Grassland / Wildflower Meadows​

Watsonia-pillansii Designed Meadows

Spikes of fire-orange Watsonia pillansii are spectacular en-masse.

Wildflower bed

Scabiosa and Helichrysum dasyanthum add colourful flowers to a wildflower bed.

Melinis

Designed Meadow

Two grassland flowers, Bulbine abyssinica and Gerbera ambigua, make a charming picture.

Tiny but effective grassland garden

Another view of Hilliardiella pinifolia (= Vernonia capensis), sliver leaves of Hilliardiella aristata (= Vernonia natalensis). The stem of an old Aloe ferox can be seen against the stone wall.

Grassland meadow

Hilliardiella species, Senecio speciosus, Dierama and Melinis grasses. A lone aloe adds texture and winter interest. This small patch feeds birds and insects.

Plant large drifts of colour

For great impact, plant in generous drifts. Butterflies and bees prefer to visit where there are plenty of flowers on offer.

Add specials like orchids

These grassland candles pop up for a short time amongst the grasses and flowering Helichrysum in natural grasslands.

Blond grasses for texture

Polygala and Scabiosa

Tall, slender Purple Broom is a year-round bloomer offering plentiful room for flowering fields of Scabiosa and others.

Scabiosa, Geranium and Ursinia

Relaxed meadow design

Scented Pelargoniums mix well with yellow flowering Cotula and pale lilac Scabiosa

Cotula and Geranium incanum

Hilliardiella and Dimorphotheca

Whites look stunning in the evening

Felicia, Scabiosa and grey Helichrysum

Scabiosa and Geranium incanum

Polygala virgata

The Purple Broom adds the dimension of heights and provides spaces beneath for a mix of perennial and groundcovers.

Scabiosa and Dimorphotheca

Designed grassland or fynbos meadows

Selago corymbosa & Pelargonium

Hot pink grassland flowers

Scabiosa and Diascia

Hot summer colour

Chrysocoma coma-aurea & Pelargonium

Mid-height groundcovers

Chrysocoma coma-aurea and Felicia

Tall, slender mixes

Salvia and Hebenstretia

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Geranium incanum

This is a spectacular plant to create large wildflower meadows.

Melinis and Crassula vaginata

Gerbera ambigua and Aloe chabaudii

Aristea and Bulbine latifolia

Companions for an average to damp grassland bed

Natural grassland outcrop

Watsonia and vernonias light up a stony hill.

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Place flowering clumps around rocks

Rocks provide warmth, are landing sites for many pollinators, and help soils retain moisture for flowering forbs.

Melinis grasses

Place these red-top grasses to catch the early morning or evening sunlight.

Group plants in drifts.

Grassland meadow: Grasses and Forbs

Helichrysum species and slender grass fronds.

Daisy family

Rocks provide habitat for small flowering plants, as well as animals.

Natural Grasslands

Gorgous grey felt leaves and cream flowers of Helichrysum appendiculatum.

Designed Meadows

My garden was given a helping hand by nature with Helichrysum ruderale seeding prolifically through the sunny beds to create an undesigned pairing with blue Aristea ecklonii.

Gerbera ambigua and Helichrysum

The Verge Helichrysum, H. ruderale, self-seeds a little too generously, but early on, before they grow too large and tatty, provide energising colour and food to a garden.

Designed Meadows

Quiet, subtle beauty; blue Aristea ecklonii fronts a silver mass of Hilliardiela aristata. Wild grasses provide a neutral backdrop to this goreous pairing.

Wild grassland meadows

Shades of yellow: Helichrysum and Berkheya.

Natural Grassland Meadows

Looking through the umbrella-like flower heads.

This family of grassland forbs easil

This family of grassland forbs easily adapts to urban gardens providing food for insects.

Natural grasslands

Long slim flower and grass stems bend and dip with the wind, an attribute prized by garden designers.

Grasses catch the evening sun

Aristida mixed with Kalanchoe longifolia

Grassland mosaic

Include small mosaics to mimic a natural grassland design.

Natural Grasslands

Themedia triandra is a waist-high grass in summer-rainfall grasslands. A lovely tufted grass with pink/ red/ bronze spikelets. Often shorter and purple inland.

Scabiosa columbaria, Berkheya and Hi

Grassland

Geranium-&-Cotula

Flowering meadow

Mix and match flowers without including wild grasses for a delightful flower meadow effect.

Natural Meadow/ Grasslands Berkheya-

Hilliardiella hirsuta and Berkheya speciosus.

A-grassland

Pink (fading to white) Helichrysum ecklonis and yellow Berkheya speciosus and Senecio species.

Dietes bicolor fits around the tall,

A mix of grasses with Arums and Gerb