We left the lawn to grow through the Summer and as a result (it feels) have seen a lot more wildlife. Of course what that means is a lot more bugs, but as long as it includes butterflies then I’m going to count it as a great success.

What we didn’t see was a great deal of wild flowers. There was a lot of clover, some orange hawkweed and a fair set of dandelions, but not much else. The grass grew to around calf height, so more rough around the edges than out of control wasteland. And two ants nests set up home.

We invested in hand grass shears which meant cutting it in late September was practical if not a pleasure. Thank goodness it’s a relatively small patch. The path through to the garden seat made it look more deliberate rather than accidental, which helped.

But I want to see flowers, especially Summer flowers and have decided nature just isn’t quick enough.

I’ve ordered some wildflower plug plants to be delivered next week, leaucanthemuma (basically large daisies) and foxgloves. The latter will be added mostly to the shade garden but I’ll plant a few in the meadow to see if they take.

But I’ve also ordered some bulbs that could be slipped into the grass, such as white anemone blanda (maybe some blue) along with some Eglihs bluebells. Both should flower in late March/early April.

I have crocus bulbs but was thinking to focus them in the front lawn again – last year the lawn was cut too early and their flowering was a bit wreaked.

The blue camassia (quamash) and leichtlinii (caerula) flower in late May/June. The alliums cowanii, roseum and sparaeocephalon, will flower from May through to July. Where the triteleia should pick up (June/July). I’m hoping that these will all be relatively at home within the grass and rather delicate looking.

Should I also chuck in some of the orange crocosimia for a contrast? They grow in the garden like weeds so maybe I should try a couple and see how they spread.

The foxgloves should spike in around June/August and the leucanthemum (ox eye daisies) should flower May through to September if they like the spot.

The grass will be cut back every September so there doesn’t seem much point in planting Autumn flowering plants or bulbs.

That leaves hundreds of tulips to be planted in the white rose border, under the wisteria and on top of the flat roof in the gravel. It’s a job my partner hates doing this time of year bt persists with because Spring is so lovely.