How to Manage a Meadow

When we imagine a flower-rich hay meadow we are usually thinking about a lowland neutral meadow. Neutral meadows, with a mixture of grasses and flowers reaching knee to waist-high in summer, are rooted in soil that’s neither too acidic nor too alkaline.

Plants to spot – Cowslip, Oxeye Daisy, Buttercup, Scabious, Betony, Clover, Vetch, Knapweed and Lady’s Bedstraw.

These meadows can support magnificent displays of orchids, especially Green-winged Orchid and Common Spotted-orchid. Yellow Rattle and eyebrights also play a crucial role by helping to keep the grass down. Thanks to these species and the infertile soil, the delicate grasses (like Sweet Vernal Grass, Quaking Grass and Crested Dog’s-tail) allow plenty of room for wildflowers to grow.

Go and explore lowland wet and dry meadow at Three Hagges Woodmeadow Nature Reserve.

On wetter soils where rivers break their banks in winter, floodplain meadows develop where the soil is deeper and more fertile. This habitat supports quite tall and lush vegetation.

Plants to spot – Cuckooflower, Ragged Robin, Meadowsweet, Great Burnet, Snake’s-head Fritillary and Meadow Foxtail.

In slightly wetter spots, Amphibious Bistort and Marsh Marigold can thrive and in ancient floodplain meadows with less fertile soils delicate pepper saxifrage can be supported.

Go and explore floodplain meadow at Lugg Meadow Nature Reserve in Herefordshire or Long Herdon and Grange Meadows in Buckinghamshire.

In areas of northern Britain, upland hay meadows thrive with very distinctive flora, providing a home for hundreds of plants species, that not only help wildflowers, but also local wildlife. At peak times, these traditional meadows are full of life – from bees and butterflies to birds and small mammals.

Although not as species-rich as their lowland counterparts, they can be truly spectacular.

Plants to spot – Wood Crane’s-bill, Melancholy Thistle, Bistort, Great Burnet, Buttercup, Red Clover, Yellow Rattle and Eyebright.

The colourful tapestry of hay meadows is often softened by the white frothy flowers of Pignut and rarely, species of Lady’s Mantle nestle among the grasses.

Go and explore neutral hay meadow at Caeau Tan y Bwlch in Gwynedd or
hay meadow at Joan’s Hill Farm Nature Reserve in Herefordshire.

Also known as culm grassland in south-west England and Rhôs pasture in Wales, Purple Moor-grass Rush pasture is found on poorer soils in western areas.

Plants to spot – Purple Moor-grass, Rush, Ragged-Robin, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Whorled Caraway, Lesser Spearwort, Sneezewort and Marsh Orchid.

This is a particularly good habitat for other wildlife including reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates and breeding wading birds.

Flower-rich pasture meadows were once a common feature of grazing land, but today only a tiny fraction remain. These vibrant and beautiful grasslands were traditionally used for keeping small herds of cows or horses. A lot of pasture across the UK has been agriculturally ‘improved’ by draining, ploughing, fertilising and reseeding. This means many of these sites have lost most of their ecological integrity. Wildflowers often struggle because the nutrient levels are higher, and the underground fungal networks and seed banks will largely be absent due to ploughing and chemical treatment. Flower-rich pasture meadows can be managed with livestock or cutting.

Go and explore neutral pasture at Cae Blaen-dyffryn Nature Reserve in Carmarthenshire or Culm grassland at Greena Moor in Cornwall.

Some of the most spectacular wildflower habitats can be found on well drained, alkaline soil that develops on top of chalk and limestone rocks. This grassland can support an astonishing 50 species in a single square metre.

Plants to spot – Wild Thyme, Lady’s Bedstraw, Salad Burnet, Common Rockrose, Marjoram, Harebell and Small Scabious.

But in fact, it’s the rare and unusual flowers that make these meadows so exciting including Orchid, Gentian, Milkwort, Vetch and Pasqueflower.

Go and explore limestone pasture at Winskill Stones Nature Reserve in north Yorkshire or chalk grassland at Ranscombe Farm in Kent.

One of our most widespread, but perhaps unappreciated grasslands is acid grassland. They can be found on acid soils of hills, mountains and fells, as well as overlying acidic lowland rocks such as sandstone and shale.

Plants to spot  – Tormentil, Heath Bedstraw, Mouse-eared Hawkweed, Heath Milkwort and  Sheep’s Sorrel.

Grasses such as Bent, Fescue, Early Hair-grass, Heath-grass, Sweet Vernal Grass, Mat-grass and Wavy Hair-grass.

Occasionally other wildflowers like Heath Spotted-orchid, Betony and Autumn Hawkbit can be seen in abundance, as well as patches of Harebell.