Alternative Lawns

For many of us, a garden is not complete without a lawn as the centre-piece, however, there are a few alternatives if you fancy something a little bit different.

The Chamomile Lawn

Popular in Elizabethan times, the chamomile lawn is suitable for small areas. Buckingham Palace has extensive chamomile lawns which are fragrant and colourful when allowed to flower.

A chamomile lawn can withstand moderate foot traffic and when trodden on, it releases it's pleasant fragrance. Remember though, chamomile is not a grass!

This means that selective lawn weedkillers don't work. You must ensure that the ground is well prepared with no perennial weeds and keep the site hand weeded in the first year until the plants grow together. After that you may still need to hand weed two or three times a year.

A chamomile lawn is something special, but you can tell it was invented by people of a by-gone age who had a lot of money and a large supply of garden labourers. If you're feeling a little adventurous, try it in a small part of your garden, but only if you are prepared for some hard work.

The Wildflower Meadow

Did you know over 95% of our native flowering meadows have disappeared since the war due to intensification in agricultural practice. If you've ever walked amongst a meadow in full flower and witnessed the glorious colours and resident wildlife, you may feel inspired to recreate something similar on a smaller scale.

Sites suitable for a wildflower meadow include existing paddocks and orchards and within the garden, a wildflower meadow is best positioned at the furthest end of the lawn away from the house. If this extends into trees or a wildlife hedge beyond, so much the better, with the objective of becoming wilder as you move away from the house. Grass banks can be made to look spectacular since they are often well drained and of low fertility, an ideal site for a wildflower meadow.

Creating a wildflower meadow will give you the feel of giving something back, and it will reward you as it attracts honey bees, bumble bees, hoverflies and butterflies.