ox-eye daisies are a 'pioneer' species that will establish themselves, including in grass, and then provide a foothold for other plants to establish around them. Mulleins (verbascum), aquilegia and yarrow (achillea) will all grow in grass if you get the plants started in plugs, pretty much all all the primula variants as has been said and there are also biennials that will grow in grass and self seed - foxgloves, honesty, wild carrot (sorry Papi - daucus carota) - teasel (dipsacus) if you want to go for height although it's VERY prickly so not close to a path. And nettles of course. Much underrated as a meadow plant, but birds and butterflies love them and they are free
“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first”
get some yellow rattle seed in autumn and sow them in autumn after the grass is cut. That needs to be grown from seed and is semi-parasitic on grass. It weakens it and the plants can get a head start. I'd get one plant of each of your choices and leave them to see about themselves unless you can afford several of each. Only the yellow rattle can be relied upon to germinate in grass. The rest will eventually because they make a lot more seed than you get in a packet.
If you've got decent sized plugs you can plant ox-eye daisies now and probably any of the perennials. The biennials may be better planted at end of summer as the grass is slowing up, to give them a chance to get their roots established through the autumn - that is their natural cycle - seeds drop in summer, the seedlings start to grow quickly then. If you sow them now they'll probably not germinate well. If you buy plugs that were started last year then they could go out. But it may be better to start with the perennials and then fill in gradually with other plants as it takes shape and you can see what you want to make it into
“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first”
Sorry Phil, I was under the assumption you wanted rid of the grass. With those I mentioned, they obviously self seed and the cycle starts the next spring.
Posts
I think perennials in grass is the way to go. Would like it to be a permanent thing we didn't have to re-plant every year.
Thanks for the advice!
ox-eye daisies are a 'pioneer' species that will establish themselves, including in grass, and then provide a foothold for other plants to establish around them. Mulleins (verbascum), aquilegia and yarrow (achillea) will all grow in grass if you get the plants started in plugs, pretty much all all the primula variants as has been said and there are also biennials that will grow in grass and self seed - foxgloves, honesty, wild carrot (sorry Papi - daucus carota) - teasel (dipsacus) if you want to go for height although it's VERY prickly so not close to a path. And nettles of course. Much underrated as a meadow plant, but birds and butterflies love them and they are free
get some yellow rattle seed in autumn and sow them in autumn after the grass is cut. That needs to be grown from seed and is semi-parasitic on grass. It weakens it and the plants can get a head start. I'd get one plant of each of your choices and leave them to see about themselves unless you can afford several of each. Only the yellow rattle can be relied upon to germinate in grass. The rest will eventually because they make a lot more seed than you get in a packet.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks raisingirl! When is the best time to plant these?
Great, I'll aim for an autumn start with the yellow rattle and then work from there.
If you've got decent sized plugs you can plant ox-eye daisies now and probably any of the perennials. The biennials may be better planted at end of summer as the grass is slowing up, to give them a chance to get their roots established through the autumn - that is their natural cycle - seeds drop in summer, the seedlings start to grow quickly then. If you sow them now they'll probably not germinate well. If you buy plugs that were started last year then they could go out. But it may be better to start with the perennials and then fill in gradually with other plants as it takes shape and you can see what you want to make it into
Thanks for the advice. Sounds like a bit of a minefield with lots to choose from. Will see how it goes!
Sorry Phil, I was under the assumption you wanted rid of the grass. With those I mentioned, they obviously self seed and the cycle starts the next spring.
No problem, I'm happy for it to stay or go, although I guess it will end up mixing in with the wildflowers.