Creating a Flower Meadow

Whether you have a large or small garden, and whether you live in the town or the country, you can create your own flower meadow, watch butterflies pollinate your wild flowers, see hedgehogs emerging to snuffle up slugs and generally enjoy wildlife-watching in your meadow garden.

Meadows of the kind enjoyed by our forebears (unlike the hedgeless fields of grass or grain which have almost completely replaced them over the last 50 years) support large populations of plants, insects, birds and other animals: they are extremely important in maintaining the ecological diversity of our countryside.

Plants which farmers consider to be weeds support the rich variety of our indigenous wildlife; for example, the modest oxeye daisy alone supports over 20 species of insect.

This book is designed to show you how to create a natural habitat in your own garden, whether large or small, so that you can observe the lifestyles of British flora and fauna and play your part in encouraging the survival of wild flowers, native birds, butterflies and other insects. The book includes a seasonal calendar, lists of species of flowers, grasses, trees, birds and butterflies, and contact addresses for further information.