HELLO

Welcome to the blog of my Wild Flower Meadow for 2015.
A bit late starting this year due to nasty persistent virus that was so difficult to eradicate.
Sadly this may be the last year I may be keeping a blog for my meadow . The house and acre of land will be going on the market in the not too distant future . The new owners may put the land back to grazing or development who knows .
I sincerely hope not.
I hope it will be as loved and nurtured as It has been since I started it in 2006
In the mean time I will endeavour to keep the blog up to date with lots of pictures showing how the plants and wildlife play out in 2015 .I hope you enjoy viewing it as much as I do producing it.
Please pop back from time to time to see the new additions and feel free to add any comments

Thursday, 30 June 2011

A look back to when the meadow was started

This is the piece of Field as we bought it in the Autumn of 2003  the following Spring I killed of all the grass removed all dead grass raked raked and raked again breaking up the top inch into a fine tilth Then  re-sowed it with Wild Flowers.

This is how it looked by July 2004 the centre of the field was mainly annuals but the sides where sown with both annuals and perennials.I must admit I didn't have a clue whether or not I was doing it correctly and really had to learn as I went along not at all like growing a regular garden






 I soon realised that if I wanted to see what was growing in the meadow I would have to cut paths as once walked through the flowers were flattened.  I made winding paths with the mower . the second year the winding paths were large figures of eight .this has now evolved into two wide sides with 3 islands in the centre




One of my Honeybees 
Corn Marigolds and Camomile







 I bought most of the seeds as single choices rather than mixtures .No grasses were included as I thought these would re-introduce themselves In hindsight I should have sown fewer Wild Carrot and Plantain although each year different flowers are prominent. Some Plants are very slow to germinate and finally come into flower .Last year saw the first 3 or 4 orchids this year there are two varieties and about 12 or more individual sights where they are growing .Also Harebells made their first appearance in 2010.
This year additional plant plugs were added but the flowers will no doubt take a few more years to show themselves




Monday, 27 June 2011

Common Cats Ear Gone to seed with its Dandelion clock type seeds

Part of a large clump of  Corn Marigolds

Rosa Rugosa starting with its huge round hips

Evening Primrose

Friday, 24 June 2011

Latest Flowers in Bloom

Scarlet Pimpernel ( Anagallis arvensis ssp.arvensis 

Wild Pansy ( Viola tricolor )

Bugle ( Ajuga reptans 

Common Mullein ( Verbascum thapsus

Musk-mallow (Malva moschata)


Pineapple Weed ( Matricaria discoidea )

 Feverfew ( Tanacetum parthenium 

Selfheal ( Prunella vulgaris 

Swallows Maiden Flight

This years first Swallow chicks on their first outing,at this point they had only left the nest for the first time half an hour earlier. We only have one breeding pair.Last year we had at least 5 pair but a Sparrow Hawk got into the building where they nest and ate all the chicks and most of the adults. We are hoping that they raise another brood without the Hawk finding them before the end of the summer.

Thursday, 16 June 2011

 this common spotted 
orchid is white with pink markings the other orchids range through several shades of pink to purple

This clump of Birds foot trefoil measures over 3 feet across the soil really seems to suit them here

This is the first year that the Oriental Poppies have flowered  for  me  despite them being from mixed seed so far there are only the two colours this pink and the blood red one

Only a few of these cornflowers this year I didn't resow a lot of annuals but the dry weather has meant that very few of the spring sown seed has germinated 

Due to the very dry conditions the corn marigolds are shorter and the blooms are smaller than other years

 These beautiful biannual Echiums always give a good show be it only every second year but they are about 3 and half feet high and full of blooms right up the stem. A real feast for the bees

Although this is a pest of a weed in the garden I really love the colour and it is very welcome  in the meadow  If I had a bed of Euphorbias I think I would have to include it 


I love Foxgloves they always look so majestic,  its a pleasure to have these in the meadow also

Wednesday, 15 June 2011

Natures arrangements are best

The  distribution of  flowers changes from year to year these blue Echium  only flower every other year  and depending where the wind blows the seed This patch of Ox Eye Daisies and Echium perfectly blend together nature really does do it best

Like wise the Field Poppy with the Ox Eye Daisies although there are not so many Field Poppies so far this year

The Red Campion  also are looking splendid the tall spikes in the middle of the picture  are pale blue Chicory  these will open in a couple of weeks and the picture will change once again

Friday, 10 June 2011

new flowers in meadow

Heath Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata)

Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)

Viper's-bugloss ( Echium vulgare )

Dog Rose (Rosa canina)

Dog Rose (Rosa canina)


Papaver orientale oriental poppy



Papaver orientale oriental poppy


Valerian (Valeriana officinalis