Wildflower guru: the woman who knows meadows

If a client wants to create a new meadow from an area of good soil, Pam has found that the most effective way to create it (in areas under a quarter of an acre), is to isolate (rather than removing) the over-fertile topsoil. This she does by covering it with a layer of Terram, Mypex, old carpet (whatever suits the budget and size best) and then spreading a depth of 150-200mm of substrate: limestone chippings or other nutrient-poor material (sand, gravel, rubble, chalk) on top.

She finds this creates an instantly gratifying solution which sorts out a challenging weed burden and is more effective than the more usual method of removing the top soil. It is also a useful ploy to establish patches of wildflowers (say 4-6m square) within a larger area; creating a sort of nucleus seed source.

Next, Pam sows the wildflower seeds onto the substrate, occasionally adding some leaf mould (this has low fertility) as a carrier for the seed. Rarely does she include grass, though occasionally a small proportion of sheeps fescue may be added.

While it is establishing it might need hand weeding to remove more invasive weeds such as willow herb. Then the maintenance is an annual mow and removal of the growth, usually after seeding. A patch will be left unmown to allow later seeders to disperse. It also acts as a source of fresh seed and, very importantly, is left for wildlife. This unmown patch varies annually.

One of Pam's meadow projects

Generally, Pam far prefers to use seed than plug plants. Plugs she finds especially difficult to establish in existing grassland, though there are a few exceptions. The devils bit scabious does well from plugs in substrate, for example.

Gravel areas (driveways and paths) are excellent areas to go wild with. Pam scatters seed on these, usually a mix of yarrow, self heal, birds foot trefoil, autumn hawks bit and white clover as they endure being driven and trodden on. It looks a little like a weed-infested path in the very early stages but as it establishes it looks good.

As to making your lawns richer, the simplest way is just to mow them with the blades set higher, which means you can mow less frequently. Grass grows faster when it is short and slows down as it gets longer. Longer grass also conserves more moisture as it provides more shade, and the roots grow deeper allowing it to reach more moisture in times of drought.

Equally importantly, buttercups, daisies, self heal and other flowering plants can jostle in amongst the grasses, helping keep the lawn green. Tighter mown paths can create interesting differentiation too.

Pam has been developing an old horse meadow, on fertile soil. She has reduced the fertility by taking hay crops and then grazing it (removing the droppings, if horses) initially. She then added yellow rattle seeds (which reduces the vigour of the grass and lessens competition). She finds (as I do) that this can be tricky to establish. Other wildflower seeds that she has collected locally were just scattered over the top. The wildflowers have multiplied - suddenly, after 20 years, she has even found that pignut (Conopodium majus) has arrived.

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Wildflower guru: the woman who knows meadows