Wildflower Turf and Green Roofs Blog

What is biodiversity? – biodiversity describes the variety of life on Earth. It includes the wide variety of ecosystems and living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and their genes.

Bee collecting nectar

Why should we be concerned with biodiversity? – biodiversity is our key resource and support system. It is critical for the functioning of ecosystems which supply us with products and services, such as oxygen, food, fresh water, fertile soil, medicines, stable climate and recreation, sustaining human existence and our quality of life. Maintaining and enhancing biodiversity is a key challenge to sustainable development.

As part of a dissertation for a Garden Design Degree a Sparsholt student designed a simple survey, measuring attitudes towards biodiversity and wildflower meadows in general. It was concluded, that although documentation and general awareness of wildflower meadows and their importance for supporting biodiversity, would seem to be more common knowledge these days, the study did reveal that most people although were aware of the term, did not appreciate the importance they played on human society.

It is estimated that there are approximately 1 million ha of gardens within the UK, which equates to some 15 million gardens in Britain, (natural England, 2011). This means the potential for supporting wildlife is huge, with domestic gardens offering a tremendous opportunity to enhance the overall biodiversity. If only 1 percent of garden owners designate just a couple of square meters of their garden to becoming a wildflower meadow, it would help to ensure the sustainability of this ecologically vital habitat for future generations. This becomes even more important, when you consider that the UK has lost around 98% of its wildflower meadows.

Garden designers and landscape architects can promote biodiversity through incorporating wildflower meadows in their designs, for example. Thankfully this seems to be a growing trend within the sector, and long may it continue. This has the potential to increase the overall awareness of the general public, and professional sectors alike.

A great example of how contemporary architecture can compliment a traditional wildflower meadow

Although many school grounds are largely made up of hard landscaping, and make up about 5% of all the built-up areas within the UK, they can offer huge potential as a learning environment. Through focusing on the use of school grounds by creating for example, wildflower meadows, this could contribute to developing school grounds as bio-diverse resources. The inclusion of education for sustainable development, within the national curriculum, is becoming increasingly recognised as an important part of the delivery of subjects such as Science and Geography (islington.gov.uk).  It is imperative to remember that most young people frequently experience the natural world for the first time, at an age when they are most receptive to what is around them.  This is especially effective through the development of the ‘outdoor classroom,’ which provides beneficial experiences through the formal curriculum, by providing pleasant, and interactive surroundings, through which pupils can learn in a more relaxed and stimulating environment.

We have successfully supplied many schools with our Wildflower Turf, for example Overton Primary School, which can present opportunities for biodiversity projects such as bug surveys, mammal surveys and bird surveys, as well as the chance to observe these species in their natural environment. For the secondary schools these surveys on biodiversity could be more comprehensive, with potential for perhaps providing a variety of wildlife organisations with a steady pool of data.

At Overton Primary School a wildflower meadow has been successfully installed providing an outdoor learning environment

The children have drawn species that are associated with the habitat created at their school

Conclusion: By explaining the value of biodiversity and wildflower meadows, and why these concepts are important in the 21^st century,  it is hoped that many garden owners and schools will at least consider designating an area to develop into a wildflower meadow, especially if we are to facilitate in safeguarding biodiversity now, and in the future, for generations to come.

Please follow this link for factsheets and general information on biodiversity.

According to Natural England, in the last sixty years England has lost most of its species-rich semi-natural grassland.  Increasing the numbers and species of native wild flowers can go some way to restoring this valuable habitat.

Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor) is a hemi-parasitic plant – a plant that attaches itself to the roots of a host but also photosynthesizes.  This particular species attaches itself to the roots of various course grasses, thereby acting as a control mechanism which in turn leaves space for the introduction and spread of wild flowers.  However, getting this annual to perform to its best potential can be a little tricky.

In meadows where sheep and cattle roam and graze freely, this hemi-parasitic plant flourishes year on year bringing about a balance between course, invasive grasses and wildflowers. Its survival i.e. successful germination, appears to depend on one or more certain criteria:

• Cutting the area at the end of July and removing the cuttings
• Grazing in autumn

Whilst it is easy to see how cutting would help to spread the seeds around the meadow, grazing may not be practical especially in a garden or urban setting.  So what benefit does grazing have and how can the effect be mimicked?

It is not the actual grazing that provides the catalyst for germination, rather it is the systematic treading of hooves that bring the small flat seeds into firm contact with the soil.  This valuable snippet of information therefore indirectly provides a simple remedy for success.

When cutting down your wildflower meadow – whether you do this in July, the end of September or both – pay no heed to the amount of footfall that occurs across the meadow.  This very simple act of treading down the grasses and wild flowers, will ensure the success of the Yellow Rattle and thereby the continued balance of your wildflower meadow.