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Taking time to live well
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Make | Your Own Meadow

Iona Bower June 5, 2022

In the last 50 years, Britain has lost more than 98% of its wildflower meadows but we can all help bring meadows back by doing our own small part

Allowing grass to grow long and planting wildflowers, doesn’t have to mean owning a field or even giving over your garden to it. We’ve put together a few easy ways to make your own meadow, no matter how much time or space you have. 

Got a day, a reasonable patch of ground and some patience?

Make a From Scratch meadow

You’ll first need to clear the ground - pull up and grass and weeds lifting the top 5-10cm of soil, which will help with reducing the soil’s fertility (we know this sounds mad, but you have to think a bit backwards where meadow gardening is concerned). Next, fork the soil through, rake it and then pat it down flat. Finally, sprinkle your wildflower seeds and water thoroughly and regularly as it grows. 

Got a decent patch but no time or patience?

Buy a meadow mat

Pre-grown meadow turfs can be bought ready to roll out on your garden and you don’t need much of it to make a difference. Once you’ve bought your mat, lay it out where you want it and water regularly as it beds in. Meadow mats are best laid in spring or autumn. 

Keen bean with a bit of lawn to spare?

Make a Plug Plant meadow

You can buy wildflower plug plants online or from garden centres, which you then plant into an area of lawn that you’re happy to leave to go wild. The beauty of this method is that you can choose exactly what you plant in and ensure the plants suit the type of soil you have. 

Short on space but not enthusiasm?

Plant a Flowerpot meadow

Buy wildflower seeds or plug plants (or a mix of both) and pot up groups of flowerpots with them. You can then move them around your garden as you wish - you can even have a mini meadow if all you have is a balcony. 

Lacking gardening knowhow but have a garden?

Just go ‘No Mow’

If you’re not too bothered about swathes of wild poppies, just mow your lawn only once in spring and once in autumn. You’ll find all sorts comes through and you can help things on their way by throwing a few seed bombs and scattering wildfower seeds occasionally in any spaces you spot in the long grass. You’ll save hours’ of lawn mowing time and the birds and the bees will thank you for it.

If you’re inspired by the idea of meadow-making, you might like to read our ‘gallery’ pages in our June issue, which we’ve called, ‘Making Hay’. It’s a collection of beautiful photographs from the book Meadow: The Intimate Bond Between People, Place and Plants by Iain Parkinson with photography by Jim Holden (Kew Publishing/ Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More ways to embrace ‘wild’…

Featured
Meadows Wakehurst Place Coronation Meadow.jpg
Jun 5, 2022
Make | Your Own Meadow
Jun 5, 2022
Jun 5, 2022
IMG_4258.jpg
Jul 17, 2018
Where to get wild
Jul 17, 2018
Jul 17, 2018
May 21, 2015
10 Wildflowers to spot in June
May 21, 2015
May 21, 2015

More from our June issue…

Featured
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Jun 18, 2022
Tasting notes | Roses
Jun 18, 2022
Jun 18, 2022
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Jun 14, 2022
Nomenclature | Roller Derby
Jun 14, 2022
Jun 14, 2022
strawberry mimosas.jpg
Jun 11, 2022
Tipple | Strawberry Mimosas
Jun 11, 2022
Jun 11, 2022
Ingardening Tagsmeadow, wild, wildlife, issue 120
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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025

Buy, download or subscribe

See the sample of our latest issue here

Buy a copy of our latest anthology: A Year of Celebrations

Buy a copy of Flourish 2, our wellbeing bookazine

Listen to our podcast - Small Ways to Live Well

Feb 27, 2025
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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