I'm transforming my dull grass garden into a vibrant mix of trees, shrubs, flowers, and various habitats. Last year, I had a great experience with borage, even though it spread a little too well. I really enjoy borage, and it attracts bees, which is a plus!
Now I'm on the hunt for other seeds that can be broadcast sown, much like borage, foxgloves, and honesty. I'm looking for flowers that germinate easily when scattered and can self-seed reliably. My goal is to cultivate established flower populations that will spread out across the garden, especially to support lesser-known pollinators.
I live in the Midlands, UK, where the weather is quite wet. My garden has varying light conditions, with mixed shade and sun, and the soil is mostly clay, depending on how much I've managed to amend it.
6 Answers
I've had great luck with cornflowers for broadcast sowing. They self-sow really well, and the overwintered plants are usually quite impressive! Definitely give them a try!
The success of your broadcast sowing can depend a lot on the soil and surrounding vegetation. Clay can be tricky, but larger seeds with good food reserves tend to do better. Borage and honesty are good choices, but I’d also recommend trying Geranium pratense, Anthriscus sylvestris, and Vicia species. If you can grow a few perennials in a seed bed before planting them out, it will really enhance your chances of success!
Poppies are a fantastic option for broadcast sowing! They’re easy to grow and I love their vibrant colors. Definitely look into direct sowing some annuals as well!
Make sure to look for plants that are native to your region. They usually thrive better in the local conditions and support local wildlife as well!
Just scattering seeds might not be enough, especially with grass still present. It’s worthwhile to clear some grass areas, amend the soil, and create a full wildflower garden. I’ve been transitioning my garden over a couple of years by replacing spots of grass with wildflower perennials, and there’s plenty of info out there on how to do it correctly!
If you're open to it, consider mixing in some edible herbs! I’ve got some basil, chervil, and dill that I’m planning to sow in the spring. I love having edible plants around, and I found that sowing chervil years ago has resulted in it spreading on its own! It’s started to pop up in unexpected spots, which is great!