Seed Origin and Quality Wildflowers of Scotland At Scotia Seeds we use our years of experience to ensure that the wildflower seed We are the leading producers of wildflower we supply is of the highest quality possible and seeds in Scotland and are committed to can be traced back to original collections in the providing the range and quality of seeds you wild. require. We have a wide range of species that we can Seed Origin provide. As well as the ones here in the All of the wildflower seeds we produce can be catalogue; please contact us if you are looking traced back to the sites where the original wild for a species not in our catalogue. plants grow. From these sites we collect a small amount of seed which is then sown on page Contents our farm to give us crops from which we can harvest a larger amount of seed. Seed Quality and Origin 2 We are signatories to the Flora Locale Code of Practice for Collectors, Growers and Suppliers Seed Packets 3 of Native Flora that ensures responsible collection and sale of native British plants. Establishing a Wildflower Meadow 11 Quality Yellow Rattle 13 We test samples of all our seed crops for germination and purity, to ensure that they have reached our stringent standards. Sowing Rates 14 Our quality laboratory specialises in testing the seeds of wildflowers and trees. For most of the Meadow Mixtures 15 species we test we have developed our own procedures in a research programme funded by How to Order 26 a Scottish Executive SMART Award. A selection of our seed testing methods has been validated by the International Seed Testing Association and the procedures in our laboratory are audited by the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency. 2 Wildflower Seed Packets Single species very popular with bees Bloody Cranesbill £1.95 Geranium sanguineum provides food for birds Rich magenta flowers. Likes well drained, sunny sites. butterflies love this Up to 30cm tall. 50­150 seeds per packet. good for pond margins moths love this Bluebell (Harebell) £1.75 Campanula rotundifolia happy in woodlands Delicate blue­flowered perennial of open grassland. suitable for lightly shaded areas such as hedgerows Likes well­drained, sunny sites. 40 cm. 1000 + seeds per packet. enjoys sunny, well­drained sites night­scented Bugle £1.55 Mini­mixes Ajuga reptans Creeping perennial with attractive glossy purple leaves & Butterfly Mixture £3.75 indigo flowers. Happy in damp, shady places. 30 cm. A mix of Clustered Bellflower, Greater Knapweed, Field 150­500 seeds per packet Scabious & Yarrow. 1000+ seeds per packet Clustered Bellflower £1.55 Campanula glomerata Pond Edge Mixture £3.75 Showy perennial with masses of deep purple flowers. A mix of Water Avens, Ragged Robin, Meadowsweet & Likes open well­drained sites. 60 cm. 1000 + seeds per Yellow Flag Iris.1000+ seeds per packet packet . Common Mallow £1.75 Malva sylvestris Tall perennial of open places with large mauve flowers. 90 cm. 150­500 seeds per packet Cornflower £1.55 Centaurea cyanus Intense blue, vigorous annual of sunny sites, once common but now rare. 60 cm. 50­150 seeds per packet. 3 4 Corn Marigold £1.75 Heather £1.75 Chrysanthemum segetum Calluna vulgaris Annual with daisy­like golden­yellow flower heads. Perennial woody shrub typical of Scottish moorland. Enjoys well­drained sunny sites. 60 cm. 150­500 seeds Purple/pink flowers in late summer. Up to 60 cm. 1000 + per packet. seeds per packet. Cowslip £1.75 Lady’s Bedstraw £1.75 Primula veris Gallium verum Bright yellow, spring meadow flower, now scarce in the Attractive sweet­smelling plant which forms drifts of wild. Likes open sites. 30 cm. 150­500 seeds per packet. abundant spikes of tiny yellow flowers. Happy in sunny­ well drained soils. 50cm. 500­1000 seeds per packet Field Scabious £1.55 Knautia arvensis Late summer perennial with flat, lilac flower heads. Maiden Pink £1.75 Very popular with butterflies. 100 cm. 50­150 seeds per Dianthus deltoides packet. Charming tuft­forming deep­pink flowered plant now scarce. Happy in sunny, well­drained sites. 30 cm. 1000 + seeds per packet. Foxglove £1.55 Digitalis purpurea Stately, tall, pink biennial of woodland edges & rocky Meadowsweet £1.75 places. Loved by bumble bees. 150 cm. 1000 + seeds per Filipendula ulmaria packet. Tall, sweet­scented perennial with fluffy, creamy­white flowers. Happy at pond edge or damp site. 100 cm. 150­ 500 seeds per packet. Giant Bellflower £1.75 Campanula latifolia Tall, elegant shade­tolerant perennial with white/pale Meadow Cranesbill £1.75 lilac flowers. 150 cm. 500­1000 seeds per packet. Geranium pratense Meadow perennial, especially of damp soils. Large, amethyst flowers. 100 cm. 50­150 seeds per packet. Greater Knapweed £1.55 Centaurea scabiosa Meadow Saxifrage £1.75 Sturdy perennial of open places with ‘feathery’, red­ Saxifraga granulata purple flowers, attractive to butterflies. Small, spring­flowering perennial with white flowers on 90 cm. 50­150 seeds per packet. red stems. Likes open, well­drained sites. 10­30 cm tall. 1000 + seeds per packet. 5 6 Melancholy Thistle £1.85 Ragged Robin £1.75 Cirsium helenoides Lychnis flos­cuculi Attractive perennial purple thistle with ribbed stems & Perennial of damp meadows & woods with ragged­ long grey­green leaves. A non­prickly thistle. 100 cm. petaled, pink flowers which wave in the wind. 70 cm. 50­150 seeds per packet. 1000 + seeds per packet. Mullein £1.45 Red Campion £1.55 Verbascum thapsus Silene dioica Tall yellow­flowered biennial of sunny banks & Red flowered perennial of woods & hedgerows. 90 cm. woodland clearings. Hairy felt­like leaves. Up to 180 500­1000 seeds per packet. cm. 1000 + seeds per packet. Rock Rose £1.75 Nottingham Catchfly £1.75 Helianthemum nummularia Silene nutans Low, spreading, yellow­flowered perennial of sunny Delicate, rare perennial of well­drained soil & sunny banks & cliffs. Great rockery plant. sites. Pale, night­scented flowers attract insects & as a 20 cm. 500­1000 seeds per packet. result, bats. 80 cm. 500­1000 seeds per packet. St. John’s Wort £1.55 Ox­eye Daisy £1.75 Hypericum perforatum Leucanthemum vulgare A robust, bushy perennial, happy on a wide range of Vigorous, white perennial with large cheerful white sites. Glossy golden flowers. 90 cm. 1000 + seeds per flower heads with yellow centres. packet. 100 cm. 500­1000 seeds per packet. Poppy £1.55 Scottish Primrose £3.75 Papaver rhoeas Primula scotica One of the most popular wildflowers, a cornfield annual A rare, delicate perennial. Found in the wild only in with fantastic scarlet flowers. Open places. 60 cm. 1000 northern Scotland, it has tiny, yellow­centred, burgundy + seeds per packet. flowers. 10 cm.1000+ seeds per packet. Primrose £1.95 Selfheal £1.55 Primula vulgaris Prunella vulgaris One of the first spring flowers, a perennial of woods & Vigorous, low­spreading perennial with violet flowers. grassy banks. Pale yellow flowers. Suited to a range of sites from open sun to shade. 30 cm. 25 cm. 150­500 seeds per packet. 500­1000 seeds per packet. 7 8 Tansy £1.55 Viper’s Bugloss £1.75 Tanacetum vulgare Echium vulgare Tall, aromatic, yellow­flowered perennial with dark, Biennial producing spectacular spikes of blue flowers feathery foliage. Enjoys sunny & lightly­shaded sites. tinged with pink that attract bees & moths. 100 cm. 50­ 150 cm. 1000+ seeds per packet. 150 seeds per packet. Teasel £1.75 Dipsacus fullonum White Campion £1.75 Tall biennial with large seed heads which look beautiful Silene alba over winter. Prefers open sites. White flowered perennial of open sunny sites. 100 cm. 200 cm. 50­150 seeds per packet. 500­1000 seeds per packet. Thrift (Sea Pink) £1.95 Wild Marjoram £1.75 Origanum vulgare Armeria maritima Perennial of open rocky places, with narrow leaves that A scented perennial herb, similar to cultivated marjoram form dense tufts from which abundant candy pink or oregano. Pink flowers that attract bees. 60 cm. 1000 + flowers emerge on stalks up to 25 cm tall. 150­500 seeds seeds per packet. per packet. Yarrow £1.75 Achillea millefolium Thyme £1.95 Vigorous meadow perennial with heads of white & Thymus polytrichus Aromatic, low, mat­forming perennial shrub with small sometimes rosy­pink, flowers. 70 cm. 1000 + seeds per pink flowers. Likes dry open sites, can be grown in packet. crevices in paving or walls. 5 cm. 500­1000 seeds per packet. Tree seeds Toadflax £1.65 Birch £2.50 Linaria vulgaris Betula pendula Spreading perennial with masses of yellow & orange Silver Birch. Grows up to 20 m. 50­150 seeds per packet. flower spikes. Found in grasslands & roadsides. 60 cm. 150­500 seeds per packet. Scots Pine £2.50 Pinus sylvestris Seeds from the native Caledonian forest. Grows up to 25 m tall. 50­150 seeds per packet. 9 10 Establishing a Wildflower Meadow Sowing • Sow in spring (March to mid­June) or in autumn Choosing a Mixture (August to late­September). Our meadow mixes contain grass species and wildflowers in proportion to create a colourful, • Seeds should either be broadcast by hand or balanced community of different species. using a seeder suitable for grass seed. If sowing Most soils in Scotland which can be cultivated are by hand, sawdust or dry sand may be mixed in to near neutral or slightly acid and our mixtures reflect make the seed easier to handle. this. • After sowing, the site should be rolled or given a We also make up special mixtures to suit individual light harrowing to improve seed contact with the sites or preferences ­ just give us a call and we will soil. be pleased to advise you on the most suitable Ongoing management mixture.