Wildflower meadows are all the rage: here's how to plant one
Meadows can be created from mixtures of annual flowers, which grow, bloom and set seed in one year, or from perennials that flower in their first year and then bloom again over the following few years. Alternatively, you can opt for grasses and perennial wildflower mixtures or easy planting solutions, such as ready-to-use impregnated seed papers, or mats or turves of meadow plants that contain various blends of perennials and, in some cases, grass species.
Sowing annual mixes is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways of establishing a meadow effect, as the results are quick and colourful. They are really useful in small gardens that have areas of open ground, such as alongside a pathway, or gaps in borders, or you can use them in large pots. While most annual mixes require full sun, there are blends suitable for light shade, but not for deep shade.
Some mixtures comprise a wide range of species, others recreate hay meadows and include scarlet poppies, blue and red flax, azure cornflowers, and pink or white corncockle. Alternatively, you can choose colour-themed blends in yellow, blue, pink, red or white.

Factors to consider before sowing annual flower seed
- Small spaces
- Gaps in borders
- Hedgerow margins
- Containers
- Cheap to create
- Easy to sow
- Fast establishment
- Flowers weeks from sowing
- Weeds can dominate if seed is not sown correctly
- Sowing needs to be even for best results
- Flowering can be short or curtailed in poor weather
- Can look untidy after flowering season is over
- Ground looks untidy or bare out of season
- Areas will need re-sowing to maintain the intensity and balance of the flower display in successive years
- Food for the larvae of some beneficial insects
- Food for pollinating insects from early summer
- Seeds for birds and wildlife in autumn if plants are left in situ
- Clean the sowing area of all weeds beforehand
- Displays work best in nutrient poor soil, so do not add fertiliser
- Water until seedlings establish, and then only in dry conditions
How to sow annual flower seed
Quick and easy, this sowing method is ideal for the beginner who wants colourful annual flowers for a pathway, border or small meadow.
- Site: Full sun
- Soil: Free-draining
- Maintenance needed: Medium
- Seed mixtures of choice
- Rake
- Loam-based or peat-free seed compost
- Garden sieve
- Watering can or hose
- Bees, butterflies and other pollinators
- Woodland edge and shade-loving plants
- Colourful meadows
- Colour-themed meadow effects
- Various soil conditions
- Wild bird seed
- Aquilegia











