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Posted by Nichola on 20/9/2006, 4:04 pm, in reply to "Wild Flower Meadow" One of the most important things to bear in mind is the amount of nitrogen in the soil. If the ground in question usually ends up covered in clover anyway it should be fine. If, on the other hand, it has tall lush grass, or it is already covered in nettles and brambles, the nitrate content is probably too high and the brambles and nettles would take over- so start by cutting the sward and taking off the cuttings. Mixing some straw into the ground can also help reduce the soil nitrogen. (As a final note, if you do decide to go ahead and plant some flower species, take a look at Flora Locale's website, www.floralocale.org, especially the guide to buying local flora.)
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If at all possible, it's best not to buy in seed mixes, as most commercial seed mixes will probably be from a different part of the country and so they won't be the same as local populations of those flowers, and it's far better (and more exciting) to see what truly wild plants find their own way there.
If the dominant weeds still get a foothold, you might want to try just planting some grass seed (some suggest perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne; others prefer chewing's fescue, Festuca rubra commutata): the grass will keep the weeds down until the other plants get a chance to grow.
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