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No two grassed areas are the same and should be treated as such.

Meadow Management

Once in autumn (late August to September)
Once in early spring (late March to early April)

The cuttings must be removed. This will make sure that the wildflowers can grow. It will also prevent thistles, docks, brambles and scrub from taking over.

The autumn cut gives the meadow plants the best chance to flower and set seed. However, traditional hay meadows can be cut in late July. Farmers may also want to cut at this time to provide hay for farm animals. The spring cut knocks back thistles and vigorous grasses that may have taken hold over the winter.

Cutting is flexible, allowing a great deal of control over the timing, area and height of the cut. However, cutting a whole meadow in one go can take away all the food needed by insects. So leave some areas uncut for them. The best way to do this is to cut the edges of your grassland in rotation. Leave a different side uncut each year. A four metre margin is ideal.

Cutting can be carried out with a variety of tools. This will depend on the size of your meadow and what is available to you. On a small meadow, in medium to long grass, hand sythes or a power strimmer can be used. On a larger area long grass can be cut for hay using a power sythe or a tractor drawn grass cutter.

http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/factsheets/meadow/cutting.php

Wildflowers

When and how should I plant?

The best season for planting is Autumn. The plants can establish a good root system through the Winter before facing competition from existing vegetation in late Spring. The soft ground conditions also facilitate planting. Spring planting is also usually satisfactory. The small root volume of plug plants makes them susceptible to desiccation so late Spring and Summer planting should be avoided unless spot irrigation can be applied at half litre per plant per week, should the need arise, after planting until significant rain falls.

Plant survival and growth rates are enhanced if plugs can be planted into bare patches. Spraying small patches with glyphosate or paraquat will create the desired gaps very quickly and inexpensively. Alternatively the gaps can be created physically using a spade or mattock. H. V. Horticulture have developed a scuttion (a type of winged auger) which removes a disc of turf to create a planting space for 2 to 3 plug plants. Experience shows that if the mechanically or chemically cleared area exceeds 30 cm in diameter then weed germination is likely to be a problem. Planting speeds are typically over 100 plants per hour.

Specialist dibbers can be used to create a planting hole identical to the shape of the module, thus ensuring good root to soil contact. The dibber also creates a chet at the bottom of the planting hole to encourage deep rooting.

Should I plant a mix of plants or keep species together in groupings?

Choose what ever planting arrangement suits but avoid planting in straight lines.

Natural meadows and pastures are a tapestry of different flowers, with late flowering species succeeding early ones to maintain a succession of colour with a plant density of 40/m2. It is not economical to imitate this on any large scale. Plant sizes and spacings in taller, mown meadows are much larger, the texture is correspondingly coarser and more easily reproduced. Begin with very few (3-5) species in irregular groups of varying size and variable spacing both within and between groups use plant densities of 3-5/m2, either in intermingled drifts or in a complete mix species. Plant introductions can be increased to 10-12/m2 and can include Spring and late Summer flowering plants to spread the season.

Stronger visual effect can be achieved from planting single species drifts, clumps of plants can also look effective. Flowering meadows often have a very heterogeneous mix of species. One of the advantages of plants is the control offered over where they are planted. Damper liking species can be planted in the wetter areas, spring flowering plants can be planted together so cutting can start earlier or very dense plantings can be made to create a 'wild' herbaceous border.

How can I use wild flower plants in naturalist settings?

Some examples of species use by habitat are set out below:

Fertile Grassland Meadow

In a fertile grass area the taller and more vigorous wild flowers must be used. Possible choices are the Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), Greater Knapweed (Centurea scabiosa) and Black Knapweed, Meadow Cranesbill, Musk Mallow (Malva moschata) and Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis) Other effective plants include Tufted Vetch which can clamber over tall grass, Red campion (Silene dioca) and Yarrow (Achillea milliefolium). Grass competition and growth needs to be controlled in the establishment year, the flowers actually use the long grass to provide support for their rather leggy growth. Mixed planting creates an attractive blend of white, blue and purple capable of maintaining appeal from May to September.

Low Fertility Calcareous Meadow

This low mixed sward can be planted with some of the most attractive wild flowers, many of which are important food sources for butterflies. Examples are Birds Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Small Scabious (Scabious columbaria), Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum), Clustered Bell Flower (Campanula glomerata) and the Knapweeds. Other attractive wild flowers which can be included are Marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Thyme (Thymus drucei) Yellow Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris), Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris) and Harebell.

Acid Grasslands

These grasslands generally have less floralistic interest but important species include Common Tormentil (Potentilla erecta), Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile) along with Selfheal, Yarrow, Catsear, Birds Foot Trefoil, Harebell, Meadow Buttercup and Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)

Damp and Wet Areas

Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus), Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) and Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) thrive in wet sites and provide useful feature flowers at water margins. Cuckoo flower (Cardamine pratensis), Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica), Devils Bit Scabious (Succia pratense) Meadow Sweet, Yellow Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis)., and Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi) are planted in drifts in damp grassland areas.

How can I use Wild Flowers as components in a more formal landscape?

It is possible to create a spectacular display by using restricted colour schemes of one or a few species in clearly defined blocks. Set out below are some design ideas that have proved highly successful:-

Cowslip Meadow

Cowslips (Primal veris) can be planted into a lawn, which is kept mown at 5 cm until late February/early March. Grass cutting is stopped and the cowslips are allowed to flower for at least six to eight weeks in April and May. Cutting can be started after flowering is finished or in mid June to allow for seed dispersal. Thereafter the lawn is cut as normal.

Red Campion Hedgerow

A particularly effective way to use Red Campion (Silene dioica) is to plant along the edge of woodland and hedges. These vivid pink wild flowers can create a solid mass colour in May and June. The plants can be cut back any time after flowering.

Oxeye Daisy Drifts

Oxeye Daisy planted at 10/m2 will, within two years, create a dramatic, highly visible and reliable block of white flowers from June to August. The key to sustainability is to open up the grass sward after the Autumn cut, for example by chain harrowing. Other effective plants to use in solid drifts include Chicory (Cichorium intybus) on dry sites, Toadflax, Musk Mallow (Malva moschata), Greater and Black Knapweed, Field Scabious and Meadow Cranesbill.

Primrose Bank

Primroses (Primula vulgaris) are shade loving and can be planted into steep North and East facing grass banks or under dappled shade (e.g. in an old orchard). Normal grass management is introduced after flowering.

Wild Flower Herbaceous Borders

Dense plantings of wildflower plants will provide a long flowering season, attract butterflies. require no weeding and will only need to be cut down at the end of the season. At the front of the bed spring flowering and the lower species are planted such as Cowslips, Wild Thyme, Harebell, Birds Foot Trefoil, Yellow Toadflax, Primrose, Lady's Bedstraw, Cuckoo Flower and Small Scabious. In the Middle of the border are planted Self Heal, Musk mallow, Yarrow, Red Campion, Devils Bit Scabious, White Campion, Ragged Robin, Vipers Buglos, Water Avens, Purple Loosestrife, Clustered Bellflower, Agrimony, Betony, Devils Bit Scabious, Meadow Cranesbill. At the back of the border the tallest plants are planted such as Oxeyedaisy, Greater and Black Knapweed, Field Scabious, Chicory, and Meadowsweet. Tufted Vetch will clamber over other species and makes an excellent climber of low fences.

After I have sown a wild flower and grassland seed cocktail, how should I manage the site in the first year?

The first year is all about cutting, this is used to control all the annual weed which will germinate. Cut the grass down to 5 to 7 cm whenever the sward reaches 10 to 15 cm and if at all possible remove the arisings. Do not expect or allow much flowering in the first season. The first cut is the most important. Err on the side cutting earlier rather than later and lower rather than higher. It is a slow build to create a really attractive wild flower grassland from seed.

How should I manage the site in subsequent years?

In all but the most infertile sites flowering grasslands need to be cut. The grass growth needs to be controlled to allow the flowers a chance to thrive. The minimum is a hay cut in late July/early August. More typically this is followed by an aftermath cut in the autumn. It is always preferable to remove the cuttings, if they are left the thatch tends to swamp the wild flowers and in the long term it can slightly lower the fertility of the site. The area can be grazed in the from late summer through to late autumn or even the following spring. In fertile soils a cut (or graze) in the late spring or early summer, when the grass growth is at its most vigorous, is very effective in selectively weaken the grasses. The result is a shorter sward and flowering is slightly delayed, so that the hay cut can be taken slightly later. Introduce this early cut if your site is prone to long grass which logdges.

Can I have different mowing regimes on the site?

Experience has shown that cutting paths through the flowering grass is effective in providing access, offers a measure of control over how people use the site and prevents the site looking unkempt and forlorn.

There are many other possible permutations of cutting, including monthly mowing in the early or later part of the year to create Summer or Spring meadows respectively. Some rougher areas can be cut every other year to leave standing cover for over-wintering insects. Finally as the sward develops and thickens some thought should be given to gap creation, deliberate damage to the surface approximating poaching by cattle, to allow new plants to establish by seed and ensure the continued evolution of the meadow community.

How should I manage a site in the season after I have planted wild flower plants into an established grass sward?

The young plants have to compete against established grasses. It is vital that the grasses are not allowed to swamp the young plants. In the first spring and early summer it is vital that when ever the grass reaches the height of 10 to 15 cm it is cut back to 5 cm. The wild flowers will be un-effected by being topped like this, the important thing is that the light is not cut from them whilst they establish themselves. Failure to take these cuts is one of the most important factors in plant failure, the others being in-appropriate species selection and drought after a late spring planting. The mowing regime is kept up until late May early June in the first season and is then relaxed, whilst the plants flower. A mid summer cut is then taken i.e. late July/early August with a aftermath cut in October.

How should I manage a site in the season after I have planted wild flower plants into an area, which has been seeded with a wild flower grass mix as well?

Follow the same regime as specified for a site just seeded with a grass seed mix (see above) i.e. multiple cuts in the first year.

In the seasons after the wildflower plants are established how should I manage the grassland site planted with wild flower plants?

Follow the same techniques as for a seed sown wild flower grassland set out above. Using wild flower plants is much easier to create specific areas for different cutting regimes. For example if all the spring flowering plants are planted together the after they have finished seed set the grass can be cut down in late June and subsequently cut when required. This prevents the grass dominating the flowers, keeps the grass short for leisure uses and facilitates the flowering of shorter species as a flowering lawn. Other areas can be planted with the late summer flowering plants and the cutting made after they have finished flowering, say August and if the grass tends to be rather rank an earlier cut (i.e. in May) can be introduced to keep the sward shorter.

Are there any flowers that are sustainable without a cutting programme?

Provided they are established successfully, then some species are much more able to sustain themselves than others. In our experience the following species can persist in low or no-maintenance locations: Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), Cow Parsely (Anthiscus syvestris), Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis), Greater Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa), Black (Lesser) Knapweed (Centaurea nigra), Meadow Cranesbill (Geranium prettiness), Musk mallow (Malva moschata), Red campion (Silene dioca), Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Meadowsweet(Filiapendula ulmaia)

I want to create a ecologically interesting woodland, how should I set about doing it?

The details of tree planting are easily available. Below are some short notes that will help in planning your wood. The rest of this section focuses on enriching existing woodlands with the field layer of plants and flowers. This advice is targeted on introducing wild flowers to planted woods, never for ancient wood lands. Even when a new plantation is planted alongside there is very little natural movement of woodland wildflowers (about 1 m in 15 years) so introduction is necessary to create the field layer of wild flowers. If at all possible try to plant a mix of native tree species which reflects the natural woodland that would be found in your neighbourhood if nature had been left to evolve naturally. Advice on the native 'wild' wood types is generally available from county ecologists and the local Wild Life Trusts. Often they can specify the type as a code number (e.g. W8 is an Ash Woodland). This information can be used to draw up a list of species found in such woodlands and the ratio of one to another (see Publications). The planting should include trees, which will ultimately form the canopy, and smaller trees and shrubs which will form the understory. The field layer can only be introduced later when sufficient shade is developed that grasses start to die out. Planting of trees and shrubs should be at variable densities to increase diversity. Much of the ecological interest of a wood occurs ate the edge and especially on the south facing edge. Create rides running East-West some 10 m wide, to maximise the length of the South facing edge and to ensure that sunlight will reach the bottom of the woodland edge. Rides should be curved to prevent wind funnelling.

When can I introduce field layer species such as bluebells?

Woodland wild flowers are poor competitors against grass and normally aim to achieve most of their growth, photosynthesis and flowering in the spring, before the leaf canopy has opened. Woodland wild flowers can be introduced when established trees, which are at least five years old. Under medium to high shade levels, where there is sparse or no existing site vegetation, conditions are ideal for wild flower introduction. If there is some existing vegetation then the introductions should be targeted into the shadier, weed-free areas of the site.

Should I introduce wild flowers as seed or as plants/bulbs?

Seed can be highly effective in establishing woodland flora, provided that the seed is available, viable and reasonably priced. Plants are essential for species who mainly propagate vegetatively or when more rapid results are required.

How can I decide what species to introduce?

As with wild flowers useful references are local woods, local floras and ecologists. Soil samples and especially measurement of the soil pH are extremely valuable (see Soil Analysis service). Bluebells are rarely found in woods where the pH is above 7.5. The Wildflower Specifications page will help guide you as will the page Wetlands and Woodlands species.

What woodland seed mixes are available, what do they contain and when should I sow them?

We at Really Wildflowers have created three seed mixes, one for acid soils, one for neutral soils and a third for calcareous sites. The details of the number of seed per m2, the seed rate and the cost are set out in Woodland seed mixes. No soil preparation is required. Seeding can take place any time between September and March.

What species should I plant?

Plants are used when quick results are needed (e.g. bluebells from seed can take 5 years to reach the flowering stage), when the seed is very expensive (e.g. primroses) or when the plants principally propagate vegetatively (e.g. Wood Anemones). It is better to plant small areas densely (e.g. 4 to 10 plants/m2) than to lightly plant a large area (rare greater seeds are produced - promoting second generation propagation). Planting can be carried out any time from late August through to December - with the exception of wild daffodils - which should be planted before mid October because of the root initials they form which can be damaged if planting occurs later. In addition to the above species other species typical planted are Snowdrops (both as a dry bulb and in the green), yellow Archangel, Wood Sorrel, Ransom, Bugle, Ground Ivy , Nettle Leaved Bellflower and ferns.

How should a manage a woodland to encourage wildflowers?

Management involves managing light and weeds.

Woodland herbaceous species need light for continued survival and spread. They respond to receiving light periodically so that flowering is encouraged and seeds are set. When plantations reach the thicket stage shrubs may be coppiced or standard trees thinned to allow in more light.

In areas with moderate to high light levels it is necessary to control the growth of invasive weed species. The growth of some competitive weed species e.g. Common Nettle (Urtica dioica), Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), Cleavers (Galium aparine), Brambles (Rubus fruticosus agg.), Docks (Rumex spp.) and grasses, such as Couch (Elymus repens), may need to be checked by cutting in early and late Summer in the first two growing seasons after introductions have been made. Only if the weed problem becomes very bad will selective herbicides be necessary.