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05 Apr 2024

Best wildflower meadow seed mixes

Create a beauitful display of wildflowers to attract pollinators this summer.

Adelaide GraySenior researcher & writer

A beautiful alternative to a traditional flower border, wildflower seed mixes promise a display of blooms that pollinators will love. But how attractive are they really and how much effort do they need to be maintained?

Which? Gardening magazine grew a range of popular mixes to see which would give the best display and how they would look the following year.

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Full testing results for wildflower meadows seed mixes

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Mix name	Overall rating	Appearance first year	Appearance second year	Flowering impact first year	Flowering impact second year	Invasive weed grass	Pollinator attraction	Bare ground over winter
Boston seeds - BSXP 100% Dual Purpose Wildflower mixture
Boston seeds - BSBP 100% Butterfly and Bees wildflower mixture
British Wildflower Seeds - Bee Wildflower Seed Mix
Chiltern seeds - Cornfield special annual mix
Empathy - mini meadow for bees, bugs & butterflies
John Chambers - Pro Cornfield Annuals Mix
Landlife wildflower seeds - LWBP 100% Butterfly and Bees wildflower mixture

The more stars the better. Overall Rating Ignores price and is based on: visual appearance 30%, flowering impact 30% both equal weighting for first and second year assessments, weed grass incursion 10%, pollinator attraction 20%, bare ground over winter 10%.

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How to create a wildflower meadow

Wildlflower meadows are best sown during late autumn or late spring when the soil is warm and the weather is not too dry. Autumn sown meadows will flower early in the following year.
Remove any existing grass and plants from the area where you plan to sow your wildflower seed and if possible, remove the top 5-10cm of soil as this will reduce fertility.
Remove stones or any other debris and rake the area to create a fine, level seedbed.
Do not add top soil, compost or fertiliser to the area - wildflowers prefer low nutrient soil.
Allow the area to settle for a few days, removing any weeds that start growing during this time.
Scatter the seed at a rate given by the supplier and rake it gently into the soil.
Water the seeds in well If needed, protect the area from pests such as pigeons with netting.
If sowing in dry weather, water as required for the first six weeks.

Try our Recommended wildflower suppliers

How to manage a wildflower meadow

In August or September (after flowering) cut your wildflower sward to around 8cm. You can do this by putting your mower on a high setting or using a grass trimmer. Leave the cuttings on the ground for a week or so to allow seeds to fall.

Do not fertilise the soil in any way. During the winter months remove any invasive grasses or undesirable weeds.

Within all wildflower mixes some species may become more abundant than others, depending on local conditions.

Sowing additional seed such as cornflowers for annual colour, or yellow rattle to weaken invasive grasses can continually improve your meadow and means your wildflower meadow will evolve and adapt year on year.