Q Wildflowers and bulbs: okay in my mossy lawn?
George Barker, by email
ACHRISTINE SAYS I think going with the flow is probably easier than trying to create a traditional lawn.
I do worry that you mention there is moss present, which may be due to poor drainage and rather indicates a damp site.
Allowing the dandelions and daisies to grow gives you a foundation to introduce other plants here such as bugle, speedwells, white clover, cowslips, lady’s bedstraw, meadow buttercups, cat’s ears, cuckoo flower, oxeye daisies, common knapweed, rough hawkbit, field scabious and selfheal. I would buy in young plug plants and plant these into the present area, ensuring that they are watered well in dry weather until they establish.
There are also some bulbs that like these conditions, such as Narcissus pseudonarcissus, Fritillaria meleagris and bluebells.
ABOB SAYS You could plant bulbs, but then the lawn should not be mown from when bulbs’ leaves first show till six weeks after they finish flowering. As for wildflowers, they will seldom take unless you first remove competing grasses and weeds. Simply giving local flora free reign is problematic as this may include vigorous plants such as stinging nettles, which will dominate the area unless carefully weeded out.
If this is your only grassed area I’d slice off all the turf (packed into black bags it will become loamy compost in a year). Sell your lawnmower and buy a load of inexpensive paving slabs to make a circular stepping-stone path. On either side of this add low-growing plants – chamomile, thymes, snowdrops, cyclamen – then rings of compact plants, and taller bulbs such as daffodils and lilies. Keep these plants well spaced so you can hoe between them. It will be a riot of colour.