Hugely beneficial to wildlife, these can be created anywhere, from a patch of ground the size of a paving slab to an area of lawn studded with bulbs to a large meadow. What that creation becomes will depend upon the site, soil, input and management.

If trying to establish a long-term perennial meadow, dedication and patience is required, particularly in the early stages, as it can be a testing process. It is estimated that in the last 50 years, England has lost 97% of its true ancient meadowland, most of that within the last 20 years – a truly staggering and depressing statistic. It is thought that it takes many, many years for such wonderful habitats to develop, but recently there have been many highly successful projects across the country aimed at recreating these habitats, such as by Pam Lewis at Sticky Wicket in Dorset and by John Seale at Southcombe House in Devon. This is proof of what can be achieved.

All wildflower areas, whether annual or perennial, need managing, even if its just to ‘cut and clear’ once or twice a year. (For large or uneven areas, animals, such as sheep, can help with this). Even so, this could still be viewed as a relatively low-maintenance approach to managing a large area of grassland.