Although summer is nearing its end, new Bumblebee Queens need to drink lots of nectar to build up body fat in order to survive the winter.  Bumblebee species such as the Buff-tailed,  Red-tailed and White-tailed are easy to identify and will all be fattening up now.  Those last few flowers will still be important to their survival.

Butterflies are now few and far between, with just a few species still in evidence compared with a few weeks ago.  Some hibernate through the winter and therefore still need to top up on nectar to get them through the winter.  Whilst  Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow found feeding on Common Knapweed, Musk Mallow and Vipers Bugloss, need the nectar to build up energy and fat reserves in order to migrate back to Africa, Peacock and Red Admiral are likely to be found grazing too in preparation for hibernation.

Ladybirds are also still at large at this time of the year, and feed voraciously on black flies and green flies found on many wildflowers.  They also need to build up fat reserves in order to survive the winter in hibernation.

Our recommendation is to leave your wildflower meadow until at least the autumn is well underway, then to cut it down and remove all the cuttings.  By then most of the flowers will have seeded and will make for an even more beautiful meadow next year and the Bumblebees, Butterflies and Ladybirds will also be there to enjoy.

A tried and tested solution is one that utilises our own system developed for green roofs believe it or not.  Using bags of substrate as a sturdy, stable base for the turf to grow into may seem like a challenge to the forces of gravity when installed on a slope, but it works.

Of course the successful solution can be quite technical, but if this sounds like the answer to a problem you have been grappling with then why not give James Hewetson-Brown a call on 01256 771 222 to discuss your project.  He will be pleased to help.

Here are some photographs of a local village pond where this system has worked really well, just to give you a feel for what you can achieve.

Battersea Dogs & Cats home is enclosed by three railway lines, most of the land being covered by buildings and concrete with no green spaces or ‘soft’ areas in which to exercise the dogs.  Whilst it is quite close to Battersea Park where most dogs from the home are able to play and relax when out for their daily walk, there was nowhere nice for those dogs that were unwell and therefore couldn’t go the park?

Dogs with Kennel Cough for example, (a harsh, dry cough, often accompanied by fever, retching, sneezing, snorting, gagging or vomiting and which lasts from 10-20 days) are not allowed to go to the park and in the past have been dependant on anything that could be created on site for them – so the creation of Mary’s Garden is the perfect solution.

The aims of the garden were threefold:

1. provide a mentally stimulating environment for dogs that cannot go off-site,  with areas where they will be able to sniff, explore, search out treats and occasionally run off-lead on a soft surface;
2. provide a relaxing area for volunteers and staff and a place in which they can escape from the concrete surroundings and work with the dogs; and
3. provide a natural enclosure that supports a variety of wildlife-friendly vegetation to encourage insects and birds into the environment.

Brian tells us that the results have been very positive so far, “The welfare of the dogs in our care has improved, they are now as happy and relaxed as we can make them and they have multiple opportunities to behave naturally – they have grass, sand, bark, a tunnel, plants and more.  Relaxed dogs, in good spirits, have a better chance of recovering quickly, than sad or stressed ones, and of settling back into the rehoming kennels once they have recovered.  Calmer dogs are also easier and safer for volunteers and staff to work with and walk.”

We are understandably very pleased with the area where our Wild Flower Turf was laid as just part of this lovely garden.  The beauty being that it is not just for the dogs, staff and volunteers but also for wildlife in the city that now has new habitat and food source in this small corner of the urban jungle.

Brian also very kindly sent us some photo’s of the garden before it was transformed and what it looks like now. Pretty stunning eh?

Previously we have asserted that one of the benefits of a wildflower meadow is the low maintenance regime, and that hasn’t changed.  However, as with all things plant related, an open mind and the ability to be flexible is all important.  While the thatch of wild flowers and grasses provides perfect cover and habitat for slow worms, field mice and voles, vital food for Barn, Tawney & Little Owls, and with seeds providing food for various Finches and Titmice, these benefits can be lost if everything becomes sodden with heavy rains which may flatten the meadow. This applies where soil is more fertile.

What can be done if this happens to your wildflower meadow?  Do you leave it and hope it will spring back up once it dries, or cut it back early?  If you make the cut early will you still need to cut it again in autumn?

There is no disputing that traditionally, wildflower meadows are cut in late September when the flowers and grasses have gone to seed and begun to dry out.  But what if the wild flowers and grasses have seeded by the end of June and the threat of rain is forecast, should the meadow be cut down to preserve its viability?

Ashley Manor, in Stockbridge, Hampshire – a project that we have showcased on our website – is an estate where the gardens were remodelled around four years ago.  Surrounding the new croquet lawn are fairly steep banks which were laid out with WILD FLOWER TURF in September 2008.  Year on year the banks have flowered well, with each season, as expected, looking slightly different, some flowers seeming to be more prominent whilst others less so.  Last year, Head Gardener Olly Samways decided that as the wild flowers and grasses had flowered and gone to seed, he would include an additional cut in his maintenance regime of the banks. Aesthetic reasons were initially the justification for this decision, but as with all experienced gardeners his judgement was key.  By removing all the cut arisings from the banks, he thus enabled the later wild flowers to regenerate such as Yarrow and Wild Carrot, which then flower towards then of summer albeit as shorter stock.  When autumn came the banks were again cut back.

This year Olly plans to follow the same regime, as this spring and early summer has more or less mirrored conditions of last year. He also plans to cut again in September.  The results of this regime for these particular weather conditions, are clear from the photo’s below.  Whether he will attain the same results next year, only time will tell.

It is important however, to note that the early snowfall last winter will also have played an important role in defining which wild flowers became prolific this year e.g. Yellow Rattle and Salad Burnet and which less so e.g. Ragged Robin and is some areas, Vetch.

The message here is reasonably clear:  Being prescriptive with the date that a wildflower meadow should be cut is unnecessary and can be tailored to individual circumstances.

There are clear pro’s and cons however, to this regime:

Pro’s:

1. Cutting in late June/early July because the meadow appears too wild and messy, can give some plants a kick-start to grow and flower a second time.
2. It can also give later flowering varieties a chance to flower and set seed successfully.
3. Cutting in late June/early July can also give the plants that has already set seed a chance to germinate, thus better enabling the young plants to survive the winter months.

Cons:

1. Cutting back mid-season is an additional task.
2. It could prevent some varieties from thriving if there is little rain after cutting in which case irrigation may well be necessary on a daily basis to enable regeneration.
3. Removing the plant material removes habitat for small mammals and amphibians.

Here are a few important points that should not be ignored if cutting appears to be necessary:

• The arisings, must be removed to enable the meadow to regenerate enough to flower again in late summer, (this helps deplete the soils fertility which suits the nature of a wildflower meadow and will increase plant diversity).
• We wouldn’t recommend cutting the meadow if the soil is very dry after a drought unless you can irrigate it afterwards.

So what will they do with these village greens, verges and open spaces at their disposal?  One solution could be to create wildflower meadows.

How any village greens have always been trimmed within an inch of their lives that couldn’t benefit from a little natural “wildness” to encourage bees, butterflies and moths.  Everyone likes to see a village green, with a pond, seating area etc. at the centre of the community.  But structured areas are not really in keeping with the countryside, so why not transform just a bit of the area into a wildflower meadow?

Areas that could benefit from such a transformation would be pond edges, an area in the corner of a green that gets full sun, or even an area of dappled shade that would benefit from being brightened up with wildflowers.  Plus any of those scrubby areas that presently could do with a facelift.

The results come with  huge dividends as habitats are created for Bees, Butterflies and Moths, increases of which everyone can benefit from.  Birds are also attracted to the insects that feed off the nectar as well as seeds from various plants and grasses.

This week James Hewetson-Brown (Managing Partner at Coronet Turf) was invited by Phil Wells – Estate Manager, to come and photograph the gardens “as they will be at their peak”.  He was not wrong.

The lawns are glorious, demonstrating the advantages of using top quality lawn turf.  but its the wildflower meadow that steals the show and has improved beyond all expectations.

This year is proving to be a very good year for wildflowers.  The early cold winter and dry spring have worked their magic on seeds that had remained dormant, waiting for the right conditions, with the end results being both dramatic and beneficial to wildlife.

Have a look at the photos below. We’re sure you will agree it is all quite stunning.  You will be able to see more photos in our Gallery on our website.  What’s more, don’t forget to read the case studies for this garden to get the full effect of its development.

Not to be outdone, our own Courtyard meadow – the very same that is featured in our video – has also started to bloom.  Red and White Campions (Silene latifolia) are flowering already.  Funny thing we noticed too, as soon as the sun goes off the White Campions they close up.  I wonder why that is.

BBC News reported this week in an article entitled “Co-operative ‘bee road’ plans to boost insect habitats”, that there are plans for a network of ‘bee roads’ to be planted through-out Britain.  These ‘bee roads’ would be a way of creating corridors of wildflowers which would provide new habitat for bees, butterflies and various other pollinating insects as well as many others.

The scheme is starting in the county of Yorkshire with  sponsorship from the Co-operative to the tune of £60,000.

We think this is a great idea, especially as our wildflower turf in full of native wildflowers and grass species guaranteed to encourage native insects.  Just have a look at the photo’s below to see just a few of the varieties we’ve seen on our wildflowers.

I wonder how long it will bee before other counties join in??

It’s a simple construction that we believe could provide an eco-friendly solution for urban gardens and roof terraces, affording the opportunity to enjoy native flowers and wildlife as well as helping the environment.

As promised we will update you with photos as the trial progresses.

Here at Ashe Warren Farm we have just installed a Bee Hotel right next to the wildflower meadow that you can see in our time-lapse video on the website.

This is the best way to ensure that solitary bees and of course other hibernating insects that are beneficial to pollination of flowers have somewhere to sleep the winter months away in safety.