Instead, collect seeds from nearby open spaces, or buy an appropriate mix from a supplier specialising in seeds for different soil types.

■ Suppliers include Heritage seeds (✆01305 834504, heritageseeds.co.uk) Emorsgate Seeds (✆01553 829028, wildseed.co.uk) and Sarah Raven (✆0345 09 0283, sarahraven.com).

Purple self heal in the lawn Our wildflower lawn has increased wildlife diversity in the garden Common blue butterflies roost in our long grass

Yellow rattle helps wild flowers get established