Planning a meadow.

Patience is not just a virtue, it's a necessity. The process of establishing a native meadow can span between 4 and 8 years. This underscores the importance of thorough preparation and planning right from the start. 

  When deciding on the location and method of meadow growth, it's crucial to consider the soil type, aspect, dampness, and fertility. This will guide you in selecting species best suited for your area. Observing the local flora can provide valuable insights and serve as a model for your own meadow.
Look at the area you want to use: the plan below shows a sample field with potential problems. The darker the colour, the more grass will grow, which will be less favourable to open meadow flowers. It may be better to think about adding a margin mix. On steep slopes, especially south-facing, the ground can dry out, and everything can struggle to grow in the heat of summer but usually bounce back quickly for autumn and spring flowers. 
High trees not only cast shade, which favours other plants, usually found in woodlands, but can also produce many leaves, smother young plants, enrich the soils and encourage stronger grasses, docks and thistles over flowers. 

 Sowing wild flower seed.

The best time is late August - October. The earlier, the better. 
Remove weeds and dig docks and nettles if possible. Mow as short as you can, scalping the soil slightly. A strimmer is perfect for this.  Sow seeds on the surface, rake in lightly, and roll (especially in the spring). If you can sow the seeds 10-20 days before mowing, then the seeds will be dampened down under the grasses and be ready to germinate when the grass is removed. This is what happens in the wild, and with some warm but not too hot weather, the seeds will take advantage of the sudden exposure to the sun and germinate. At this stage, it is best to keep off the meadow for 6 to 8 weeks and let the seedlings develop, maybe cut again in November before the leaves fall to blow off and not get caught in the grass. 

Cutting the Meadow

Vary your cutting times: early June or late September. Don't be too hasty; the later the cut, the more seeds will fall out. The downside of a late cut is that the long grass in September may make it difficult for some seeds to germinate as autumn weather creeps in. Also, some later flowering plants may benefit from a June cut, such as betony and devils bit scabious. However, this will lead to stronger grass growth and would also benefit from a late cut in October. Be aware that yellow rattle will be affected by this, and you may have to reseed if you cut the whole area; leaving a small population of yellow rattle will allow it to spread back into these areas.