Wildflower Plants A to Z

Likely named for its attractive foliage - forming in dense rosettes of mottles maroon leaves - one shouldn’t overlook its brilliant branching stems of yellow, daisy-like blooms, which helps to bring in the pollinators. An excellent ornamental flower which grows well in rockeries, meadows or mixed pots and baskets.

• Type: Perennial 
• Height: 15-45cm.
• Flowers: June-September 
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained
• Light Requirement: Full sun
• Natural Habitat: Grasslands, quarries
• Also known as: Leopard

Hyssop is a herb related to the mint, with aromatic leaves which are sometimes used for flavouring and medicine. It looks just as sweet, producing spikes of petals from vivid violet to royal blue and even white. A delightful bit of eye candy that's also attractive to pollinators and easy to grow.

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 40-60cm.
• Flowers: July-September
• Soil requirement: Moist or well-drained
• Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural habitat: Grassland, meadows, roadsides

What’s better than the Anise Hyssop’s clumps-forming, soft spikes of mauve flowers? Perhaps only its aromatic leaves! A nectar-rich scented sensation of a herb best placed at the back of a border, where it brings in bees and butterflies. 

• Type: Perennial 
• Height: 60-100cm.
• Flowers: June-September 
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained
• Light Requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural Habitat: Dry forests, praries
• Also known as: Fragrant Giant Hyssop, Lavender Giant Hyssop

The Yellow Flag Iris is thought by some to be the original fleur-de-lis, a symbol of heraldry and royalty. And while the golden, three-petalled flowers and blade-like leaves are regal indeed, its true name is just as appropriate, as this water-resistant plant grows on tall, branching stems which display its beautiful blooms like flags waving in the wind. Recommended as a pond-side plant.

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 100-150cm. 
• Flowers: May-August
• Soil Requirement: Moist
• Light Requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural Habitat: Marsh, flood planes, ditches
• Also known as: Flagon, Water Flag, Yellow Fleur-De-Lis

The county flower of Derbyshire. Jacob's Ladder gets its name from its climbing, ladder-like foliage. Produces lavender blue, bell-shaped flowers form in clusters at the top of its tall, slender stems.  

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 50-100cm
• Flowers: June - July
• Soil requirement: Moist but well-drained
• Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural habitat: North facing areas, limestone hillsides, old meadows
• Also known as: American Great Valerian, Charity, Ladder to Heaven

These thistle-like florets of magenta atop maroon flower heads are an excellent pick for any garden, despite their prickly appearance: Not only are they super hardy, they're vital in wild meadows for supporting weaker wildflowers, and they're also attractive to butterflies and bees!

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 30-60cm. 
• Flowers: June-September
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained
• Light Requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural Habitat: Grasslands, forest verges
• Also known as: Bell Weed, Hardhead, Tassel

A robust marsh flower which produces tall plumes of magenta blooms. Perfect for the pondside- let them loose and enjoy these sensational spikes of colour as they bring in bees!

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 60-120cm. 
• Flowers: June-September
• Soil Requirement: Moist
• Light Requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural Habitat: Marshes, riverbanks, fens
• Also known as: Black Blood, Rainbow Weed, Red Sally

There's many a reason to plant the tough, adaptable and hearty bloom that is mallow: cherish it for its heart-winning, heart-shaped pink petals veined with violet, or for its numerous medicinal and culinary uses; it's a flower that promises to please in many different environments.

• Type: Annual or Biennial
• Height: 30-90cm. 
• Flowers: June-September
• Soil Requirement: Moist but well-drained
• Light Requirement: Full sun
• Natural Habitat: Meadows, road verges
• Also known as: Cheese Cakes, Marsh Mallow, Round Dock

The Musk Mallow- so named for its musky, strong scent which only gets stronger in the summer warmth- produces pastel pink, heart-shaped petals; no wonder mythology treats it as a flower of love! Beloved by bees, and its precious blooms are an extra-sweet sight in the garden.

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 30-90cm. 
• Flowers: July-September
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained
• Light Requirement: Full sun
• Natural Habitat: Hedgerows, meadows
• Also known as: Abelmosk, Ambrette

Marigolds are always a lovely choice for the garden- even in loamy soil. The simple-yet-stunning beauty of these clusters of heart-shaped leaves and beaming golden flowers goes without saying- what’s more, they’re hardy, nectar-rich and even considered to be good luck in some parts of the country. Best placed in a sunny spot where they’ll  give off a gorgeous glow!

• Type: Perennial 
• Height: 25-50cm.
• Flowers: March-August 
• Soil Requirement: Moist
• Light Requirement: Full sun
• Natural Habitat: Marshes, coast lines, river banks
• Also known as: Goldings, Kingcup, Publican’s Coat

The frothy formations of this cream-coloured flower are a truly sugary-sweet sight for the eyes- among other senses, as this tall and robust plant is also renowned for its sweet scent, and it’s frequently used as a flavouring, too. For those caring for marshy meadows, Meadowsweet is a perfect treat!

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 60-120cm. 
• Flowers: June-September
• Best Sown: Autumn or Spring
• Soil Requirement: Moist
• Light Requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural Habitat: River banks, damp meadows
• Also known as: Bridewort, Honey-Sweet, Meadow Queen

The citrus yellow petals of the Mouse-Ear Hawkweed's florets give it a ragged resembance to its relative, the Common Dandelion, they can be easily told apart by the former's attractive crimson outer petals and leaves covered in wooly white hairs. An interesting combo of colours for decorating any environment.

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 5-30cm.
• Flowers: May to October
• Soil requirement: Well-drained
• Light requirement: Full sun 
• Natural habitat: Short pastures, free-draining grassland, sandy dunes, heaths
• Also known as: Blood of St John, Felon Herb, Mouse Ear, Fellon Herb

A famous subject mentioned in Shakespearian stageplay, this lovely, hardy and hearty flower truly is the perfect colour of a midsummer night’s dream, with heart-shaped white or yellow petals stained purple in the centre, supposedly from being hit by one of Cupid’s arrows. The unique, whiskery patterns on each pansy are easy to fall in love with, and make for a spellbinding spectacle when scattered in borders or rockeries.

• Type: Annual
• Height: 15-30cm.
• Flowers: April-June
• Soil Requirement: Moist but well-drained
• Light Requirement: Full sun
• Natural Habitat: Grasslands, dry meadows, rocky outcrops
• Also known as: Cupid’s Flower, Heartsease, Love-In-Idleness

Unique lilac flowers that emit a very strong fragrance of spearmint when crushed that's commonly used in aromatherapy. This species has been known to be used in herbal medicine as an insect repellent and antiseptic. 

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 10-25cm
• Flowers: August onwards
• Soil requirement: Damp
• Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural habitat: Grassland, meadows, roadsides
• Also known as: Pennyrile, Squaw Mint, Mosquito Plant, Pudding Grass

This grass-like plant produces dense spikes of greenish florets, which later display long, lilac stamens that provide this otherwise-prickly plantain with a soft and ribbony appearance. A real gift to your garden that’s perfect for pollinators, and also provides a sweet scent like vanilla. Well-suited to meadows.

• Type: Perennial  
• Height: 30-45cm.
• Flowers: May-August 
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained, chalky
• Light Requirement: Full sun
• Natural Habitat: Grasslands, pastures, roadsides
• Also known as: Fire Leaves, Healing Herb, Kemps

True nature-lovers can give little bit back to nature with this rugged and robust meadow plant. The cream-coloured anthers that give colour to the Ribwort Plantain's spikes of sharp umber petals also serve as a vital food source for pollinators and other animals. A good addition to meadows that's easy to naturalise.

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 60-90cm. 
• Flowers: April-September
• Soil Requirement: Well-Drained
• Light Requirement: Full or partial shade
• Natural Habitat: Grasslands, roadsides
• Also known as: Black Jack, Hen Plant, Ribgrass

So-named for its feathery, forked flowers in flamingo pink, we recommend these raggedy riches for a lot of reasons. Planted in a marshy spot, these bright bursts of streaming pink petals will help to bring in bees and butterflies! 

• Type: Perennial  
• Height: 30-60cm.
• Flowers: May-July 
• Soil Requirement: Moist
• Light Requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural Habitat: Woodland, wetlands
• Also known as: Cuckoo Hood, Meadow Pink, Wild William

A creeping perennial which produces pink and white, pea-like petals, with equally-appealing and hardy hairy foliage with toothed leaves. An ideal meadow plant which prefers sandy soil and blooms in late summer, which also attracts bees and butterflies. 

• Type: Perennial 
• Height: 30-60cm.
• Flowers: July-September
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained
• Light Requirement: Full sun
• Natural Habitat: Grassland, coastal areas
• Also known as: Cammock, Land Whin, Stay-Plough

A shrub-like perennial that's usually found in infertile meadows and grasslands that compliments other species such as Vetch, Betony and Knapweed. Bold, red-pink, delicate flowers on erect, spiny stems. 

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 40-50cm
• Flowers: July-September
• Soil requirement: Natural-acidic
• Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade
• Natural habitat: Grassland, meadows, roadsides
• Also known as: Women's War, Plough Tail 

The lilac-pink bracts of the Clary Sage certainly are a sight for sore eyes! Not only that, but its heart-shaped foliage is famously aromatic to the point where it’s frequently used in aromatherapy, along other medicinal uses the herb’s seen throughout the years.

• Type: Biennial  
• Height: 60-100cm.
• Flowers: March-September 
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained
• Light Requirement: Full sun
• Natural Habitat: Grassland, coastal areas
• Also known as: Clear-Eye, See-Bright

Though the Wood Sage’s crinkly foliage has a more subtle scent than some of its cousins, this sublime specimen has n unusual beauty, bearing dark burgundy stems and stamens contrasted by cream-coloured petals with a large lower lip, making it look like a spoonful of sugar- and it’s sure to add that little extra bit of sweetness to stone gardens and hedgerows.

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 30–50cm. 
• Flowers: July-September
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained
• Light Requirement: Partial shade
• Natural Habitat: Woodland, heathland, coasts
• Also known as: Garlic Sage, Hind Heal

These upright spikes of nectar-rich, stripey fuchsia flowers are your best bet for a bloom that’s beneficial to the wildlife of your wild meadow- it’s best grown with grasses to balance out both plants and best show off its vivid colouration!

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 40–50cm. 
• Flowers: July-September
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained, chalky
• Light Requirement: Full Sun
• Natural Habitat: Meadows, Foot Paths
• Also known as: Esparsette, French Grass, Holy Clover

Named for its serrated, saw-like leaves, these tall-growing and hardy plants are a relative of the daisy, which you’d hardly believe from their violet, thistle-like flowers. They make a sharp statement in a wild meadow! 

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 70–120cm. 
• Flowers: July-September
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained, chalky
• Light Requirement: Full Sun or partial shade
• Natural Habitat: Meadows, Forest edges
• Also known as: Dyer's Plumeless Saw-Wort

For those looking for something truly unique, the Burnet Saxifrage is one in a million: bearing thin branches of miniature, crystal-white floral umbels like snowflakes, as well as highly variable foliage, ranging from thin and sharp to short and toothed.  It’s easy to naturalise, and its simple colouration makes it a suitable addition to any arrangement.

• Type: Perennial
• Height: 50–100cm.
• Flowers: May-September
• Soil Requirement: Moist but well-drained
• Light Requirement: Sun or partial shade
• Natural Habitat: Grassland, heathland
• Also known as: Lesser Burnet