STUDIES ON THE FLORISTIC RELAY OF WILDFLOWERS

Authors:	Y. Hamada, J. Oikawa, T. Murano
Keywords:	Wildflower, Floristic relays, Sowing season, Sowing density, Dominant species
Abstract: Concern for environmental protection has been growing in developed countries as scientists have become alarmed at the rate at which the living environment has become degraded. One consequence has been the increase in seed companies and nurseries specialising in native wildflowers. Wildflowers from North America have been sent to many other countries, and in Japan they have found a role in landscaping for public green spaces. Trials were carried out on the seed mix, sowing density, sowing time and management and the effects of these on flowering performance and floristic relay. The main findings were: Sowing was better in autumn than spring because the competition from weeds was less significant. Of six commercially available blends tested, the Moist Mixture performed best in our region, followed by ‘Low Growing Mixture.’ The optimum sowing density for ‘Moist Mix’ was 6–12 mlm^-2. Once sown, the wildflower mixes performed well for at least 2 years without the need for re-sowing. Two maintenance cuts per year are the minimum requirement. One cut should be during the rainy season, in June or July, and one during winter.
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