The perennial wildflower meadow

Actually it is not a proper meadow but more like a mini meadow as I don`t have the space for a full-sized meadow. But nevertheless the small meadow patch has quite a good diversity of flowers and attracts many different insects and other invertebrates such as spiders. I have even seen frogs and a wood mouse in the meadow.

There is also a second meadow patch near the compost area which is even smaller but which also looks quite pretty in summer.

The second mini meadow in mid-May

The same meadow at the end of May...

...and in June

Germander speedwell

Now in their 4th year the meadows have settled down, the diversity of plants is slowly increasing, weeds are non-existing now and maintenance effort is very low. I started both meadows on bare ground as I found it easier to develop the meadows from scratch and not having to fight against vigorous grasses taking over.
I mainly established the meadows by planting a mix of plug plants which I have grown myself from a variety of meadow seed packets from the garden centre. I have also scattered some seed in the gaps. Most meadow plants have established well such as knapweeds, bird`s-foot trefoil, germander speedwell, lady`s bedstraw, yarrow, clovers, ox-eye daisy, field scabious and grasses such as sweet vernal grass, crested dogstail, red fescue and quaking grass.

Ragged robin flowering in May

Bird`s-foot trefoil

Ox-eye daisy and yellow rattle

Ox-eye daisy and quaking grass

If you want to start your own meadow the grasses to avoid are yorkshire fog, cock`s-foot and perennial ryegrass as they are too vigorous and would soon take over. You cannot go much wrong with the flowers as long as you stick to proper meadow plants.

Yellow rattle germinating in early spring

Three years ago I sowed seed of yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor)  I collected myself which was a huge success as the grass was kept under control nicely to leave more space for the flowers to grow and establish.Yellowrattle seed has to be as fresh as possible as the seeds are not viable for long. Best to collect the seeds in late summer and to sow them in autumn as they need a period of cold weather to be able to germinate. They also like to have a few gaps in the meadow sward (which can be achieved by scarifying with a rake or similar) and don`t establish well in a thick sward of grass.
Once established the plants will self-sow as long as there are some open areas for the seeds to germinate.

Yellow rattle is also popular with bumblebees

Maintenance of the meadows mainly consists of cutting twice a year (and removing the cut plants to keep the nutrient intake as low as possible), once some time in August and a second time at the beginning of winter. If the winter is very mild I cut a third time at the end of winter as I want the meadows as short as possible before they start to grow again in spring. For late winter and spring interest I have planted the wild tulip Tulipa tarda which has pretty yellow and white flowers low to the ground and flowers in March. These are followed by white Camassia leichtlinii and Verbascum phoeniceum which flower in early May just before the first meadow flowers are opening. Between June and July the meadow is in full flower with ox-eye daisies, clover, bird`s-foot trefoil, buttercups, yellowrattle and many more meadow plants flowering followed in August by knapweeds, yarrow, devil`s-bit scabious and wild marjoram.

The meadow in April

The meadow in early May

June with ox-eye daisies, bird`s-foot trefoil and sorrel flowering

In July knapweeds and field scabious are flowering

Black knapweed and ox-eye daisy

The meadow never gets any fertiliser, ideally the fertility of the soil is slowly decreasing as I cut and remove the plants at least twice a year. Lower fertility will keep grasses in check and enhance the diversity of flowers as no plant is getting the chance to take over.

Verbascum phoeniceum flowering in May

Bird`s-foot trefoil and red clover

Camassia leichtlinii and Verbascum phoeniceum

Camassia leichtlinii

Red-tailed bumblebees like the bird`s-foot trefoil

Small tortoiseshell drinking nectar from field scabious

A hoverfly (Syritta pipiens) on an ox-eye daisy flower

Fox-and-cubs (Pilosella aurantiaca)

Leaf-cutter bee drinking nectar from fox-and-cubs

Long-horn beetles like the ox-eye daisy flowers

A crab spider waiting for prey

At the moment the meadow is in its winter sleep, cut as short as possible. In late winter the plants will start to grow again, the first flowers will open and the meadow cycle starts again.