Cottage Meadow Turf

Once you have made the decision to plant grass rolls and create your perfect garden, there are some preparatory steps that will help ensure you have a beautiful lawn to gaze upon in no time.

• 1How do I prepare the ground?

  Prepare a clean soil bed by lightly cultivating or importing and spreading a low fertility soil. If cultivation is not possible. e.g. on a steep bank, achieve bare soil by spraying off any existing foliage and cutting any remaining vegetation as tightly to the ground as possible. It is important that any cuttings / debris are collected and disposed of responsibly. We strongly advise that the area is fully prepared before ordering your turf.

• 2How do I Lay my wildflower or cottage meadow turf?

  To lay the turf, place the turf onto the prepared ground and gently press to form contact with the soil. The turf can be carefully cut using a sharp knife or saw. Any off cuts or leftovers will contain valuable meadow plants and can be used to infill or be transferred to another area of the site.

• 3What should my wildflower or meadow turf look like after its installed?

  Once the turf is placed on the area it may take on a flattened appearance, please do not worry as it will soon recover. At this stage it appears like a mass of vegetation, flowers are not in bloom at this point.
  It will however be very important for the first few weeks to ensure sufficient water is applied until the roots have firmly tapped into the soil.
  The degradable recycled carpet fibre matting that the turf is grown on will also act as a weed suppressant. Therefore, the re-emergence of indigenous soil species should be minimal and because the turf contains mature plants the area will establish very quickly and outcompete many non-desirable species.
  You can expect flowering in approximately 6-8 weeks after laying it, depending on the time of the year.

• 4Will I See all the species listed in my turf?

  It is very unlikely that you will encounter all of the species listed within our wildflower turf products. Our bespoke mixtures have been developed to ensure that the product will establish in a wide variety of soil, environmental and climatic conditions. Therefore, site specific conditions will dictate how many of and which species are successful.
  Many of our mixes also contain a small proportion of annual species e.g. cornflower. The number of annual plants within the mixes will reduce as the more sustainable perennial species establish themselves in year two.

• 5Will my wildflower or cottage meadow turf contain other plant species?

  Every effort is made to ensure your wildflower turf is delivered with as little undesirable weed content as possible. However, it is inevitable that some opportunist species may be present or germinate after your turf has been laid.
  Most annual weed varieties will either be outcompeted by your meadow or will not survive the management cutting process. It is the more competitive perennial broadleaf weeds which you will need to control e.g. docks, thistles and broad leaved grasses. If you notice any of these species whilst you are enjoying your meadow then you can either spot treat using an appropriate product or preferably pull out by hand, negating the use of pesticide.

• 6What Care and maintenance will my wildflower turf need?

  Once established wildflower turf need very little attention and care.
  But it is important to keep the wildflower turf healthy and sustainable.
  At the end of season cut, collect, and remove any dead or woody growth. The cut can take place any time after flowering has finished and seed has set, this is usually autumn.
  For smaller meadows, you can cut using a hedgecutter or strimmer blade. For larger meadows you may require a tractor with a flail collector attachment. Whichever method you use be sure that all cutting edges are sharp. Always aim for a final cutting height of approximately 100mm.
  While the mix is primarily made up of Perennials and Biennials you will need to replace the Annuals flowers as they will only last one flowering season.

• 7How long will wildflower turf stay fresh before installed?

  It is advisable to install on the day of delivery as this is a perishable item and if possible, to avoid double handling the turf as it may become brittle.
  If it is not going to be installed straight away it is advisable to lay the turf out in another area and keep moist until ready.

• 8Do I need to feed my wildflower turf?

  Your meadow turf will not require any nutrient input, such as fertilizer.

• 9How is wildflower turf delivered?

  The turf will be delivered stacked on a pallet cut in slabs rather than rolled. Each individual wildflower turf slab measures approximately 1.05 milometers long and 0.6 milometers wide. A full pallet will hold approximately 25 sq meters.
  This product is not suitable to collection with a car boot as its harvested onto a pallet.
  A vehicle/trailer that can take a 1200mm-by-1200mm pallet is needed.

• 10What wildlife will my wildflower turf attract?

  Once your turf is laid you shouldn’t have to wait too long for nature's first beneficiaries. Your wildflowers will provide a vital source of nectar for many of our native pollinating bee and butterfly species it creates a diverse habitat. It attracts a variety of bees, butterflies, moths, insects, birds, and other invertebrates.
  By using Summerhill lawns Wildflower Turf, you can increase local biodiversity and contribute towards supporting the survival of these incredibly important species.

• 11Will Wildflower turf grow in a shaded area?

  Our bespoke mixtures have been developed to ensure that the turf will establish in a wide variety of soil, environmental and climatic conditions. ***Therefore, site specific conditions will dictate how many of and which species are successful.