good wildflowers for low Victorian garden wall?

Jess is in the Garden

I have inherited a lovely, 3 ft high Victorian garden wall - it's lovely and rough, with moss growing here and there. Have transplanted some sedum cuttings onto it, which are taking well, but wanted to know if anyone has any other tips for good, smallish wall plants which are native and also growable directly into the wall from seed? I have sprinkled some toadflax (Cymbalaria Muralis) around, but no sign of any shoots yet. Did I do something wrong? Any other good seeds to try? Thanks!

Alina W

You'd be best germinating the seeds in modules and then transplanting the modules rather than trying to sow direct - there's too much chance of seeds drying out otherwise.

Aubretia would do well on your wall.

Jess is in the Garden

Of course...too dry - hadn't thought of that with all the rain we've had, but I guess that only applies when the plants are actually out. Thanks Alina - will try Aubretia too.

Daintiness

Not native but very successful in crevices and tops of walls for me and flowers continuously all summer - Erigeron karvinskianus AGM  - often see it in Carol Klein's garden.

Jess is in the Garden

thanks Daintiness - never heard of it but about to Google

burhinus

Ivy leaved Toadflax is a pretty native to have in a wall.

Jess is in the Garden

ok - have bought my Erigeron seeds - thanks D have you had any luck sowing them directly into a wall or do I need to germinate them inside first?

burhinus - I have nicked a piece of toadflax from a front garden but it didn't take, unfortunately...then I tried sowing seeds directly into some soil I had scattered in the gaps of my wall - but nothing germinated (wish I'd had Alina's advice earlier!) ...would love to find a place which sells small plants already in pots, but have yet to find this...I would love to cover my wall in Toadflax as I think it's beautiful too.

figrat

http://www.startuk.org/food/seed-bombs.aspx Above a link to a site explaining how to make seed bombs. Sorry, you'll have to paste and copy link into your browser rather than click on it directly. Basically it's seed mixed into a ball of mud, which can then be pushed into wall crevices. You could try this, or sow seed into modules and then push into crevices when well rooted. I have miles of toadflax on my Walls, no idea where it came from - but I yank it out periodically. Slugs and snails love sheltering behind it - be warned! And I wouldn't let valerian take hold either, the roots get enormous and could bring the whole wall down. You might also think of wallflowers - might sound a bit corny, but they can be kept going for years if you cut back after flowering.

figrat

BTW, once you've got the Erigeron going, it'll pop up all over the place. I did read somewhere that if you introduce self- seeders at the top of a wall or slope, they will colonise downwards. Forget-me nots might be worth a go as well - they seed themselves here into the teeniest little cracks.

Jess is in the Garden

thanks figrat! hadn't thought of forget me nots...great idea.

Jess is in the Garden

PS: I like the idea o seed bombs and even modules, but the gaps in my wall are very very small and the best I can achieve is to push a little soil into them here and there, but I doubt a larger plug would fit. That's why I was looking for good self-seeders and plants which have seeds that like to be scattered on thr surface and don't need much soil at all...thank you all for your ideas! figrat, I have loads of snails and slugs in my garden, so will bear that in mind!