The Wildflower Meadow
Most of Long Meadow is perennial grassland. As far as anyone can tell it has never been ploughed – possibly we have a rich and varied biodiversity in the soil profile as a result. Certainly, we have an active mole population.
In times gone by, it is believed the village’s animals were grazed on Long Meadow.
Historically the meadow has been cut in early July – when the yield of the hay is greatest. The wildflowers present reflect this cutting regime, with fine displays in spring. Bright yellow Meadow and Creeping buttercups wave in the wind while closer to the ground are patches of Germander speedwell – with the deep blue colour of a summer’s sky.
Cow parsley dominates the west end of the meadow in the shadows of the old sycamore, now a gaunt skeleton of its former self.
By June the speedwells and buttercups wane; instead on the north side of the meadow there are bright yellow “frothy” patches of Lady’s bedstraw. Once this was a popular choice for bedding – and for curdling milk in cheese production.
Picture of lady’s bedstraw
Come mid-summer, the golden-brown grass dominates the central meadow, and the richest display of flowers are on the banks of the Brook which runs on the north side of the meadow. It is, however, worth pausing to look at the grasses: we have 27 species recorded. This is a pretty good number for a meadow.
Here beside the Brook, Great willowherb and Meadowsweet give magnificent pink and vanilla displays respectively in high summer, taking over from the yellows of Lesser celandine which can be found in April close to the water’s edge.
Our plans are to enrich the wildflower population of the meadow over time. We are exploring different mowing regimes and we may undertake some controlled, limited seeding. The change is unlikely to be rapid – more a steady evolution to a richer wildflower population as we progressively reduce the meadow’s nutrient levels.