Percolation area wildflowers

fizzypish

Hi All,

I have a new build out in the country side. There is a 10mX10m raised percolation area at the front of my house that I'm looking to plant with Irish wildflower. I spotted the following online: https://connectingtonature.ie/collections/wildflower-seed-only-mixes/products/butterflyandbeewildflowermix?variant=37558882467990

• Species included: Yarrow, Kidney Vetch, Clustered Bellflower, Nettle Leaved, Bellflower, Common Knapweed, Greater Knapweed, Wild Carrot, Viper’s Buglos,Lady’s Bedstraw, Meadow Cranesbill, Common St. John’s Wort, Field Scabious, Meadow Vetchling, Common Toadflax, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Purple Loosestrife, Wild Marjoram, Self Heal, Yellow Rattle, Small Scabious, Betony, Hedge Woundwort, Devilsbit Scabious, Wild Red Clover, Dark Mullein, Tufted Vetch, Corn Cockle, Corn Flower, Corn Chamomile, Corn Marigold, Corn Poppy

Right so first of all, I'm no gardener. Anything I plant can't have an extensive root system or it will mess up the percolation area. I'm told native Irish species tend to have shallow roots?

My question:

Is the product above suitable to plant and is it in fact legitimate Irish wildflower that will grow again next year? The ambition is if the percolation area is successful, to start sowing patches of flowers in the surrounding fields (my fields of course) over time.

Any help appreciated.

Cheers,

Fizzy

looksee

They are probably all plants that would be found in Ireland, all of them would be suitable for the percolation area, those kind of wildflowers do not have deep roots and a good few of them would grow in the area naturally if left to itself for a couple of years. They would be called weeds though 😀.

Strictly speaking they are recommended by the RHS so they are British sourced seeds, which purists would say could contaminate the Irish wildflower stock. It only says they support the Irish re-wilding project, not that they are in any way approved.

In fairness though they are a way better selection than most of the similar packs sold which are often not strictly wildflowers, just an assortment of easy annuals.

If you google Irish wild flower seeds there are a couple of local suppliers who guarantee locally found seed.

SnowyMuckish

I don’t know that website but I do Know for guaranteed native Irish seeds check wildflowers.ie

The website is a bit awkward but the product is good.

Those flowers listed are all great options. What I find is what suits your site will grow and the rest won’t. Make sure that you include yellow rattle in any mix. This is a very important plant as it is parasitic and feeds off grass and therefore suppresses it which allows other species to grow.

Seedaholic is good too. There’s a search option for wildflowers native to Ireland I choose organic where possible.

We’ve tried 2 approaches to wildflower meadows.

1. We’ve designed areas and added seeds.
2. Around the boundaries of our fields we’ve let about 1m of the borders go wild naturally. We don’t cut this back or manage in any way.

With the 2nd option I’ve noticed lots of habitat creation. We have lots of small mammals including hedgehogs overwintering due to it not being cut back.

Happy gardening!

SnowyMuckish

Also lots of seed mixes contain annuals which only last one year (usually the more colourful plants) and perennials which come back every year. I harvest some seed pods of the annuals and direct sow again to get more of them to come back.

fizzypish

Brilliant feedback. Thanks lads!

GreeBo

I also dont think roots would harm a percolation area, as the plants would be consuming the water?