Garden Q&A: Do I need to sow wildflower seeds each year?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions 

A rewilded garden at a contemporary home. Pictures: iStock

QUESTION

I want to grow some wildflowers. Can you tell me if they come back each year or do I need to sow new seeds every year?

ANSWER

There are several ways to establish a wildflower area, the first being to simply allow an area to do its own thing and go wild. 

Rewilding like this will often result in a species-rich, beautiful area, rich in biodiversity after a few years.

In public areas and in the greater landscape, rewilding is the way forward as nobody can create and maintain a natural balance as well as Nature herself.

In domestic gardens, you can simply let it to nature or if you want, you can sow some wildflowers. 

Most wildflower mixes will contain a mixture of annual, biennial and perennial species. 

This means that you will get some colour in year one from the annuals and more in year two as the biennials and first of the perennials begin to emerge. 

However, it is really from year three onwards that any wildflower area begins to really look at its best and become species-rich.

In October each year, trim the dead flowers and leave these trimmings on the ground for a few weeks so that the seeds fall back to the ground. 

After a few weeks remove these trimmings.

• Got a question for Peter Dowdall? Email [e-mail]