Rewilding has become a buzzword in recent years, and for good reason. As we become more aware of the impact of climate change, habitat loss, and the decline of biodiversity, the idea of bringing nature back into our lives—starting right in our own gardens—has never been more relevant. The concept is simple: instead of trying to control every aspect of your garden, you allow nature to take the lead, creating a space that supports wildlife and contributes to a healthier ecosystem.
But rewilding isn’t just about letting your garden grow wild and hoping for the best. It’s about making intentional choices that encourage biodiversity, support local wildlife, and create a balanced, thriving environment. One of the best ways to start rewilding your garden is by introducing native plants—those that have evolved alongside the local wildlife and are perfectly adapted to your region.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the top 8 native plants for rewilding your garden in the UK. I’ll share some personal experiences with a couple of these plants and provide detailed advice on how to grow and maintain them, ensuring your rewilding project is a success.
1. Red Campion (Silene dioica)
Why Choose Red Campion?
Red Campion is a beautiful and resilient wildflower that deserves a place in every rewilded garden. Its bright pink flowers bloom from spring through to early autumn, providing a splash of colour that lasts for months. But more importantly, Red Campion is a magnet for pollinators, especially bees and butterflies, who are drawn to its nectar-rich flowers.
This plant is also incredibly versatile. It thrives in a variety of conditions, from shady woodland edges to sunny garden borders, making it an excellent choice for different areas of your garden.
How to Grow and Maintain Red Campion
Red Campion is relatively low-maintenance, which makes it a great option for gardeners of all skill levels. It prefers a slightly shaded spot with moist, well-drained soil, but it can tolerate a range of conditions. Simply plant it in a suitable location, water it occasionally, and let it do its thing.
One of the best things about Red Campion is that it self-seeds readily. This means that once established, it will continue to spread and naturalise in your garden, creating a beautiful, wildflower meadow effect. If you want to control its spread, you can simply deadhead the flowers before they go to seed.
Personal Experience: Red Campion in My Garden
A few years ago, I decided to rewild a shady corner of my garden that had always been a bit of a problem area. After some research, I decided to plant Red Campion, hoping it would add some much-needed colour and attract pollinators. The results were better than I could have imagined. Not only did the Red Campion thrive, but it also started to spread naturally, filling the space with its cheerful pink blooms. The bees and butterflies soon followed, turning that once-neglected corner into a vibrant, buzzing haven.
2. Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
Why Choose Foxglove?
Foxgloves are iconic British wildflowers, instantly recognisable by their tall spires of tubular flowers. These plants are not only stunning to look at, but they’re also incredibly beneficial for wildlife, particularly bumblebees, who are drawn to the nectar hidden deep within the flowers.
Foxgloves are biennial, meaning they take two years to complete their life cycle. In the first year, they grow a rosette of leaves, and in the second year, they produce their striking flower spikes before setting seed. This biennial nature makes them perfect for rewilding, as they will self-seed and ensure a continuous presence in your garden.
How to Grow and Maintain Foxglove
Foxgloves prefer a partially shaded spot with well-drained, slightly acidic soil, but they can tolerate a range of conditions. To get started, you can either sow seeds directly into the ground or plant young seedlings. Once they’ve established themselves in your garden, they’ll require very little maintenance.
It’s important to remember that foxgloves are toxic if ingested, so they should be planted in areas where pets or small children can’t easily access them. After they’ve flowered, you can allow them to self-seed naturally, or you can collect the seeds and sow them where you want new plants to grow.
Personal Experience: Foxgloves in My Garden
I first introduced foxgloves to my garden as part of a rewilding project aimed at attracting more pollinators. I planted them along the edge of a woodland area, where they would receive dappled sunlight throughout the day. The first year, I was rewarded with lush green rosettes, and by the second year, those tall, elegant spires of purple flowers appeared, attracting bees in droves. The sight of those bees disappearing into the tubular flowers, only to emerge covered in pollen, was one of the most rewarding aspects of my rewilding efforts.
3. Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Why Choose Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil?
Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil might not be the flashiest plant in your garden, but it’s a powerhouse when it comes to supporting wildlife. This low-growing wildflower produces clusters of bright yellow flowers that are rich in nectar, making it a favourite among bees and butterflies. It also serves as a larval food plant for several butterfly species, including the Common Blue and the Dingy Skipper.
Beyond its value to wildlife, Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil is a nitrogen-fixing plant, meaning it improves soil fertility by converting nitrogen from the air into a form that plants can use. This makes it an excellent choice for enriching your garden’s soil while also contributing to a healthy ecosystem.
How to Grow and Maintain Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil
Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil is incredibly easy to grow and thrives in poor, well-drained soil, making it perfect for areas of your garden that might otherwise be difficult to plant. It prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade.
Once established, this plant requires very little maintenance. It will spread naturally, forming a dense mat of foliage and flowers that will return year after year. Because it’s a perennial, you won’t need to replant it each year, and it will continue to provide food and habitat for wildlife.
Rewilding Tip: Natural Lawns with Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil
If you’re considering rewilding your lawn, Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil is an excellent choice for creating a wildflower-rich turf. By mixing it with other native species, such as clover and daisies, you can create a low-maintenance lawn that’s teeming with life. Allow the lawn to grow a bit longer, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly it attracts bees, butterflies, and other insects.
4. Betony (Stachys officinalis)
Why Choose Betony?
Betony is a versatile and attractive wildflower that’s perfect for rewilding projects. It produces spikes of pinkish-purple flowers that bloom from mid-summer to early autumn, attracting a wide range of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. Betony’s long flowering period and striking appearance make it a valuable addition to any garden.
Beyond its appeal to wildlife, Betony is a hardy and resilient plant that can thrive in a variety of conditions. It’s a perennial, meaning it will return year after year, providing a reliable source of nectar and adding continuity to your rewilding efforts.
How to Grow and Maintain Betony
Betony is incredibly adaptable and can grow in both full sun and partial shade. It prefers well-drained soil but is tolerant of different soil types, making it a versatile choice for various garden settings.
To grow Betony, you can either sow seeds directly into the ground or plant young seedlings. Once established, it requires very little maintenance. Simply water it during dry spells, and allow it to self-seed if you’d like it to spread throughout your garden.
Rewilding Tip: Betony in Wildflower Borders
Betony is an excellent choice for wildflower borders, where it can be mixed with other native species like oxeye daisies, knapweed, and yarrow. The combination of different heights, colours, and textures creates a dynamic and visually appealing display that also serves as a haven for wildlife.
5. Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
Why Choose Common Knapweed?
Common Knapweed is a quintessential wildflower that’s perfect for rewilding projects. Its striking purple flowers bloom from midsummer to early autumn, providing a valuable source of nectar for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. In fact, Common Knapweed is one of the best plants you can grow if you’re serious about supporting pollinators in your garden.
This hardy perennial is also incredibly easy to grow and can thrive in a variety of conditions. It’s particularly well-suited to wildflower meadows and naturalistic planting schemes, where it can create a beautiful, meadow-like effect.
How to Grow and Maintain Common Knapweed
Common Knapweed is a tough plant that can grow in a range of soil types, from dry, sandy soils to more fertile ground. It prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade, making it a versatile addition to your garden.
To establish Common Knapweed, you can either sow seeds directly into the ground or plant young seedlings. Once established, it requires very little maintenance. It’s drought-tolerant, so you won’t need to water it frequently, and it will self-seed naturally, ensuring a steady supply of flowers year after year.
Rewilding Tip: Creating a Wildflower Meadow
Common Knapweed is a key species for creating a wildflower meadow in your garden. Combine it with other native wildflowers like oxeye daisies, bird’s-foot-trefoil, and red clover to create a diverse and vibrant meadow that supports a wide range of wildlife. Once established, your wildflower meadow will require minimal maintenance—just an annual cut in late summer to help maintain its biodiversity.
6. Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
Why Choose Teasel?
Teasel is a dramatic and eye-catching plant that’s perfect for adding structure and height to your rewilded garden. This biennial plant produces tall, spiky flower heads that are rich in nectar, making them a magnet for bees and butterflies during the summer months.
But Teasel’s appeal doesn’t end with its flowers. In autumn, the spent flower heads turn into seed heads, which are a favourite food source for goldfinches. If you’re looking to attract birds to your garden, Teasel is a must-have plant.
How to Grow and Maintain Teasel
Teasel is easy to grow and thrives in full sun with well-drained soil. It’s a biennial plant, meaning it spends its first year developing a rosette of leaves and then produces its tall flower spikes in the second year. After flowering, it will set seed and then die, but don’t worry—Teasel self-seeds readily, ensuring a continuous presence in your garden.
To get started, sow seeds directly into the ground in late spring or early summer. Once the plants are established, they require very little maintenance. Teasel is drought-tolerant and can thrive in poor soils, making it a great choice for low-maintenance rewilding projects.
Rewilding Tip: Adding Drama with Teasel
Teasel’s tall, architectural form makes it a great choice for adding drama and structure to your garden. Plant it in groups or alongside other tall wildflowers like foxgloves to create a dynamic display that will draw the eye and provide valuable resources for wildlife.
7. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Why Choose Hawthorn?
Hawthorn is a small, native tree that’s one of the best plants you can include in a rewilded garden. It’s a true wildlife magnet, providing food and shelter for a wide range of species. In spring, Hawthorn produces masses of white or pink flowers that are rich in nectar and attract bees and other pollinators. In autumn, the tree is covered in red berries, which are a vital food source for birds like thrushes, blackbirds, and redwings.
Hawthorn’s dense, thorny branches also offer excellent shelter and nesting sites for birds, making it an invaluable addition to any wildlife-friendly garden.
How to Grow and Maintain Hawthorn
Hawthorn is a hardy and resilient tree that can thrive in a variety of soil types, from clay to sandy soils. It prefers full sun or partial shade and is drought-tolerant once established.
To grow Hawthorn, you can plant young trees or bare-root saplings in the autumn or winter. Once planted, Hawthorn requires very little maintenance. It’s a slow-growing tree, but it will eventually reach a height of 5-6 metres, making it suitable for even modest-sized gardens.
If you’re short on space, consider planting Hawthorn as part of a mixed hedge, along with other native species like blackthorn, hazel, and field maple. This will create a natural boundary that supports a diverse range of wildlife.
Rewilding Tip: Hawthorn Hedges
A Hawthorn hedge is one of the best things you can plant if you’re serious about rewilding your garden. Not only does it provide food and shelter for wildlife, but it also offers a natural, attractive boundary for your garden. If you’re planting a new hedge, be sure to include a mix of native species to increase its biodiversity value.
8. Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Why Choose Oxeye Daisy?
Oxeye Daisy is a cheerful and versatile wildflower that’s perfect for rewilding projects. With its large, white petals and bright yellow centre, it brings a touch of classic meadow beauty to your garden. Oxeye Daisies bloom from early summer to autumn, providing a long-lasting display that’s loved by bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
This hardy perennial is also incredibly easy to grow and will thrive in most soil types, making it an excellent choice for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.
How to Grow and Maintain Oxeye Daisy
Oxeye Daisy prefers full sun but can tolerate light shade. It thrives in well-drained soil and is tolerant of poor soil conditions, making it a great choice for less fertile areas of your garden.
To establish Oxeye Daisies, you can sow seeds directly into the ground in autumn or spring, or plant young seedlings. Once established, the plants require very little maintenance. They will self-seed readily, creating a natural, meadow-like effect in your garden.
If you want to encourage a dense display of flowers, you can cut the plants back after flowering to prevent them from becoming too leggy. However, if you’re aiming for a more natural look, simply let the plants do their thing and enjoy the changing display year after year.
Rewilding Tip: Oxeye Daisies in Wildflower Meadows
Oxeye Daisies are a classic component of wildflower meadows, where they can be mixed with other native species like red clover, knapweed, and bird’s-foot-trefoil. This combination of flowers creates a rich tapestry of colour and provides valuable habitat and food for a wide range of wildlife.
Additional Tips for Rewilding Your Garden
Rewilding your garden is a rewarding and fulfilling project that benefits both you and the local wildlife. Here are some additional tips to help you make the most of your rewilding efforts:
1. Start Small
If the idea of rewilding your entire garden feels overwhelming, start small. Focus on one area of your garden—whether it’s a corner, a border, or even a patch of lawn—and begin introducing native plants. As you become more comfortable with the process, you can expand your efforts to other parts of your garden.
2. Let Go of Perfection
Rewilding is about embracing the natural, untamed beauty of your garden. This means letting go of the idea that everything needs to be perfectly neat and tidy. Allow plants to self-seed, let your lawn grow a little longer, and welcome the wildness that comes with rewilding.
3. Provide Water
Water is an essential resource for wildlife, so consider adding a small pond or water feature to your garden. Even a shallow dish of water can make a big difference, providing a drinking and bathing spot for birds, insects, and other creatures.
4. Reduce the Use of Chemicals
Pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilisers can harm the very wildlife you’re trying to attract. Instead, focus on building healthy soil and encouraging natural predators like ladybirds and birds to keep pest populations in check.
5. Create Habitats
In addition to planting native species, consider creating habitats for wildlife. Log piles, compost heaps, and dense shrubs all provide shelter for insects, birds, and small mammals. You can also build or buy insect hotels, bird boxes, and hedgehog homes to encourage even more wildlife to take up residence in your garden.
6. Enjoy the Process
Rewilding is a journey, not a destination. Take the time to observe how your garden changes and evolves over time, and enjoy the process of creating a space that’s alive with life. The rewards of rewilding are many—from the joy of watching bees and butterflies flit among the flowers to the satisfaction of knowing you’re making a positive impact on the environment.
Final Thoughts: Embracing the Wild
Rewilding your garden is one of the most impactful things you can do to support local wildlife and contribute to a healthier ecosystem. By introducing native plants like Red Campion, Foxglove, Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil, Betony, Common Knapweed, Teasel, Hawthorn, and Oxeye Daisy, you’re creating a space that’s rich in biodiversity and full of life.
But rewilding isn’t just about the plants—it’s about changing the way we think about gardening. It’s about letting go of the need for control and embracing the wild beauty of nature. It’s about finding joy in the unexpected and celebrating the small, everyday wonders that occur when we give nature a chance to thrive. If you need further guidance, have. alook mat this article from Mossy Earth.
So, whether you’re starting with a small patch of wildflowers or embarking on a full-scale rewilding project, remember to have fun, be patient, and enjoy the incredible transformation that will take place in your garden. Happy rewilding!
