Replacing lawn with meadow...

[shirlthegirl43]

Following Nicks suggestion on Winolover's Weedy Lawn thread:

"I'm with you birdie but I hate lawns as well

Maybe you could compromise and just re-sow the bald bits with wildflower seeds and then mow a winding path thru it and let the rest grow into a hay meadow. If you use the right mix you can attract Birds, Insects and Bats to the garden and it will look far better than a green desert"

Now I like that idea, I mowed what passes for a lawn in our garden yesterday to find loads of bald spots where containers have stood and suchlike. None of us enjoy mowing, it is just something that has to be done. I was dreading trying to patch up the grass and mow it frequently enough to get the traditional green that people seem to expect. Much prefer the thought of loads of flowers and a wandering path. Trouble is, would that make it much easier for T Rex to hide from the birdies? Where do you go to get enough seed to sow a meadow like that?

[nick the grief]

How about here ...
Wildflower wildflower seed , plug plants, bulbs and seed packets native UK

Or here
Landlife wildflowers for online ordering of wild flower seeds, wildflower plants and seed packet com

[smallblueplanet]

Or here, although I don't know if you get a German meadow?

Lidl Online

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks folks, might try changing a section of what is currently rubbish lawn into meadow this year - if I find the energy to dig off all the grass!

[scared55]

Following Nicks suggestion on Winolover's Weedy Lawn thread:

"Maybe you could compromise and just re-sow the bald bits with wildflower seeds and then mow a winding path thru it and let the rest grow into a hay meadow. If you use the right mix you can attract Birds, Insects and Bats to the garden and it will look far better than a green desert"

Now you have me thinking. We have about half an acre of undulating land devoted to fruit trees, bushes and molehills. It takes over an hour to trim it every ten days or so with a ride-on (some of it dead worrying as I'm sure I am well beyond the maximum recommended slope) followed by another half hour of detail work with a push mower.

Perhaps if I do a winding path and keep some clear around the trees and bushes ...

Hmmmm ... Food for thought.

KK

[shirlthegirl43]

Now you have me thinking. We have about half an acre of undulating land devoted to fruit trees, bushes and molehills. It takes over an hour to trim it every ten days or so with a ride-on (some of it dead worrying as I'm sure I am well beyond the maximum recommended slope) followed by another half hour of detail work with a push mower.

Perhaps if I do a winding path and keep some clear around the trees and bushes ...

Hmmmm ... Food for thought.

KK

Sounds wonderful KK, you would have to mow spring and late autumn to keep it tip top but that would be less stressful than every ten days.

[scared55]

Sounds wonderful KK, you would have to mow spring and late autumn to keep it tip top but that would be less stressful than every ten days.

And cheaper on petrol!

KK

[nick the grief]

Youd be better off with some sheep !! At least you can eat them

[Matt.]

oh no you've got it all wrong... honest

Nothing less stressful than mowing the lawn on a nice sunny day. The fantasic smell of cut grass and the immedite impact it has on how good your garden looks. Tender it, nurture it, roll it, weed it, feed it until its so good you can play snooker on it

I like it so much I've started sowing grass on my allotment

[Flummery]

The only bit if the garden Himself does is the Meadow. This grand title covers a small area - about ten paces across - well dotted with wild flowers. It is mown a couple of times a year. In Spring it looks fantastic. The rest of the year it's AWFUL. I keep apologising for it to gardening friends. He loves it though. If I had total control (world domination!) that area would be fruit bushes and I'd have a border at one side with the wild flower plants in.

[scared55]

oh no you've got it all wrong... honest

Nothing less stressful than mowing the lawn on a nice sunny day. The fantasic smell of cut grass and the immedite impact it has on how good your garden looks. Tender it, nurture it, roll it, weed it, feed it until its so good you can play snooker on it

I like it so much I've started sowing grass on my allotment

That would be relatively flat, level and free from moles, I take it, rather than the steeply sloping reclaimed farmland that picks up 20-30 molehills per day that I have here.

KK

[Paul Wagland]

You're not alone Matt - I like mowing too! It is nice and flat though

One tip on meadows - when you mow you should take the cuttings away, rather than leave them on the ground. This reduces fertility in the soil which is good for biodiversity. The richer the soil, the more chance one dominant species will take control.

[SarzWix]

A bit late on this thread, but you could also try Wildflowers - Naturescape Native British Wild Flowers, Seeds, Plants and Advice with mail-order and online ordering. I've had seed, pond & plug plants from them and they're really, really helpful.

[SueA]

I'd love a wildlife meadow, I ripped out our 2 tiny weedy lawns years ago & replaced them with gravel, pots & hebes & a veg.patch. If I had room I'd have a meadow with wildflowers & bulbs in it but I understand they do need quite a bit of work to get the balance right between grasses & flowers.

[Flummery]

You really need a meadow sized meadow in my opinion, not the middle bit of your garden. It can look quite rough most of the year. Ask me how I know!