From your estate agent, with love
The card in your welcome pack is made from real seed paper embedded with wildflower seeds. Here is everything you need to know to give it the best possible start.
What you have
The card is made from recycled paper embedded with a wildflower seed mix. It is not just decorative. It is fully plantable.
Instead of going in the bin, it goes in the ground. The paper breaks down naturally in the soil, the seeds germinate, and over the coming weeks and months you get a patch of wildflowers to welcome you into your new home.
No special equipment needed. No experience required. Just a patch of soil or a pot, some water, and a little patience.
"A home is just a house until someone plants their life in it.
We hope yours blooms beautifully."
Step by step
Before you do anything else, soak your seed paper in water. This softens it, kicks off the germination process, and helps the seeds make direct contact with the soil once planted.
Once soaked, tear the paper into small pieces — roughly the size of a postage stamp. Smaller pieces break down faster and let the seeds germinate more evenly.
Wildflowers love sunlight and do not like strong winds. A sunny patch of garden or a pot on a bright windowsill or balcony both work well. If planting in soil outdoors, loosen it first with a fork or trowel to aerate it.
Using a pot? Fill it loosely with peat-free compost. Do not pack it down tightly.
Lay the soaked pieces on the surface of the soil or compost, then cover them with a very thin layer of soil — no more than a quarter of an inch deep. Do not press the soil down firmly on top.
The seeds need to be in contact with the earth, but buried too deep they cannot reach the light.
Water well straight after planting. The most important thing from here is keeping the soil consistently moist, especially in the first two weeks. Do not let it dry out. This is the single biggest factor in whether germination happens.
Once shoots appear you can ease back — watering twice a week rather than every day.
That is genuinely it. Keep the area moist, check in every few days, and let nature take care of the rest. Seedlings will begin to show in the coming weeks and once established they grow quickly. Enjoy watching them arrive.
Watering guide
Water generously every day. The soil should feel damp to the touch at all times. If it dries out completely during the first two weeks, germination is unlikely to happen.
Ease back to twice a week. The seedlings are now establishing their roots and need less constant moisture — though never let them dry out completely in warm or dry weather.
Do not waterlog. While moisture is essential, sitting in standing water will rot the seeds before they get going. Water well, but make sure the pot or soil drains freely.
Good to know
March to April and late September are the ideal windows. If you have just moved in at another time of year, keep the packet somewhere cool and dry until the right moment comes.
Some wildflower varieties take a full growing season before they bloom. If everything does not flower in the first year, do not be disheartened. Many return stronger the following spring.
No garden? A pot with peat-free compost on a bright windowsill or balcony is just as good. Fill it loosely, do not compact it, and make sure it can drain.
Young seedlings are fragile. Choose a spot sheltered from strong or consistent wind while they are getting established outside.
Once your flowers bloom they attract bees, butterflies and hoverflies. The blooming period can last for months once plants are well established.
Keep the packet in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. The seeds stay viable for months as long as they are kept dry.
While you are settling in
Your estate agent included this because they want you to feel settled. Part of that is knowing yours are the only hands that hold a key to your door. We take care of that — quickly, quietly, and properly.