Growing a chamomile lawn.
Chamomile is now grown as a turf and can be supplied ready to lay almost in the same way as grass turf. This makes the creation of a instant chamomile lawn so much easier!
Chamomile turf is formed of low-growing aromatic herbs and adds a truly lovely feature to your garden. The finely divided leaves create a feathery appearance and every time you walk across it, the lawn will release its soothing apple fragrance into the air.
In smaller gardens with an area that doesn't get a lot of heavy wear and tear, a chamomile lawn makes a lovely change to grass and even in larger gardens a chamomile path looks and smells good.
The best chamomile for lawns is the very compact. Anthemis nobilis will spread to form a dense mat. This is the turf we supply and lay.
Chamomile doesn't like waterlogged soil. It grows best in free-draining soil that gets full sunlight. Heavy soil can be ok if grit is added or a raised bed is built to improve drainage. A raised bed formed with railway sleepers and filled with loamy soil and then planted with camomile is a really attractive garden feature both to look at, touch and smell. Makes for interesting conversation too.
Prepare the bed for a chamomile lawn as if you were going to lay normal turf. Ground preparation for laying a lawn is explained on the lawn care page. Remember chamomile turf comes in strips measuring 250mm by 500mm. There are eight strips to a square meter.
How to look after your chamomile lawn
The great thing about chamomile is that it doesn't need much watering, fertiliser or mowing. Also It only grows to a height of 6cms (2.5?). So the occasional mow keeps any long shoots in control and helps sideways spread. If your soil is sandy (sandy soil lacks the quantity of nutrients clay soil contains) sprinkle a mixture of sieved soil and grit sand over the lawn each spring, and tread or roll in. This helps drainage and encourages the growth of roots from the crushed shoots, making a healthy, dense cushion.
But if your soil is mostly clay a good spread of gritty sand over the chamomile will improve the surface drainage. Chamomile doesn't like water logged soiln though, so brush or gently rake the grit sand as rolling it may compact the surface.
Chamomile is a gentle plant and doesn't compete with grass and weeds in your garden. So you will need to control them for your. You will be rewarded for protecting your gentle chamomile from the tougher and bigger boys for years to come.
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Chamomile turf costs about £50 per square meter, so will work out a lot more expensive than grass turf, so you may want to consider growing from seed.
Preparing the ground for seeding or turfing a chamomile lawn.
Preparing the area for seeding or planting a chamomile lawn is the same as for a grass lawn (tips on this page). Dig the area, remove all weeds and as many stones as you can. Then dig in well rotted organic compost.
You may also want to try growing chamomile under and around a garden seat, or in and around a pathway. The fragrant aroma will be released each time the seat is used and the pathway is walked on!
Chamomile lawn from seedlings or seed
Plant chamomile seedlings 15cm apart. Or sow organic compost in seed trays, treating them the same as any seedlings by thinning out and planting when the chamomile has grown into small plants.
Looking after your seeded camomile lawn
Water your chamomile lawn until the plants are starting to spread and look established. At this stage - with your lawn-mower blades set on the highest setting - you can give it its first cut. Thinner patches can be replanted with saved seedlings.
Pages on my site you may find helpful.
Ground preparation,laying lawn turf and lawn care.
Lawn and garden drainage
Free chamomile Lawn turfing and turf laying Quotes in North Somerset, Bristol, Weston super mare, Bath, Yeovil, Taunton, Wells and Bridgwater area
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Dobies have been awarded the "Best Buy" Seed Supplier by Which? Gardening with "an impressive 91% of seed producing healthy seedlings and seed prices are amongst the lowest that you can find. flower seeds and Chamomile seeds, flower bulbs, fruit trees and bushes, bedding plants & plug plants plus gardeners tools.
I have also listed the other landscape gardeners and lawn care suppliers I use for tools, equipment, garden sheds and buildings in the
gardeners online shop
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