Meet the wild stars of Johnson’s Lawn Seed’s Nature’s Lawn with Mowable Wildflowers
The world around us is changing rapidly. Climate change is altering weather patterns and human activities causing habitat loss for our beneficial insects and wildlife. Our gardens and lawns can play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity and attracting pollinators.
Transforming a portion of your lawn into a wildflower meadow is a simple yet impactful way to support pollinators. Almost 7.5 million acres of flower-rich meadows and pastures have been lost since the 1930s and the UK only has 50.3% of its biodiversity remaining, one of the 10 worst countries in the world*. The result is fewer pollinators and fewer insect-eating birds, but you can now do your bit in your own back garden.
Johnson’s Nature’s Lawn with Mowable Wildflowers is the perfect way to create a beautiful, low-maintenance garden that with mixed in wildflower seed to help pollinators thrive. Slow-growing grasses like Strong Creeping Red Fescue, Chewings Fescue, and Hard Fescue are included to ensure a durable and resilient lawn that can withstand regular use, whilst the wildflowers allow patches of your gardens to rewild.
Let’s take a deep dive to see how this differs from other lawn seed mixes and meet the wild stars of Nature’s Lawn.
The wild stars of your lawn
Birdsfoot Trefoil: Included in Nature’s Lawn is a yellow flower that lives up to its name and is a magnet for pollinators. Bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects are drawn to its nectar-rich and bright petals making your lawn abuzz with action. Birdsfoot Trefoil also is adaptable to many conditions, enriches the soil through nitrogen fixation, and increases soil fertility, benefiting your lawn too!
Black Medick: Often mistaken for a clover, Black Medick is a small but mighty contributor to your lawn’s health. Honey bees love this wildflower for its valuable food source of pollen and nectar and long flowering period. It’s also great for soil fertility through nitrogen fixation and can help suppress weed growth in the lawn so win-win!
Black Knapweed: Despite its name, Black Knapweed can be a valuable addition to your lawn. Its purple, thistle-like flowers provide a vital food source for a wide range of pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. When left to grow, its height provides shelter for wildlife too.
Lady’s Bedstraw: Another great wildflower for your lawn to support biodiversity, Lady’s Bedstraw provides a small but valuable food source for pollinating insects. Its root system helps to stabilise the soil, preventing erosion and improving soil health in your lawn. It is also sometimes used as nesting material by birds, so very beneficial to have in your garden for wildlife.
Meadow Buttercup: Everyone loves and recognises the sunshine yellow of a buttercup, a favourite in Nature’s Lawn. Pollinators love it for the exact same reason with the flowers available as nectar sources for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. Meadow Buttercup is one of the first wildflowers to bloom in spring, providing an early source of food for wildlife.
Oxeye Daisy: The cheerful daisy is a familiar sight in fields and meadows, and it can bring a touch of natural beauty to your lawn. It’s an abundant source of nectar and pollen to support a diverse range of beneficial insects, in fact, research has shown it to be one of the highest-ranked producers.
Self-Heal: whilst the buttercup is one of the first wildflower bloomers, Self-Heal produces its clusters of purple flowers that appear in summer and through to October, providing a nectar source for bees and wasps when some flowers may have faded. Like its name suggests, Self-Heal has also been used in herbal medicine to heal wounds.
Yarrow: Having yarrow in your lawn yarrow in your lawn can significantly enhance its ecological value providing food for pollinators and beetles. It also insects which naturally control garden pests, like ladybirds and lacewings are predators of aphids, that may harm your garden.
How to rewild your lawn with Nature’s Lawn
To sow Johnson’s Nature’s Lawn, start by preparing the soil and evenly spreading the seed over the area. Lightly rake the seeds into the soil, then water gently to enjoy a natural wildflower display right at home. Allowing the grass to grow taller, up to an impressive 1 metre, creates a vibrant habitat for wildflowers to thrive. Nature’s Lawn achieves a beautiful balance between a functional lawn and a thriving ecosystem.
When it comes to mowing, select your desired cutting height, which can range from 50 mm to 150 mm. The wildflowers will easily adapt to your choice. By raising the mowing height and reducing how often you mow, you’ll create the perfect conditions and opportunity for wildflowers to flourish, significantly enhancing biodiversity and positively impacting the environment.
The wildflowers are also designed to self-seed over time, gradually increasing their presence and enhancing the overall natural beauty of your lawn, keeping pollinators coming back for more.
This mix offers a touch of wildflowers, but for a truly stunning wildflower meadow with high density and impact, we recommend our Country Meadow or Celebration Wildflowers.
Make a rewilding pledge with Nature’s Lawn, available in 400g cartons available from garden centres or retailers. For more information on the Johnsons Lawn Seed range, please visit: https://www.johnsonslawnseed.com/product-range
*UK Parliament Biodiversity Loss Report – May 2024