The Perfect Backyard in Two Days

One of the best ways to encourage wildflowers in your garden is to leave a patch of lawn to its own devices during spring and summer. The chances are that at least some wildflowers will appear if you leave the lawnmower alone.

What comes up in your no-mow patch depends very much on what you start with. If, like me, your lawn is old, rather weedy, and probably hasn’t encountered weedkillers or fertilisers for years, a bit more conscious neglect could transform it into a thriving mini-meadow.

This is because the average lawn is usually home to what many would describe as weeds. Shift your perspective slightly and, like a botanical version of the ugly duckling story, many of these so-called weeds will grow into lovely wildflowers.