Buckinghamshire Landscape Gardeners
  • Home
  • Landscaping
    • Decking
    • Driveways
    • Patios
    • Fencing
    • Turfing
    • Planting
  • Design
    • Landscaping Ideas
  • Resources
    • Garden products
    • Privacy Policy
  • News
  • Contact
    • landscaping apprenticeship jobs buckinghamshire
    • landscaping labourer jobs buckinghamshire
  • Home
  • Landscaping
    • Decking
    • Driveways
    • Patios
    • Fencing
    • Turfing
    • Planting
  • Design
    • Landscaping Ideas
  • Resources
    • Garden products
    • Privacy Policy
  • News
  • Contact
    • landscaping apprenticeship jobs buckinghamshire
    • landscaping labourer jobs buckinghamshire

Types of garden wildflower meadow

8/18/2022

1 Comment

 
Types of wildflower meadow
This article contains affiliate links


​Wildflower meadows are rich habitats full of biodiversity which can look extremely attractive within gardens.

Not many appreciate just how many different types of wildflower meadow there are. There are specific types of meadow which are adapted to particular environments and soil types as well as serving a variety of other habitats and ecological niches.

​There are wild meadows specialised for woodland glades, hedgerows and wetlands

Here I list and describe the seven main types of wildflower meadow to grow in your wildlife garden. 

Annual corn poppy meadows

​
​Annual corn poppy meadows are typical of countryside paintings and rural farmland.

These are instantly familiar by the typical abundance of the red corn poppy. Annual wildflowers such as the corn poppy seed prolifically within disturbed ground. This makes them readily establish in fields which are regularly ploughed.

If you want to establish such a meadow in your wildlife garden you will have to till your meadow every spring or autumn. 
​
Corn poppy annual meadow

Perennial border meadow


​This type of meadow is not actually a naturally occurring wildlife habitat but more of a meadow like border or planting scheme.

Perennial border meadows are planted with species found within a border but with a meadow style. Flowers such as coneflower and lupines are planted close together on mass.

This creates a beautiful meadow effect with plenty of beautiful summer blooms. The dense foliage and radiant foliage provides plenty of food and shelter for wildlife.  
​
Perennial border

Woodland glade

​
Woodland glades are areas of shady grassland found in amongst woodlands. Glades generally contain a mixture of shade loving grasses and wildflowers.

​Glades can be found along shady hedgerows, woodland paths and woodland edge habitats. Woodland glade meadows can be a great accompaniment to wildlife gardens with a lot of shade. 


Woodland glade

Wetland meadow


Wetland meadows are a combination of grasses and wildflowers which favour wetlands and marshy areas. Wetland meadows are very effective within wildlife gardens with naturally boggy ground.

Wetland meadow seed mixes are readily available from wildflower seed suppliers. Wetland meadows are very effective around eco drainage projects and wildlife ponds. 
​
Wetland meadow

Dry meadows


Dry meadows are full of wild plants which can tolerate free draining sites and drought conditions. Such meadows are extremely beneficial to establish on south facing slopes.

​Dry meadows are perfect for wildlife gardens with a focus on water preservation and sustainability. These meadows can be a life line for hungry pollinators in periods of excessive summer drought.
​
Dry meadow

Chalk downland meadow 


Chalk downland is a naturally occurring meadow habitat found upon chalky soil. Such soils are typical of the South and North Downs and the Chilterns Hills in the UK.

​The underlying chalky soil heats up in the sun which has led to a wide diversity of species. If you have particularly chalky soil it may be worth trying to seed a chalk downland seed mix. 
​
Chalk down land meadow

Dry acidic grassland


Dry acid grassland are specialised meadows with a soil PH of less than 5.5 with free draining soil. These dry grasslands are highly specialised and home to some rare and interesting wildflowers.

If you have a site which is prone to drought with acidic soil this could be a suitable habitat. Dry acidic wildflower meadow seed mixes are readily available from many seed suppliers online. 
​
Acidic meadow

Wildlife garden services

​
​Buckinghamshire landscape gardeners are experts in wildlife garden design and construction.


Acting as the domestic landscaping part of Ecospaces we have over 20 years experience in ecological landscaping and sustainable construction. If you are interested in our wildlife garden services please do not hesitate to contact us.
​

biodiversity services

Our wildlife garden services include:
​

  • Wildlife garden design
  • Wildlife garden maintenance
  • Nature reserve design
  • Habitat creation
  • Native woodland design
  • Native planting design
  • Ecological planting plans
  • Sustainable landscaping
  • Planning for biodiversity
  • Ecological masterplannng
  • Hard landscaping
  • Soft landscaping
  • Wildlife garden consultancy
Contact
 
Thank you for reading our article on the different types of wildlife garden meadow. For further reading we have linked to the Moor Meadows website and included some of our other wildlife garden articles below. Thank you!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture


'As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases'
1 Comment
Things to do link
9/12/2022 02:42:07 am

Thank you!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    The
    ​Author 

    Paul Nicolaides 
    BA (Hons) Dip

    Paul Nicolaides has over 30 years of recreational gardening and 20 years of professional landscaping experience. He has worked for landscape contractors including design and build practices across London and the South East. In 2006 he qualified with a BA Hons degree and post graduate diploma in Landscape Architecture. In 2009 he founded Ecospaces an ecological landscaping practice which aims to improve social cohesion and reduce climate change through landscaping. In 2016 he founded Buckinghamshire Landscape Gardeners which designs and builds gardens across Buckinghamshire and the South East. This blog aims to provide easy problem solving information to its audience and encourage others to take up the joy of landscaping and gardening. 
Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from graibeard, UK Prime Minister, Maggie Hoffman, Aaron Volkening, Darlene Roelofsen, David Paul Ohmer, denis.zabin, Permaculture Association, Bill Selak, The fixed factor, The Garden Smallholder, Tauralbus, nan palmero, Lee Cannon, Monkeystyle3000, Darlene Roelofsen, nicolas.boullosa, Bryn Pinzgauer, cattan2011, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Matthew Paul Argall, tdlucas5000, Acabashi, Ronald (Ron) Douglas Frazier, Gilles Gonthier, Martin Hesketh, Owen P, alljengi, steve p2008, romana klee, Bennilover, *_*, blumenbiene, Julianna, Daryll90ca, Wendell Smith, Acabashi, Decorative Concrete Kingdom, Permaculture Association, MizGingerSnaps, Tjflex2, wuestenigel, travel oriented, Aaron Volkening, shixart1985, SupportPDX, pete. #hwcp, MostlyDross, Local Food Initiative, Ronald Douglas Frazier, Torquay Palms, Oregon State University, perfectgrassltd, aarongunnar, Acabashi, Actual Brian Crawford, jeans_Photos, alh1, Darlene Roelofsen, Rromani from Romania, docoverachiever, tawalker, markfountain52, Maria Eklind, treegrow, deckerme, Kevan, richardghawley, Ivan Radic, Mark Wordy, garryknight, Matt Lavin, greger.ravik, Capt' Gorgeous, LWT Gunnersbury Triangle, Wonderlane, Rudi1976, stonescape, Dinesh Valke, troutcolor, Acabashi, Juhele_CZ, Darlene Roelofsen, pikkuanna, tdlucas5000, Jocey K, Acabashi, focusonmore.com, BethinAZ, zoetnet, kurt.stocker, Monkeystyle3000, ell brown, Bryn Pinzgauer, Mark Wordy, infomatique, Linda N., Armcon Precast, Tinkers Moon, AnnSophieQ, mikecogh, Bob Klannukarn, Aiko, Thomas & Juliette+Isaac, ChrisHamby, Alessandro_Corsoni, Stiller Beobachter, GLVF, denisbin, MizGingerSnaps, garryknight, goforchris, Dick Thompson Sandian, Paul Comstock, Kelowna09, Decorative Concrete Kingdom, Kanesue, BlossomPDX, Wonderlane, alh1, PAUL (Van de Velde) -Fotografie, Paul and Jill, Gilles Gonthier, katunchik, thinkactlove, gidlark, jugreen_de, Henry Hemming, Ivan Radic, tompagenet, corsi photo, www.to-tuscany.com, Mark Wordy, UC Davis Arboretum & Public Garden, Aaron Volkening, Mark AC Photos, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, arripay, denisbin, alans1948, wallygrom, Frank.Vassen, alh1, Scottb211, LenkinDesign, wallygrom, Mike Bonitz, Aaron Volkening, juliamaudlin, dwblakey, Jocelyn777 Love Europe, HerryLawford, mikecogh, jeans_Photos, Corey Leopold, Jeremy Levine Design, Kaibab National Forest Photography, Ciarán Mooney, onnola, 35mmMan, longlabcomms, nc.hort, Jamiecat *, pom'., Puddin Tain, Acabashi, tompagenet, Loz Flowers, Alan Stanton, Darlene Roelofsen, denisbin, Darlene Roelofsen, zakzak7, Center for Neighborhood Technology, wht_wolf9653, LenkinDesign, HerryLawford, FoodCraftLab, Miranda J Wood, Key West Wedding Photography, Montgomery County Planning Commission, bienen-nachrichten.de, zaphad1, SupportPDX, Ronald (Ron) Douglas Frazier, itmpa, Judy Gallagher, SteveR-, kylehase, simonmgc, treegrow, garryknight, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, el cajon yacht club, cattan2011, Ed Bierman, mikecogh, Mike Prince, photofarmer, M. Martin Vicente