Which Wildflower Seed Mixture to Choose?
With so many wildflower seed mixtures available, choosing the right one for your garden or project can be a daunting task. Whether you’re looking to attract pollinators, enhance your landscape with vibrant colour, or restore a native habitat, selecting the right blend of seeds is essential for success. We've put together this helpful guide to help you find the perfect wildflower seed mixture to suit your specific needs and goals.
Just before we look at the mixtures, let's be sure we understand the lifecycle of wildflowers:
Annuals
Annual species complete their lifecycle in one year; they germinate, flower, set seed and die in one growing season. Annual species include, cornflower, poppy, corncockle and corn marigold.
Biennials
Biennial species have a two-year lifecycle; they germinate, and grow foliage and strong roots, in the first year, and flower and die back in the following year. Biennial species include teasel, wild carrot, foxglove and viper's bugloss.
Perennials
Perennial species have a lifecycle that lasts longer than two years; it can take two or three years for them to flower for the first time, and then they return to bloom year after year. Perennial wildflower species include oxeye daisy, knapweed, scabious and meadow buttercup.
Most of our mixtures include annuals, biennials and perennials, ensuring there's colour from year 1, through year 2, and for many years to come.
100% Wildflower Seed Mixtures
These mixtures create an impactful, species-rich display when sown on to a bare seedbed, or can be sown into an existing sward (having exposed around 50% bare soil) to create a wildflower meadow.
Annuals, Biennials and Perennials Mixture
Most of our 100% wildflower mixtures have a blend of annuals, biennials and perennial species. The annuals will flower to give colour and interest in year 1, with the biennial and perennial species flowering from year 2 onwards.
Our best-selling annual, biennial and perennial mixtures include;
Native British General Purpose Wildflower Seed Mix
Native British Wildflower Seed Mix for Clay Soil
Native British Wildflower Seeds for Chalky Soil
Perennial-Only Mixtures
Our 100% wildflower mixes for shady sites contain only biennial and perennial species as annuals do not thrive in shade. Expect your perennial species to take a couple of years to flower with some species flowering for the first time in years 3 or 4.
Native British Wildflower Seed for Partial Shade
Native British Wildflower Seed for Woodland Shade
Annual-Only Mixtures
These are best for large urban settings, garden borders and containers, and where temporary colour is required. Annual species are particularly floriferous and have a long flowering season from early summer to the first frosts of winter. Annual wildflowers are an excellent choice for high-fertility sites, as they thrive in nutrient-rich soil and quickly establish vibrant blooms within a single growing season.
Our best-selling annual mixtures include;
Cornfield Annual Standard
Hardy Annuals
Meadow Mixtures
Our meadow mixes comprise 80% meadow grass seed (a mix of 7 meadow grass species) and 20% wildflower seed (usually annuals, biennials and perennials). We recommend sowing a meadow mix in larger areas where the high percentage of grasses creates a natural meadow. These mixtures are less suitable for small gardens as the percentage of wildflowers included is small.
Our best-selling meadow mixtures include;
Native British General Purpose Meadow Seed Mix
Instant Sunshine Mini Wildflower Meadow
Native British Meadow Wildflower Seed Mix for Clay Soil
When choosing the perfect wildflower seed mixture for your garden, it's important to consider whether you'd like an annual mix, a blend of annuals and perennials, or a more natural meadow mix that includes grasses. If you're looking for vibrant blooms that last a single season, an annual mix is ideal. For a garden that continues to thrive year after year, a blend of annuals and perennials offers lasting beauty with the chance to enjoy new blooms each season. Alternatively, a meadow mix with grasses creates a natural, low-maintenance landscape that attracts a wide range of wildlife.
No matter what you're looking for, Meadowmania has a variety of seed mixtures tailored to your needs. Explore our full collection of wildflower seed mixes and find the perfect blend to create the garden of your dreams! Happy planting!
