Â鶹Éç

Garden inspiration  permalink

Anyone know anything about a camomile lawn?

• Message 1. 

  Posted by sksholden (U14079401) on Sunday, 20th June 2010

  Good morning!
  
  We arent too far off replacing the lawn - current one is just not worth saving and we've changed the shape as well!
  
  I have been doing a bit of research about having a chamomile lawn instead of a standard one and wondered if anyone has any information/thoughts/knows advantages or disadvantages?
  
  Bit about us and the garden - its just the 2 of us, 3 cats, its not a massive area (approx 4mx4m). The soil is clay deep down but over the years i think previous owners have spent a lot of time building up the soil so its pretty good (I think..)
  
  Also I live in NE Hampshire - not to far from Basginstoke - does anyone know of any gardens that you can visit that have a chamomile lawn!? Would be good to try and to smell as well!
  
  Many thanks in advance for any info at all!
  Sam

  Link to this forum: Anyone know anything about a camomile lawn?

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Sunday, 20th June 2010

  You really need a dwarf or non flowering variety.
  The one used most is Treneague.
  Have a look at this link there is quite a lot of info on there
  
  
  You need really good drainage and full sun.
  
  It is fairly dry where you are so you should be okay

  Link to this forum: Anyone know anything about a camomile lawn?

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by tattiebogle (U11728394) on Sunday, 20th June 2010

  I grew a teeny tiny camomile lawn this year - it's a circle a bit less than a yard in diameter and is lovely, except it's so small you can only smell it if you're downwind when someone else is standing on it!
  
  Because it was such a small area and I wasn't sure if seeds sown directly in the ground would survive slugs and cats, I sowed the seeds in 3 seed trays in April. Can't remember when I planted them out, and they did look a bit sparse at first, but now in mid June it's a really lush green circle. The seeds were from Suffolk Herbs, sold as 'Chamomile Lawn', botanical name Chamaemelum nobile. According to the packet you can sow seeds outside in spring or early autumn.
  
  I have heard that slugs like it, and it hasn't been through a winter yet, but if all goes OK I will definitely be expanding the area next year. Because you don't mow it, you will need to pull weeds out by hand, but that won't be an unpleasant chore, and if the plants are sown thickly enough it should keep weeds down.

  Link to this forum: Anyone know anything about a camomile lawn?

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Monday, 21st June 2010

  I have lots of chamomile growing between the paving slabs of my patio and it is lovely in the summer. It doesn't mind a little bit of being trodden on and smells great when you do. The only thing is that it dies back quite a bit in the winter so I am not sure what your lawn would look like when it does. My chamomile doesn't get eaten by slugs.
  
  The queen's got a chamomile lawn - perhaps she could post a reply????????

  Link to this forum: Anyone know anything about a camomile lawn?

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by Cornflower (U14518335) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  I'm thinking of adding a chamomile lawn to my garden too, so this thread caught my eye. My current lawn is pretty rough and needs either a lot of attention or reseeding/turfing (but probably the former due to cost). I'd planned to create a circle of lawn mostly enclosed by new beds and it occurred to me that this would be the ideal place for chamomile, as it would also be awkward to access for mowing. It was intended to be a little 'hidey hole' for hiding/relaxing in too, so that adds to the pluses for the chamomile lawn, which would be lovely to sit/lie on. As it will be a comparatively small area of the garden I'm willing to dig it out and put in whatever soil/base will keep it happy, as my clay soil is def not very free draining. Any suggestions for this? Anyone got one already and can comment on it?
  
  I'm in Herefordshire/West Midlands area and would also be interested in visiting somewhere with a chamomile lawn if anyone knows of a place? I've got the NGS2010 book if there's anywhere in there that anyone knows about?

  Link to this forum: Anyone know anything about a camomile lawn?

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by thevodkarose (U13048111) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  I tried alternating paving slabs with squares of camomile last year as a path. The result was less than satisfactory, with the soil becoming very compacted and bare patches always appearing. It was also showing the signs of becoming invasive into nearby borders, annoyingly not filling in the gaps it left behind.
  
  It also produced sickly looking flowers that looked like patches of weeds, despite it being the treneague variety.
  
  I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't have the time to babysit it all the time, or doesn't have a very light soil.
  
  

  Link to this forum: Anyone know anything about a camomile lawn?

  Report message6

• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by thevodkarose (U13048111) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  On the other hand, I believe in heavier soil situations with little foot traffic, corsican mint is a great fragrant alternative, and far easier to keep neat? Because it is so low growing, it wouldn't become invasive if edged with something like impermiable lawn edging.
  
  There's also the hardy common thyme, but IMHO that's best used as filler where it can be allowed to form neat little step-over bushes of green and summer flowers rather than lawn.

  Link to this forum: Anyone know anything about a camomile lawn?

  Report message7

• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  I have creaping thyme at the edge of my herb bed and it sneaks out across the path. It doesn't mind a little bit of being trodden on and smells lovely. Again, it dies back quite a bit in the winter. Most of these things would prefer not to be walked on too much.

  Link to this forum: Anyone know anything about a camomile lawn?

  Report message8

Back to top