Sowing seeds for Birds and Butterfly's?

Silent Runner

Hi,

I'm not sure if anyone else has seen these packages in their local garden centres,different packages that contain a mixture of seeds to plant to attract birds and a separate one for butterflies. They can cover 30m square meters, just wondering if anyone here has any experience with them.

I've two veg plots in our backyard that I've worked the soil over the years by adding gypsum, farmyard manure and hay soaked in farm waste etc. It's pretty good soil and I've grown a variety of veg over the years. The only thing is that I've to relocate for a job this year so I won't be coming back home that often, so instead of letting it go wild I thought I'd sow these particular seeds and make some use of the ground for our garden wildlife.

I've seen these packages on the internet somewhere as well but just can't find it right now. If anyone here has used them before, do you just sow directly into the soil? (Maybe pre soak the seeds before sowing?) Have you had much germination success? Also I think some of the plants are native so should I hold back on applying fertilizer?

Any advice would be appreciated (I wasn't sure if I should have put this in the "Nature and Birdwatching thread" just thought I'd try here)

Oh just found a link:
http://www.johnstowngardencentre.ie/floral-meadow-seed-mix--bird-attractant/wildflower_birdpd.aspx
http://www.johnstowngardencentre.ie/floral-meadow-seed-mix--butterfly-mix/wildflower_butterflypd.aspx
http://www.johnstowngardencentre.ie/floral-meadow-seed-mix--bee-attractant/wildflower_beepd.aspx