Moorish lawn with your own hands - is it worth experimenting with?
This kind of lawn was born in the distant VII-VIII centuries. AD, when Islamic states began to actively form in the territories of Spain and North Africa. However, soon he lost his place in the sun to individual flower beds and was forgotten. Today, the Moorish-type lawn is once again of interest, for which there are a number of reasons. Firstly, it is ideal even for those areas where the quality of soil leaves much to be desired. Its low degree of fertility makes it possible not to worry about the rapid growth of weeds with the normal growth of grass seeds and flowers selected for the lawn.
Secondly, a lawn of this type is not in vain called a "flowering meadow".Its sowing is a great opportunity to have in your garden a piece of wild meadow and partially restore the long-lost natural balance. Thirdly, the lack of the need for regular haircut makes this lawn irreplaceable for those who can not afford the waste of time to carefully care for the garden plot and waste money for the gardener. Of course, at the same time it is worthwhile to realize that a lawn of the Moorish type will look a little untroubled, but this is its "highlight".
Experts do not recommend sowing this lawn on a large garden area. The fact is that the Moorish lawn, whose composition is distinguished by its "motley", looks much more advantageous and aesthetically in small areas. This can be the space between trees or the backdrop of an ordinary lawn, a plot near a fence, a hedge or a pond.
Which plants to choose for a lawn of the Moorish type?
This type of lawn involves the use of seeds of grass grasses and wildflowers. Most often, flowers are selected with the condition that they will bloom at different times. This allows you to create an attractive lawn, pleasing with its colors from early spring until late autumn. The choice of colors is simply huge! Traditional cornflowers, chamomiles and marigolds are perfectly complemented by a bathing-place, Chinese carnation, chrysanthemum, primula, daisies, oriental poppy, meadow clover.
Flowering plants can be "diluted" and bulbous species, seamlessly combined with cereal grasses. It is recommended to stop your choice on daffodils, crocuses, tulips. With regard to herbs, the most suitable species will be: timothy grass, thin fine grass, bluegrass meadow, ryegrass pasture. The ratio of selected cereals and flowering plants should be 80% to 20% or 95% to 5%.In this case, it is necessary to take into account the number of annual and perennial plants, since it is important to correct the proportions in time!
It is worth noting that many of the plants that make up your lawn of the Moorish type are honeycombs. That is why it is necessary to be prepared for the fact that bees and numerous butterflies become frequent guests of such a meadow. The choice of flowering plants is especially important, because they attract bright attention with their bright colors. The most common and suitable for the Moorish meadow species include:
- Camomile meadow. It is a traditional perennial plant of Russian meadows. Its height is 80-90 cm, so it looks great in the planting of the group type. It is combined with cornflowers and bells.
- Echinacea. A perennial plant with inflorescences from gently pink to dark red. Like chamomile, it is perfect for boarding in groups. Cut off inflorescences stand in water for a long time and can become an ornament of the interior.
- Cornflower field. His bright blue inflorescences can not leave anyone indifferent. If necessary, it is easily renewed with the help of seeds, blooms for a long time.
- Flax large-flowered. It is an annual, which does not detract from its beauty. It has a small height, but it is quite suitable for cutting and making a bouquet.
- Nemesis. Herbaceous plant with beautiful white or yellow flowers, which are collected in racemose inflorescences. It differs lightfastness and resistance to colds.
- Oriental mack. Perennial plant with bright red and fairly large flowers. The flowering period usually falls on the last 2 weeks of May. Ripe after the flowering capsules give self-seeding.
The main stages of lawn creation - soil preparation, seed sowing, haircut
To create a Mauritanian lawn in your garden area, you must first thoroughly prepare the soil. This preparation is in the selection of weeds at the site chosen for the arrangement and its digging. As a rule, digging is carried out in autumn to a depth of about 15-25 cm. If necessary, the soil can be fertilized with manure. To do this, its surface is covered with a layer of manure about 5 cm, and then digs to a depth of 30-40 cm. The prepared soil is slightly pricked and rolled. In two weeks or the next spring( in April-June), you can start planting seeds and planting plants.
Seeds are deepened approximately 3-5 mm into moderately moist soil. At 1m2 it is recommended to use 10 g of seeds. For their uniform and maximum germination, it is possible to cover the soil with non-woven material. Usually, after 1-2 weeks, the first shoots appear. For landscaping the area near the house for sale, you can easily find ready-made seed mixtures. One packet contains cereal grasses, and in the other - seeds of flowering plants. They can immediately mix and begin to sow or sow first the herbs, and then the flowering plants, which subsequently form bright "islands."
If your plans include planting bulbous plants, then first plant large species. Small bulbs look great in groups of 10-15 pieces. Often they are planted after perennials in vacant places.
Further care for the lawn consists in its mowing, weed control and watering. The mowing of the Moorish meadow should be given special attention. Its frequency is determined by the types of planted plants, the speed and conditions of their growth. Of course, for a mature lawn it is difficult to determine the periods of mowing, because when you look at a natural meadow you will not come to mind cutting it, even with a certain lack of grooming. However, for the first year of the "life" of the lawn there are quite clear rules.
The first haircut is performed after the emergence of cereal plants, but before emergence of flowering species. It is necessary in order that the grass does not drown flowers, and they gained strength. The second haircut falls on the period of the discolouration of plants and their seeding. Usually this is September-October. The height of mowing is usually no more than 8-12 cm from the surface of the soil. Thus, creating a lawn with your own hands is quite easy, as well as caring for it. Minimum monetary, time and labor costs do not affect its attractiveness in any way.