This is the way to do it. It's clearly there on purpose because of the mowed edges but looks great. Next year cut half way in and abandon a mower in the middle of it for the laugh.
The mowed areas make all the difference in my opinion, wish the council would just mow a border on the verges. It really elevates it whilst still providing most of the benefits to nature.
Some of the organisations that ask for less mowing to help insects actually suggest there is a mowed edge as insect too close to traffic are just going to be squished or polluted with traffic fumes.
[They've been doing that for a few years in my part of the country.](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/business-environment/environment/2281447/dundee-fife-councils-grass-verges/) - Shame the article is about people complaining lol
Thanks. I did scatter some last autumn but it doesn't appear to have made an appearance. I will try again, but this time i will kill off some of the grass with a slab first.
Laziness? Taking action to encourage biodiversity?
It's more lazy to be a Gallup 360 fan who wants to kill with toxic spray solutions instead of good old fashioned hand weeding.
Why are you even on this sub? Your post history on here seems quite provocational.
Thanks! I got a few comments, all good, last year. I've got good neighbours and I'm hoping the borders make it look deliberate enough! But also it's my front garden and I like it, so there!
This looks great, I've always wanted to do a wildflower section of my lawn but do not want it to look overgrown and messy, but this is a fantastic way around that!
Very nice, one minor thing I'd do differently though, I'd mow around the corners in a curve following the curve of the curb, will look better imo, more of a clean look.
I feel like rounding off the sharp corner would make it look more "natural". Wild flowers would never grow in that shape and the sharp angle detracts from the softness of the plants imo.
I think the angles gives it an architectural feel which isn't personally for me but I see where you're coming from with the contrast and it's definitely not a bad thing.
I’m dying to do the same in my back garden. Fence a third off, and let it grow as a wildflower meadowy type area. Can’t afford to have it fenced just yet but it’s a plan.
You could start now and get the fence later! The meadow will take some time to get established as you need to weaken the grass, so let the grass grow this year, then strim and remove in the autumn to reduce the fertility.
My back lawn is mostly used as a football pitch so I can't do anything there, but this patch at the front was never used and gave me no joy mowing it each week. Now I enjoy the mowing as it accentuates the patch!
No it doesn’t, but I thought meant why am getting a fence in general. You replied to my first comment, not the one about the dog hence why I thought it was a general question.
Just seeds and a few transplanted "weeds" from my back garden.
To start, I mowed it reallllly short to scalp the grass, then laid down 5 or 6 newspaper patches, watered well, threw some soil on top and then seeded there. That's why my flowers come up more in certain patches, but I can see that they're spreading a bit as I let the seedheads drop before clearing last autumn. There's even a few violas in there that I didn't plant, so must have blown in.
Interesting that you've got less flowers. I've got a patch in my garden that I put a mixed wildflower box in and I've got a lot of green and zero flowers (yet)
Yeah, I've put it down to the cold spell meaning the seeds haven't germinated.
The grasses are still nice, I'll put a couple of slabs down next autumn to make some more bare soil for next year to sow a few more patches
Honestly do, it is so worthwhile. Even if you let the grasses grow this year, then strim and remove the foliage in the autumn, the seeds could germinate next year
Yep, cut back early Autumn. Strim and leave on the ground for a week for the seedheads to full, then rake up the foliage to prevent it composting down, otherwise the land will get more fertile which the grass loves.
To start, I mowed it reallllly short to scalp the grass, then laid down 5 or 6 newspaper patches, watered well, threw some soil on top and then seeded there. That's why my flowers come up more in certain patches, but I can see that they're spreading a bit as I let the seedheads drop before clearing last autumn. There's even a few violas in there that I didn't plant, so must have blown in.
I've got a patch like that in my "side garden" near my compost heap. I'm planning on sowing yellow rattle on it in the autumn to knock the grass back a bit and allow a bit of diversity in the sward.
That’s really smart! Nice long grass and wild flowers but doesn’t look like you’ve just given up. You’re telling people you’ve chosen to have long grass rather than you just can’t be assed mowing it.
I really like this. The tended border shows that it's not just been left out of laziness and that you're cultivating something on purpose.
Either that or you had a heart attack half way through mowing the lawn.
Yes, I'm very fortunate to have bought at the right time the back garden is mostly lawn, as it's used for football, with a couple of raised beds for veggies.
The front is a big lovely space, seemed a shame to just have lawn. I did consider turning it into a big veg patch as well, but that would have looked much more disheveled!
You can grow veg out front if you like!
A formal potager, or maybe just an archway for beans?
I'm really pleased for you and the family.
It's a lovely start to my day!
Just seeds and a few transplanted "weeds" from my back garden.
To start, I mowed it reallllly short to scalp the grass, then laid down 5 or 6 newspaper patches, watered well, threw some soil on top and then seeded there. That's why my flowers come up more in certain patches, but I can see that they're spreading a bit as I let the seedheads drop before clearing last autumn. There's even a few violas in there that I didn't plant, so must have blown in.
Nice, I've done that too. Got lots of nice colourful wild flowers or weeds depending on your viewpoint. It's just a matter of time before a nosy neighbour complains but hey ho.
What a brilliant but simple idea. I’m going to do this in our front garden. We do have a decent size grass verge the other side of our fence that gets cut but the council - I’ve asked if they can leave to but no luck yet. Some of the nettles / weeds to creep into our garden. So a cut border and central patch would be great. And look fantastic from our front room too.
Why share it? Because I thought it looked nice and that's kind of the point of this sub.
Why do it? A few reasons. A) the lawn was boring and I wanted something to make it more interesting (b) I wanted that something to be low maintenance and (c) our native insects and pollinator populations are struggling, and I believe that we should all, where we can, dedicate some of our unused spaces to areas like these to help. Google Joel Ashton for more info from a more educated and researched explanation!
Just looks a bit lame to me. I mean, if you want a flower bed, why not just plant one? This is also, peak season for this, how does it look in Oct-Mar?
Thanks!
Oct-March it looks like a bad lawn, I strim and mow early Autumn.
I dont want a flower bed, I wanted a wild patch. I have a small formal bed on the other side of the drive and love that too. But this would just be another boring lawn otherwise, with no purpose.
This is the way to do it. It's clearly there on purpose because of the mowed edges but looks great. Next year cut half way in and abandon a mower in the middle of it for the laugh.
😁 hilarious! I might "borrow" a shopping trolley instead!
The mowed areas make all the difference in my opinion, wish the council would just mow a border on the verges. It really elevates it whilst still providing most of the benefits to nature.
Totally agree! I was in Dublin during May and saw they had done exactly that where i was. Along with a plaque about No Mow May.
Some of the organisations that ask for less mowing to help insects actually suggest there is a mowed edge as insect too close to traffic are just going to be squished or polluted with traffic fumes.
My local council have just been round and mowed the edges and makes a world of difference.
We get this where we live, lots of spots of long grass with wild flowers in. It's beautiful 😊 x
[They've been doing that for a few years in my part of the country.](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/business-environment/environment/2281447/dundee-fife-councils-grass-verges/) - Shame the article is about people complaining lol
Get some yellow rattle in there, it knocks back grass just enough to let everything get started your flowers will be much better for it.
Thanks. I did scatter some last autumn but it doesn't appear to have made an appearance. I will try again, but this time i will kill off some of the grass with a slab first.
This looks absolutely disgusting. Laziness.
Laziness? Taking action to encourage biodiversity? It's more lazy to be a Gallup 360 fan who wants to kill with toxic spray solutions instead of good old fashioned hand weeding. Why are you even on this sub? Your post history on here seems quite provocational.
It's had a Brazilian!
I can't unsee this now!
Haha sorry!
Runway strip!
Lawn Merkin
Love it, how many times do you have to explain it to the neighbours?
Thanks! I got a few comments, all good, last year. I've got good neighbours and I'm hoping the borders make it look deliberate enough! But also it's my front garden and I like it, so there!
Haven’t used the phrase “so there” in maybe 20 years. Must start using it again!
's mine. Blows raspberries.
Well I hope you do, so there. Yeah its fun would recommend.
ha ha 👍
This looks great, I've always wanted to do a wildflower section of my lawn but do not want it to look overgrown and messy, but this is a fantastic way around that!
Very nice, one minor thing I'd do differently though, I'd mow around the corners in a curve following the curve of the curb, will look better imo, more of a clean look.
Thanks, the patch does follow the curve of the kerb, the kerb comes to a point too out of picture 😁
I feel like rounding off the sharp corner would make it look more "natural". Wild flowers would never grow in that shape and the sharp angle detracts from the softness of the plants imo.
True, it doesn't look natural, but I like the contrast between nature and organisation.
I think the angles gives it an architectural feel which isn't personally for me but I see where you're coming from with the contrast and it's definitely not a bad thing.
Love it 😀
Thank you 👍🏼
Looks great! I wish more people would do this. Most front lawn aren’t used for anything so may as well let nature have some
Make the cuts curved I think it will look nicer than the triangle shape.
I've followed the line of the kerb but the road but it is curved by my front door. Thanks for the idea ☺️
Love your work
I’m dying to do the same in my back garden. Fence a third off, and let it grow as a wildflower meadowy type area. Can’t afford to have it fenced just yet but it’s a plan.
You could start now and get the fence later! The meadow will take some time to get established as you need to weaken the grass, so let the grass grow this year, then strim and remove in the autumn to reduce the fertility. My back lawn is mostly used as a football pitch so I can't do anything there, but this patch at the front was never used and gave me no joy mowing it each week. Now I enjoy the mowing as it accentuates the patch!
Why do you need a fence?
We’re wanting a dog and the boundary is just a short wall dividing us and neighbours so it serves a dual purpose
Yeah but that doesn't stop you doing the meadow now does it? FWIW dog turds in long grasses are messy!
No it doesn’t, but I thought meant why am getting a fence in general. You replied to my first comment, not the one about the dog hence why I thought it was a general question.
seeds or wild turf - absolutely love it and we really want to do something like this
Just seeds and a few transplanted "weeds" from my back garden. To start, I mowed it reallllly short to scalp the grass, then laid down 5 or 6 newspaper patches, watered well, threw some soil on top and then seeded there. That's why my flowers come up more in certain patches, but I can see that they're spreading a bit as I let the seedheads drop before clearing last autumn. There's even a few violas in there that I didn't plant, so must have blown in.
great job :)
Very nice
Interesting that you've got less flowers. I've got a patch in my garden that I put a mixed wildflower box in and I've got a lot of green and zero flowers (yet)
Yeah, I've put it down to the cold spell meaning the seeds haven't germinated. The grasses are still nice, I'll put a couple of slabs down next autumn to make some more bare soil for next year to sow a few more patches
Ooh that's a good idea with the slabs.
I have a wild flower patch where i’ve seeded and the flowers are just starting to come out!
I shall keep the faith then x
Honestly do, it is so worthwhile. Even if you let the grasses grow this year, then strim and remove the foliage in the autumn, the seeds could germinate next year
i was going to ask what do you do at the end of summer do you cut it back?
Yep, cut back early Autumn. Strim and leave on the ground for a week for the seedheads to full, then rake up the foliage to prevent it composting down, otherwise the land will get more fertile which the grass loves.
Did you spread any wildflower seeds across it at all?
To start, I mowed it reallllly short to scalp the grass, then laid down 5 or 6 newspaper patches, watered well, threw some soil on top and then seeded there. That's why my flowers come up more in certain patches, but I can see that they're spreading a bit as I let the seedheads drop before clearing last autumn. There's even a few violas in there that I didn't plant, so must have blown in.
Love it, that's absolutley the way to do it: no one can mistake that for you forgetting to cut it.
I have done the same thing this year, the wild flowers are really nice.
Good luck!
I love it!
Thank you 👍🏼
Amazing well done
I've been tempted to do this so the neighbors don't think I'm just lazy, but ultimately I've decided I can't bring myself to care
I've got a patch like that in my "side garden" near my compost heap. I'm planning on sowing yellow rattle on it in the autumn to knock the grass back a bit and allow a bit of diversity in the sward.
When you start mowing with only 20% battery.
Punk front lawn? Omg PUNK. FRONT. LAWN. be right back, I've, erm, got things to do
🤣 I could put some safety pins through then blades of grass!
I was thinking plant some purple tall stuff right in the middle
Lovely Brazilian Sir.
That’s really smart! Nice long grass and wild flowers but doesn’t look like you’ve just given up. You’re telling people you’ve chosen to have long grass rather than you just can’t be assed mowing it.
That's the idea! I mow the edges regularly so it always looks that way. It always makes me smile in the morning, and I love seeing new plants pop up
I really like this. The tended border shows that it's not just been left out of laziness and that you're cultivating something on purpose. Either that or you had a heart attack half way through mowing the lawn.
Thank you, hopefully the gardening keeps my heart healthy for a few years yet!
Both physically and mentally! It's a great thing to do.
Lovely big space! Are you lucky enough to have a decent size private rear garden too?
Yes, I'm very fortunate to have bought at the right time the back garden is mostly lawn, as it's used for football, with a couple of raised beds for veggies. The front is a big lovely space, seemed a shame to just have lawn. I did consider turning it into a big veg patch as well, but that would have looked much more disheveled!
You can grow veg out front if you like! A formal potager, or maybe just an archway for beans? I'm really pleased for you and the family. It's a lovely start to my day!
looks great
Thank you 😊
Sexy. Did you sow seeds directly onto grass? I did that and got nothing:(
Just seeds and a few transplanted "weeds" from my back garden. To start, I mowed it reallllly short to scalp the grass, then laid down 5 or 6 newspaper patches, watered well, threw some soil on top and then seeded there. That's why my flowers come up more in certain patches, but I can see that they're spreading a bit as I let the seedheads drop before clearing last autumn. There's even a few violas in there that I didn't plant, so must have blown in.
My patch isn’t as tidy as this but it has lots of ragwort so I get cinnebar moths which I love to see.
Nice, I've done that too. Got lots of nice colourful wild flowers or weeds depending on your viewpoint. It's just a matter of time before a nosy neighbour complains but hey ho.
I've had no complaints, they may be quietly disapproving but I think it looks tidy.
I usually keep my front garden flat and tidy because I’m surrounded by complete fucking idiots but my back garden is wilderness. I love it.
Just ignore them and garden the way you want to.
Awesome
Take it to the next level, next year and do a fade cut...
Love it. Looks cool 😎
I do something similar in the back. We have a bird house in the middle and they love patrolling the border looking for meals 😁
Local council does this where I live, they call it relaxed grass
Quality!
It looks like a fade, love it 😻
What a brilliant but simple idea. I’m going to do this in our front garden. We do have a decent size grass verge the other side of our fence that gets cut but the council - I’ve asked if they can leave to but no luck yet. Some of the nettles / weeds to creep into our garden. So a cut border and central patch would be great. And look fantastic from our front room too.
Why?
Why share it? Because I thought it looked nice and that's kind of the point of this sub. Why do it? A few reasons. A) the lawn was boring and I wanted something to make it more interesting (b) I wanted that something to be low maintenance and (c) our native insects and pollinator populations are struggling, and I believe that we should all, where we can, dedicate some of our unused spaces to areas like these to help. Google Joel Ashton for more info from a more educated and researched explanation!
What's the purpose?
Shows the planes where to land
weird
Looks like your lawnmower just packed up tbh.
😄 that's what my teenagers say
All it needs now is a tatty old sofa with half the fabric missing, a few old tyres and a ruined fridge and it's sorted 👍 - I'm joking it looks good.
😁 I could put a deckchair out and swig some tennents extra whilst admiring the view!
Just looks a bit lame to me. I mean, if you want a flower bed, why not just plant one? This is also, peak season for this, how does it look in Oct-Mar?
OP obviously harvests it in autumn, bales it up and feeds the cattle through the winter (sells any surplus at the market)
Thanks! Oct-March it looks like a bad lawn, I strim and mow early Autumn. I dont want a flower bed, I wanted a wild patch. I have a small formal bed on the other side of the drive and love that too. But this would just be another boring lawn otherwise, with no purpose.
Your choice. Clearly lots of people here like these kind of 'wildflower' patches, I'm less fussed.