In an effort to create a landscape design at their dacha with their own hands, many gardeners make the grave mistake of planting only shrubs, trees and flower beds, while completely forgetting about the “floor covering” of the garden - the lawn.
But what if, having heard a lot about the difficulties of growing lawn grass, you are worried that you simply do not have enough strength to prepare the site, fight difficult-to-eradicate weeds, painstakingly grow seeds, fertilize, regular watering and mowing? There is a way out - sow the area not with grass, but with a flowering mixture for the lawn and create a motley, easy-to-maintain Moorish lawn at your dacha.
Such a decorative variegated or single-colored lawn is formed by including thirty or even forty meadow flowers and grasses in the traditional mixture for lawn grass.
What is Moorish lawn
The village lawn owes its appearance to the Moors (hence the name), who once, many centuries ago, owned part of Spain. Travelers who first set foot in the city of Cordoba, the center of Moorish art, culture and science, were amazed by the richness of the ennobled oasis. Everything in this cozy city was incredibly beautiful. But the garden laid out around the palace was especially beautiful. Well-groomed and large, with fountains and, it was all sown with wildflowers, emerald lawn grass and ornamental grasses.
The new solution to the usual lawn was to the liking of European nomads. They adopted the custom of planting wild flowering grasses and grains in desert areas, partially replacing their neatly trimmed lawns with naturally beautiful, low-maintenance flowering meadows - Moorish-style lawns.
The advantage of lawns of this type lies mainly in the fact that they can be located even in those areas of the garden where the soil is depleted and dried out (or waterlogged). You don’t have to spend a lot of money on them, and it’s very easy to select seeds for a perennial flowering lawn. In order for a decorative meadow to be covered in flowering throughout the season, it is enough to know the flowering time of each plant in the composition.
Cereals, flowers and herbs for the Moorish lawn
So, you have made the final decision to lay out a Moorish lawn at your dacha. Plant seeds for a multi-colored meadow should be chosen that are unpretentious and easy to care for. The area is sown with special mixtures of perennial cereal grasses with the inclusion of perennial and decorative flowering flowers. (The higher the sowing rate, the closer together the flowers will grow).
Important! All flowers should bloom for a long time. And then, after flowering, drop the seeds so that they can germinate again next year.
The best plants for a Moorish lawn
Ornamental perennial grasses
- The bentgrass is thin;
- Timothy grass;
- Fragrant bison;
- Red fescue;
- Meadow bluegrass;
- Zhitnyak;
- Lagurus;
- Perennial ryegrass.
Early flowering bulbous
- Scilla;
- Snowmen;
- Tulips;
- Bow-anzur;
- Grouse;
- Daffodils;
- Crocuses;
- Cyclamens.
Meadow (wild) perennial flowers
- California and oriental poppy;
- Nemesia;
- Meadow chamomile;
- Echinacea;
- Quaking grass;
- Arnica;
- Gaillardia spinosa;
- Gentian;
- Loosestrife;
- Tansy.
Annual plants
- Forget-me-nots;
- Nemesia;
- Mattiola bicornuum;
- Delphinium;
- Chernushka;
- Cornflowers;
- Dimorphotheca emarginata;
- catchment;
- Marigold;
- Bells;
- Gypsophila;
- Phlox drummond;
- Lobularia marine;
- Daisies;
- Clover;
- Phacelia bell-shaped;
- Primrose;
- Carnations;
- Nasturtiums;
- Goldenrod;
- Agrostemma sativa;
- Snapdragon;
- Lenyanka and others.
When decorating a low Moorish lawn, anise, thyme, mint and lemon balm are often used. High - fragrant herbs and flowers that release a lot of pollen and thereby attract colorful butterflies and honey bees to the garden.
The bulbous plants in the Moorish lawn will be the first to color the garden in the spring, while other meadow plants barely emerge from the soil. In the summer, when the primroses turn yellow, their fading leaves will be hidden by the lush colors of grass and meadow flowers.
Advice. If you are a beginner, then it is better to start sowing a Moorish lawn with a one-component mixture - without proper, although not difficult, care, a multi-component lawn of several plants will after a while resemble not a charming lawn, but a front garden with weeds. (A lawn made from low-grade carnations and thyme turns out to be incredibly fabulous – it’s a pleasure to grow it yourself).
Seeded in the photo below the following flowers for the Moorish lawn: blue cornflower, chrysanthemum sativum, poppy, common agrostemma and field navel.
Material prepared for the website www.site
Such a wonderful variegated lawn was made from only 5 species of field plants (on average, a Moorish meadow can include 20-40 unpretentious cereals and flowers). It all depends on landscape design your garden.
Moorish lawn - buy or sow it yourself?
It is easy to buy a mixture for a Moorish lawn for little money in a store for gardeners and summer residents (it is recommended to give preference to domestic seeds) or make the mixture yourself. If we talk about the approximate ratio of plants, it should be as follows: 80% cereal herbs and 20% flowers. Sow the mixture at the rate of 10 g per 1 square meter. m.
If you really want a strongly flowering lawn, then do exactly the opposite of what you would do with store-bought mixtures. Make up your lawn with 70% annuals and 20% short grass. It will turn out very beautiful.
Sowing of the Moorish lawn is carried out in the same way as decorative lawn grass - in early spring. In order for the plants to fully develop and bloom, it is recommended to plant them in unshaded places. If you are planning to organize a meadow among trees, then give preference to plants such as ifheion, kandyk, lily, white flower, arizema, anemone, arum, trillium, snowdrop, etc.
When creating a magnificent living carpet, do not allocate too large, well-lit area for it.
Planting a Moorish lawn - step-by-step instructions
- Step 1
We free the soil from weeds (we treat heavily infected areas with glyphosate several times) and, after about a month, remove the top layer of soil to a depth of 8-10 cm.
- Step 2
Carefully dig the soil with a shovel to a depth of 25 cm and add low-fat organic fertilizers, sand and peat. This should be done 8-10 days before sowing.
- Step 3
We provide a slope of 3 degrees to drain rainwater from the lawn. (Having produced high-quality styling drainage, thereby preventing your flowering lawn from turning into a swamp due to prolonged summer downpours).
- Step 4
Immediately before planting, we level and compact the soil with a bayonet shovel and rake, and then with a garden roller. It is recommended to do this in dry weather.
- Step 5
After leveling, we once again go over the surface of the area with a special lawn rake. This is necessary in order to remove the newly formed bumps after compaction.
- Step 6
On a flat, soft and moderately moist surface, manually sow a mixture for a Moorish lawn mixed with sand in a ratio of 1:3 (approximately 0.0001 g of seeds per 100 g of dry sand). You can sow the area evenly or make islands of flowers by first sowing cereal grasses, and meadow flowers between them.
- Step 7
We immerse the seeds with a rake to a depth of 5 mm, roll them and produce drip irrigation(strong water pressure can wash away the crops).
- Step 8
We cover the area with non-woven material - in this case the shoots will be uniform and friendly. But even if the seedlings seem too rare to you, under no circumstances rush to finish sowing - forbs sprout at different times, sometimes the interval can reach 4 weeks.
Blooming lawn, known today as Mauritanian, appeared more than a thousand years ago in North Africa, which Europeans called Mauritania. The rulers liked him so much Medieval Europe that they adopted this fashion. And now, after more than a millennium, in Moscow there are still a lot of people interested buy Moorish lawn.
What is Moorish lawn?
Blooming lawn one of the most unusual elements in the garden. Lawn flower seeds turn the area into a real meadow with lush green grass and many flowers of various colors. This kind of lawn is often called Moorish.
Many gardeners are hesitant to plant a regular lawn on their property. The reason for this is the need for constant care. A flowering lawn, which includes both meadow grasses and wildflowers, does not require special care like its classic counterparts.
Seeds blooming lawn are produced in European countries, which ensures high quality of the final product. Therefore, having decided buy Moorish lawn in the online store "Moscow Lawns", you do right choice- in favor of quality and varietal plants.
Peculiarities flowering lawns
The basis of any type of flowering lawn is a mixture of seeds of meadow grasses, annual and perennial flowers - about 20 species in total. Lawn flower seeds are selected in such a way as to provide abundant flowering throughout the season. Annual flowers bloom in early summer and bloom until late autumn. They are, for the most part, located at the level of cereal grasses.
Perennial - occupy the lower tier, bloom not so long, but periodically replace each other, allowing the lawn to change color scheme. Among the cereals, a flowering lawn will certainly include varieties of grasses not selected for lawns, which will give the flowering meadow a natural appearance.
How to care for a Moorish lawn?
Simple enough buy Moorish lawn seeds, sow and forget about them. This lawn is quite easy to maintain and is ideal for those gardeners who do not have a lot of free time. However, plant protection products must be used with caution in flowering meadows, since wildflowers are quite sensitive to the drugs. Flowering lawns are usually mowed once a season, in the fall, after self-sowing flowers and before preparing plants for winter.
There will be a little more worry if you decide buy Moorish lawn with daisies and white clover. This type requires regular cutting to a height not lower than the height of the flowers.
Why is it better buy Moorish lawn?
It will not be difficult to grow a flowering lawn on your own plot. special labor. Worth it once buy Moorish lawn and it will delight you for several years even on the most infertile soil. Such a lawn does not require constant attention, and the special aroma of flowers will attract pollinating insects to your garden.
Why is it worth it? buy flowering lawn seeds in our online store?
We work only with trusted seed suppliers. All seeds sold in our online store have certificates of conformity. Our online store offers convenient service. With us you can buy Moorish lawn Not only in Moscow, but also order its delivery to the regions of Russia.
Nowadays, many areas are planted with various lawns. They look very stylish and beautiful. But not everyone knows that there are lawns different types. And it is worth noting that they are divided into decorative and for special purpose . Almost always, decorative ones are chosen for garden plots. And on sports or children's playgrounds, sports lawns are most often installed, which are more resistant to stress.
Decorative lawns are also divided into several types, such as meadow, garden and parterre. To create a ground lawn at your dacha, you should use grasses with thin stems and narrow leaves. Most often, grass mixtures are used to create it, which consist of meadow bluegrass, red fescue or common field. Such lawns are most often grown in the front part summer cottage. This is due to the fact that it is considered the most elite lawn of all.
By mixing leguminous grasses, you can get a lawn of beautiful flowering meadows and meadows. Most often, meadow lawn is used in areas of natural meadow. Before sowing, the grass is mowed and only after that the grass mixture is sown. Meadow lawns most often include leguminous grasses. Leguminous herbs include red clover, horned butterfly, blue alfalfa, sainfoin and many others. It is worth remembering that when a clover lawn blooms, it emits the aroma of flowers, which in turn attracts bees, wasps and other insects. Moreover, if you want to get rid of it, you will have to put in a lot of effort, as it grows quickly. The advantage is that it tolerates drought well, is easy to grow in any soil, does not require fertilizing, and at the same time has a fairly rich color and beautiful view when flowering.
Nowadays you can also grow Moorish lawn. It is also called blooming. This is due to the fact that when growing, the area will be filled with a large number of flowers that will soon bloom. Such a lawn consists of poppy, gypsophila, flax, nemesia, cornflower and various other herbs. It has one feature: it only needs to be trimmed once per season.
In cultural and recreational parks they are often grown gardening lawn grasses. In order to grow such a lawn, the same grasses are used as for the ground floor. But to create it, several other herbs are also added, such as sheep fescue, rhizomatous wheatgrass, comb-shaped wheatgrass and others.
The choice of grass mixtures depends on the climatic zone the location of the site, the quality of the site and many other factors. Now you can immediately purchase grass mixtures that are intended for shady areas or for sunny areas.
Lawn for special purposes is divided into two types. The first type is called sports, it is mainly used in stadiums or football fields. The second type of lawn grass is intended for steep slopes. After seeding a lawn for steep slopes, it is best to cover it with something. This is done to prevent the seeds from scattering when exposed to wind. Also, when sowing, the soil should be consolidated. plastic mesh or geogrids. The most important thing to remember is that when growing any type of lawn, a lot of time and effort will be spent, as well as initially deciding on the type of lawn grass.
Sowing lawn grass
How to choose lawn grass? There are only two types of decorative lawns - rolled and directly seeded. Each of them has many fans, and you will have to choose yourself, trusting your own preferences. Lawn grass does not necessarily require planting; today it can also be laid out as a special rolled carpet, but this service will cost much more.
If your choice is the usual way, it’s worth learning a little more about how lawn grass is sowed, how to care for the sprouts, and how to sow correctly.
Before planting lawn grass, you need to get rid of debris, weeds, and it is advisable to remove plant roots as much as possible. For this purpose, special full-action herbicides are used.
At the first stage, it is very important to prepare in the best possible way the place for the future carpet - after all, after sowing, plants that have not been uprooted will actively begin to germinate and thereby spoil the whole overall picture.
On stage of zonal planning They decide how to properly plant lawn grass so that it divides the space into the right areas.
The lawn should not only look well-groomed, but also harmonize with the overall theme of your site and decorate the area in front of the house. And after you have decided on the problem of which grass to choose, you can additionally add landscape design elements to the lawn. In any case, it is better to plan their placement in advance.
The next stage is planting. This stage is key. A mistake at this step can ruin the entire subsequent picture.
The appropriate time frame is not very strict - from late spring to early autumn. The first option will be an excellent period when it is better to sow lawn grass. But in general, you yourself can choose the most suitable month from your point of view and plant. Effective and simple tips below.
How to plant lawn grass correctly - here are a few basic rules that are suitable for both beginners and experts in this field. So, at the previous stages we prepared the soil, applied fertilizers - which means we can begin the main part of the work.
1. The fact is very important: when, in what weather conditions you are planting lawn grass. Planting should be carried out strictly in dry and windless weather, since the seeds themselves are very light and the wind will simply scatter them all over the area.
2. There is one interesting opinion that the answer to the question “how to sow lawn grass correctly?” - This mix it with soil or sand. But that's not really The right way, since a novice gardener, out of ignorance, can add much more soil than the seeds themselves - that’s why this is not such a necessary measure.
3. We have already decided when to plant, now let’s clarify exactly how to do it. You can sow in one direction, but for greater germination effect, it is better sow far and wide. You will only need 25-50 g of material per 1 square meter.
4. Lawn grass care includes mandatory abundant watering immediately after planting and in the first few days. This will ensure good germination of greenery - even very high-quality seeds will germinate for at least 7 days.
Lawn care
Many summer residents apply a large number of time and effort to grow lawns on your property. In order for it to last longer, it is better to use it in the first year don't walk around and trample it. It is also best that no pets run across it, as they can ruin the beauty of the future grass. The most important point in courtship is haircut. When mowing, weeds are destroyed that prevent the grass from growing.
When mowed, the lawn takes on a stylish and well-groomed appearance. The grass begins to form additional shoots. But it is worth remembering that you should not remove more than one third of the height of the stem, otherwise the grass may die. The very first mowing of the lawn should be done in the spring. This is done after the soil dries out a little and the grass grows at least ten centimeters.
For the first time, you should not cut the lawn grass more than one centimeter. It is worth noting that knives need to be sharpened very strongly to keep them sharp. Then gradually you need to lower yourself and mow more and more. If the lawn was planted in the fall, then it should be mowed in the spring, since this is the most favorable time of the year. In order for the lawn to always look great, it needs to be allowed to rest.
It is also necessary to carry out piercing the turf, this is done so that the soil receives air. There are several ways to pierce the turf; this can be done using special skating rink or with simple regular pitchforks. If the area is very large, then you can use an aerator. An aerator helps get rid of moss that accumulates in the soil.
In summer, the lawn does not need to be watered, since there is sufficient rainfall. But if there is not enough rainfall and drought begins, then you should use a hose and water the lawn yourself so that it does not wither. If the soil begins to dry out at a depth of ten centimeters, then this is the first sign that it is time to water the lawn. Experts advise installing automatic system glaze. This is very convenient for the owner and has a better effect on the soil. Automatic watering Allows you to program watering times. You will also need a lawn mower, fan rake and a very large number various devices. They can be purchased in special stores.
When caring for lawn grass in winter, you should follow several rules. First of all, before the snow settles in a large layer, it is necessary to clear the lawn of fallen leaves, branches and other debris. If moles and mice have settled on the site, you need to take measures to eliminate them before the start of winter. Lawn grass will not suffer in winter if it is covered with a small layer of snow, without heavy crusts of ice. In this case, it is useful to pierce the icing areas for a little air access.
Why does lawn grass turn yellow?
Yellowing of lawn grass is usually associated with improper care. We will talk about the main reasons for this problem and methods to combat it.
Irregularities during sowing
How exactly your plot will look depends on how closely you follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for seed consumption when sowing. People often think that the more seeds they add, the thicker the lawn will be. However, this is not true. Lawn grass gains density by the second season, so if you sow the seeds too thickly, the root turf will become too dense and the plants will begin to suffocate. If you make such a mistake, it is recommended to carry out the aeration procedure.
Accumulation of water
This problem is common in clay and loamy soils, as well as in areas where there are lowlands. Water accumulates on the surface, forming puddles, oxygen does not reach the roots and the plants begin to turn yellow and die. In this case, you can also do aeration. It's important to organize proper watering, if possible, level and drain the area.
Improper watering
Too much water is just as bad as too little. If there is a lack of moisture, the grass will begin to dry out and turn yellow. If there is an excess, the roots will begin to rot, and you will end up with an area with bald spots. It is not recommended to water the lawn during the day in sunny weather. Drops of water in the sun act like lenses, and Sun rays, passing through them, will leave damage on the leaves of the grass. It is best to water in the morning or evening.
Improper use of fertilizers
Here, as in the third point, the lack of microelements negatively affects appearance plot, and an overabundance is dangerous because the grass can “burn.” Read labels carefully and follow all manufacturer's recommendations. Special complex mineral fertilizers are best suited.
Animals
Don't let animals relieve themselves on your lawn. The discharge of pets provokes the appearance of yellow or red spots with jagged edges. Small rodents are also dangerous. They can gnaw through plant roots and make unsightly bumps on the surface. It is quite difficult to control their appearance, but you can, for example, install ultrasonic repellers.
Diseases
The most common lawn grass disease problems are:
- Red threadiness
Appears in places where moisture accumulates, usually in autumn and during heavy fogs, as well as when there is a lack of nitrogen. The grass first turns yellow and then becomes straw-colored. The leaves seem to be entangled in a red thread, hence the name of the disease. Treatment is with chlorothalonil. For prevention, you need to aerate, comb the lawn, and apply nitrogen fertilizers.
- Powdery mildew
It usually develops in rainy weather. It looks like the grass has been sprinkled with flour. Treatment is carried out with fungicides. Prevention, as in the first case, consists of combing and aeration, but nitrogen fertilizers must be limited, and watering must also be reduced.
- Snow mold
Appears in cool weather. After the snow has melted, you may find that the lawn is shrouded in white wool. Carbendazim works well against this fungal disease. Can be prevented by treatment phosphorus-potassium fertilizers in the fall, and of course by combing the turf and aerating.
A lot depends on the lawnmower. Knives must be sharp. You should not cut the grass too short; even parterre lawns are not recommended to be mowed below three centimeters, because Young shoots can be damaged. It’s also not a good idea to take too long breaks between mowings. The grass may become spiked, this will lead to the appearance of hard sticks; walking, especially barefoot, on such a lawn will be uncomfortable. It is best to trim once every 2-3 weeks and at a height of 3-4 cm from the ground.
Lack of winter care
During this cold season, it is important to provide the lawn with an even snow cover. You should not make snowdrifts on the site. If there are empty spaces, it is better to cover them with snow. When temperatures change, an ice crust forms - crust; it must be pierced so that oxygen reaches the grass.
Lawn grass seeds: Perennial ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass is widely used in the production of turfgrass seed mixtures throughout the world. And this is not surprising, given its unique ability to quickly germinate and recover.
The Moorish lawn is a flowering meadow; it is sown not only with grass, but also with flowers. Imagine a green meadow overgrown with yellow dandelions. It can also be considered a Moorish lawn. But in a few days it will look completely ugly!
For a garden lawn, a mixture of flowers and herbs is selected so that flowering continues throughout the summer. Grass mixture for Moorish lawn can be bought in the store. In addition to cereal seeds, it contains seeds of perennial and annual flowers: poppy, cornflowers, daisies, .
Moorish or flower lawn has been known since ancient times; it was grown more than a thousand years ago. With the heyday of the era of formal gardens with geometrically regular flower beds against a backdrop of short-cropped green grass, its popularity decreased. Nowadays, more and more people are discovering this miracle of garden art.
There are also varieties with flowers of the same color, but for a long time blooming species, as well as lawns with bulbous flowers - daffodils or.
Advantages of Moorish lawn
- The decorative flower lawn is amazingly diverse - it changes every week. Some flowers are fading, others are blooming. Once you take a step to the side, the lawn looks completely different.
- Moorish lawn does not require regular mowing. It is usually trimmed once or twice throughout the summer, when there are noticeably many faded flower stalks on the lawn. But sometimes the flowers are chosen in such a way that you don’t even have to do this.
- A flower lawn is easy to fix if bald spots appear. On problem areas they simply plant seedlings of annuals and it all looks as if this is exactly how it was intended.
Disadvantages of Moorish lawn
- The Moorish lawn is not intended for games and sports - the flowers do not tolerate regular trampling. It's more of a flower garden where you can sometimes take a walk.
- Incorrectly selected flower mixture(for example, flowers that cannot withstand cold frosty winters or are not self-growing) will require new sowing next year.
Mixtures for the Moorish paddock
The grass for a Moorish lawn is usually fescue and ryegrass. Seeds of different types of annual and perennial flowers are added to it. Most often these are: tagetes, annual chrysanthemum, cornflowers, calendula, godetia, nemesia, phacelia, summer carnation, dimorphotheca, matthiola, viscaria, clover, field chamomile, nigella, iberis, annual poppies, flax, low-growing delphinium, gypsophila.
Perennial flowers are usually low and unpretentious, and annual flowers are chosen to ensure flowering of the lawn throughout the summer and until late autumn. Most Moorish lawn annuals bloom from June to late August.
The seed mixture for such a flower lawn can contain up to 40 species of a wide variety of annuals. The best option there will be a mixture where annual plants They reproduce by self-sowing and tolerate winter well. Otherwise on next year the Moorish lawn will lose some of its colors and will be faded.
Depending on the location of the lawn, you can independently add seeds of shade-loving or drought-resistant flowers to the purchased mixture of flowering annuals.
Planting a Moorish lawn
The plot of land selected for the lawn is dug up in the same way as for a regular seeded lawn. At the same time, organic fertilizers are added to the soil, and if it is too heavy, sand and peat can be added. The soil is leveled and compacted with a garden roller, watered well so that it settles a little.