Guide: Planting wildflowers

Flower boxes or pots

Commonly grown balcony plants, such as geraniums and petunias, hold absolutely no interest for wild bees or nearly all other native insect species. Instead, plant annuals, wild herbs, or perennials in balcony planters or patio pots. This way, a wide variety of plant species will bloom from April through October. Thanks to their varying bloom times, this also adds visual variety.

The following species are suitable for sowing:

• Cluster-flowered Bellflower Campanula glomerata

• Hanging Cushion Bellflower Campanula poscharskyana

• Round-leaved Bellflower Campanula rotundifolia

• Rock Stonecrop Sedum rupestre

• Sharp Stonecrop Sedum acre

• Wild Thyme Thymus serpyllum

• Mountain Mint Calamintha nepeta

• Blue Cushion Aubrieta deltoidea

• Rock Aurinia Aurinia saxatilis

• Round-headed Leek Allium sphaerocephalon

• Mountain Leek Allium lusitanicum

Garden soil mixed with a little sand makes for a good growing medium. From time to time, you can enrich the soil with organic fertilizer.

Flower Meadows

for dry, warm locations

Transforming an existing lawn into a species-rich flower meadow by mowing less frequently usually yields only moderate success due to root competition from the grasses. It is easier to completely remove the existing vegetation from small areas and plant wildflower meadows there.

The following species are suitable for sowing:

• Common Bird's-foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus

• Sow Esparset Onobrychis viciifolia

• Hedge Vetch Vicia sepium

• Meadow Vetch Lathyrus pratensis

• Gamander Speedwell Veronica chamaedrys

• Meadow sage Salvia pratensis

• Creeping bugle Ajuga reptans

• Widow's flower Knautia ssp.

• Pigeon scabious Scabiosa columbaria

• Round-leaved bellflower Campanula rotundifolia

• Bulbous Buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus

• Wild Carrot Daucus carota

• Hairy Hawkweed Leontodon hispidus

• Meadow Knapweed Centaurea jacea

Small wildflower meadows require care and patience. However, they can be expanded each year.

If you mow the rest of the lawn only three or four times a year, the existing flowers—such as daisies, creeping bugle, meadow dandelions, sharp buttercups, white clover, and speedwell—will at least have a chance to bloom. This, too, is already an improvement for insects.