Moorish Lawn

Among many other decorative lawns, it stands out for its unique charm. However, achieving its perfect state isn't always easy. Success requires knowing several care rules for a Moorish lawn. This article covers them.

A few words about its origin: the lawn owes its name to the Moors—Arabs who ruled part of Spain in the early Middle Ages. Europeans visiting their estates were amazed by the beauty of gardens where trees were surrounded by seas of blooming wildflowers. Possibly, creators of Moorish lawns were Slavic slaves who never forgot the meadows of their homeland. Gradually, from ancient Córdoba, this style spread across Europe.

What plants are in a Moorish lawn

The mix called 'Moorish lawn' can be bought in garden centers. It mainly consists of seeds of perennial grasses: timothy, meadow fescue, ryegrass, oatgrass, and flower seeds. The latter make up about one-quarter of the total mix. Some grass mixes also include bulb plants such as spring violets, snowdrops, crocuses, and bird's-eye. In some sets, flower seeds are in a separate packet or already mixed with grass seeds.

When buying a lawn mix, check how many flower species it contains. Some mixes include up to 30 or more plant species with different blooming times, while others may have no more than five.

These may include cornflowers, evening primrose, poppies, flax, marigolds, cosmos, chrysanthemums, sandwort, adonis, clarkia, delphinium, daisies, nasturtiums, and many others. The variety of flowers greatly affects the visual appeal of your lawn. Ideally, a mix should contain 10 or more species with different blooming periods.

Flowers can be either perennial or annual. To ensure annual plants produce seeds for reblooming next year, sow the lawn as early in spring as possible. Perennial flowering plants may not bloom until the second year of growth.

Lawns with different compositions can be adapted to various climate zones. Always consider this when choosing.

Preparing the soil for a Moorish lawn

In moderate climates, choose a sunny spot for the Moorish lawn, though partial shade is acceptable. If placing it under dense tree shade, add seeds of shade-tolerant flowers to the mix. The lawn can be placed in front of a house, near a pond, along a fence, or under trees. It looks especially beautiful in parks and gardens designed in English style.

Best soil for growing a Moorish lawn is light, well-structured, and even if not very fertile. On wet sites, plants may rot, so such areas must be drained first.

Seeding can be done from April to October. Early spring seeding (in April) is recommended, provided the soil has warmed to 10–12°C. Late seeding may prevent annuals from producing seeds or even blooming.

Prepare the soil in autumn. Dig to a spade’s depth, remove roots of weeds. If weeds are abundant, pre-treat soil with herbicides. During digging, add organic fertilizers or peat.

If soil is heavy, mix in sand thoroughly with the topsoil layer. Then level and roll the soil with a hand roller. Before sowing in spring, apply a nitrogen-rich complex fertilizer.

How to sow a Moorish lawn

Sow in autumn or from April to early May. Use 60 grams of mix per 10 square meters, distributing seeds evenly. Mix seeds with sand in a 1:3 ratio. If flower seeds are in a separate packet, you can mix them with the grass seeds or sow separately in groups against a background of grass seeding.

Hand-sow the mix. Then rake seeds into moist soil to a depth of about 5 mm and lightly roll. Water carefully to avoid washing seeds away. Drip irrigation is recommended.

After sowing, cover the lawn with lutrexil to protect seeds from birds. No need to remove it during watering—lumexil is water-permeable. Seedlings should appear within 8–14 days.

Required lawn care

Care for a Moorish lawn includes regular watering, occasional feeding, and weed removal. Water using sprinklers. Additional fertilization during the season is needed if soil is poor and plants grow poorly or turn yellow.

Mow the lawn 1–2 times per summer. First mowing occurs after seeds from spring flowers mature—usually late June. Second mowing is in autumn, after most flowers have set seeds—typically September to October. Mow to a height of about 8 cm. Leave cut grass for several days to allow seeds to fall, then remove.

If the Moorish lawn was sown late in spring, some annual plants may not survive next year due to incomplete seed maturation. Therefore, resow them in spring. With this step, your flower meadow will continue to delight you for years.

Good luck growing your small blooming meadow!