Autumn is a great time to sow wildflowers, but is often forgotten about as temperatures begin to cool slightly. Here are five reasons why while most garden activities are winding down for winter - autumn is a great time to sow wildflowers!

Perfect temperatures

Contrary to popular belief, temperatures throughout England, Scotland and Wales are still excellent throughout most of September and early October, reaching heights of 10 degrees and above. These mild but optimum temperatures are warm enough for growth to occur without being scorching - making Autumn the perfect time to sow! Annuals only mixes such as our Absolutely Annuals mix will grow well in these optimal conditions and you should see blooms within 60-80 days. These temperatures are also great for our wildflower mixes that contain annuals, perennials and meadow grasses – as these grasses will need a minimum of 10 degrees to grow successfully.

Less watering

Just like Spring is subject to a few downpours, rain showers are a frequent feature of our Autumn weather. This saves you watering your wildflowers, so once they’re sown you’re free to forget about them until their blooms catch your attention!

Spring surprise

Sowing in Autumn means by Spring, your garden, bed or border will be bursting with a bevy of beautiful wildflowers. As they are so simple to sow and don’t require any extra preening, compost or feeding you’ll almost forget you have sown them in the first place! Wildflower mixes also offer a wider variety of flora in comparison to your typical garden plants, meaning you’ll be continually delighted as new species pop up from Spring to Summer.

Less competition

Weed growth slows down in Autumn and there are usually less birds about to snack on your wildflower seeds. This lack of competition allows your wildflowers to flourish and thrive as they begin their growth!

Make way for wildlife

If you’re sowing wildflowers in the hopes of attracting wildlife, it may seem silly to sow them in Autumn when lots of wildlife goes into hibernation. However, when sowing a wildflower mix with meadow grasses in Autumn, you actually help to create an area that becomes an overwintering habitat for wildlife. Hedgehogs, foxes and more will flock to your wild grasses for a little respite!

So does sowing in Autumn seem like a good idea? It certainly does! You can learn how to pick your wildflower mix, how to sow your wildflower seed and how to maintain your meadow here.