Can you just throw wildflower seeds?

Wildflowers are a fantastic addition to any garden. They are vibrantly beautiful and provide food for pollinators like bees and butterflies, as well as other insects. These hardy plants don’t require much to succeed, and they can be planted at any time of the year. However, many people believe you can just throw the wildflower seeds down and they will grow, but some preparation is required before planting begins.

So, can I just throw wildflower seeds on my lawn?

The soil needs to be prepared before sowing, so, unfortunately, you can’t just throw wildflower seeds over your lawn. Our advice is also to remove grass and leaves from your lawn before putting your wildflower seed down. You can then follow our how to sow wildflowers guide for a step-by-step process.

Planting wildflower seeds is best done in early spring or in the autumn, but sowing in autumn will give the best results. Planting wildflower seeds during this season gives you the earliest display of wildflowers the following year.

Can I plant wildflower seeds anywhere?

Although wildflowers can grow almost anywhere, some seed types will be better suited to different conditions than others. This means that the wildflower mix you choose will affect how well your meadow blooms. Also, be aware that seed mixes that don’t contain grass will not offer the best year-round habitat for wildlife.

Below we have listed a breakdown of our seed mixes and the variety of conditions that they are suited to:

Wildflower Mixes for Normal Soil Types in Non-Shaded Areas:

Annuals Mix(does not include grass) - contains the nation's favourite cornfield annuals for a beautiful pop of colour.
Meadow Magic (does not include grass) - contains a mix of UK native annuals and perennials for a flora-full meadow that can be introduced to any garden.
Flowering Meadow (includes grass) - contains a mixture of UK native annuals and long-lasting perennials that are RHS Plants for Pollinators approved.
Bees and Pollinators (includes grass) - contains a mixture of UK native annuals and perennials expertly picked for their bee and pollinator attracting abilities. They are also RHS Plants for Pollinators approved.

Wildflower Mixes for Shaded Areas:

Shaded Area Wildflowers(includes grass) - contains UK native annual and perennial wildflowers that are shade tolerant and can be typically found growing naturally in forested areas. It also helps to provide a canopy habitat for pollinators and wildlife

Wildflower Mixes for Problematic Soils:

Heavy Clay Soil Wildflower (includes grass) - contains UK native annual and perennial wildflowers that thrive in clay soils to provide a year-on-year range of species variety and colour. It also contains complementing arable grasses.
Sandy Soil Wildflower (includes grass) - contains UK native annual and perennial wildflowers that thrive in sandy soils and contains complementing arable grasses. RHS Plants for Pollinator approved - a great source of food for bees and other pollinators.

What time of year can I plant wildflower seeds?

Wildflowers are hardy plants their seeds can be planted throughout the year. They will also begin to bloom in around 60-80 days. So, if you sow the seed in autumn, you will have a blooming wildflower meadow come spring.

The beauty of having wildflowers in your garden is that they are relatively low maintenance. Once you have prepared the soil and sowed your seeds the rest of the work will be done by nature.

We have a wealth of knowledge to share with you when growing wildflowers in your garden. So much so, that we have a complete section in our Help & Advice area devoted to wildflowers.

For your convenience, you can find some advice to get you started: when to sow your wildflower seed, how to establish your wildflower meadow and how to manage your wildflower meadow.