Seeding flowers.

[Bearwood]

Nothing wrong with encouraging biodiversity at all OCP, imho it's a great idea in areas which aren't responding well to natural processes. I found somewhere recently, that supplied sacks of seed (fnaar fnaar!) produced in accordance with various organisations standards, which were comprised of a mix of flora seeds suitable for the woodland or grassland you intend to sow upon.

If I find a link I shall edit and repost for you.

Edit, here it is:
http://www.habitataid.co.uk/acatalog/wi ... mixes.html

[Chunkymunky]

If your woodland is ancient it could be worth talking to woodland trust. I know other wildlife trusts collect seeds to encourage growth in other areas. Maybe they do such a thing

[splodger]

i run a seed swapping website - and have a few "wild flowers" on there if you were after a few seeds

also - i'd happily collect some foxglove seeds for you form our wood - we also have - garlic hedge which does well - and the wild bees love it - i have collected a few bluebell seeds - although they do take upto 4 years to get to flowering - worth the wait if your wood doesn't have many

we have quite a nice mix of flowers throughout the year including a few large thistles, which look lovely, - bees like those too we've also palnted comfrey, hellebores, spring bulbs, aqueligia, dog type roses etc near the veg patch - also in that area are mock orange, buddliea, fruit trees, honeysuckles etc etc - we also have fruit bushes (gooseberry and blackcurrants mainly) planted about the wood - the blackbirds certainly appreciate them

for added colour amongst the trees - can't beat guelder rose when fruiting and hawthorn, blackthorn, wild plum etc

[splodger]

my seed swap site is http://www.seedswappers.co.uk mostly veg and garden flowers - but do have wild flower mixes listed on there i think - i save seeds every year anyway - happy to collect if i can help someone out

it's not ransoms we have - is jack by the hedge (garlic mustard) - which i call garlic hedge - i will gladly collect seeds from that later in the year if you'd like some.

you have struck nail on head though - by stating the obvious - light is always going to be an issue - especially with a dense canopy - most of our flowering species are around the boundaries and in recently (last 5 years) coppiced areas - not much grows under the mature stuff

wood anemone would grow under dense cover - but we don't have any on our site i'm afraid - although i do know know of a lovely patch just a few miles down the road

another thing that might grow on the borders is woundwort - bees love that too - although it can spread quite quickly the roots are shallow so are easily controlled (i grow it in my garden, but then i am an eco-gardener - so the bees come before me )

i've got to sort through my self collected seed boxes within next week or too - so i'll have a look to see what might be ok in the wood - and post back in this thread - but i am going to be too busy, certainly over coming week - as my dad is really poorly and i'm on "woods duty" until he gets better