Hiya.xx

Blondie · #1 (**permalink**) 06-03-2011, 02:15 PM

Hi there. I just wanted to pop in and see what you are all about. I have 16 acres of bare land in S W Scotland and am currently trying to turn it into a wildlife haven. I have allready created a large pond in a wet area planted a small orchard with around 25 fruit trees,planted around 750 native trees(ash,oak,hazel,gean,willow,mountain ash etc) and am currently planting hedges which are 50/50 blackthorn/hawthorn. I do keep a couple of ponies and have a few small paddocks but I do need some advice regarding a wildflower meadow. I have a 7 acre field that is wet in some places and dry in others,its very old pasture and hasnt had any type of nitrogen or other fertilizer. I left it to grow last year and did get some flowers in it and loads of different types of grasses but would love to introduce some poppies and other wildflowers but have no idea how to go about it....

any advice would be gratefuly recieved.xx

Kayleigh · #2 (**permalink**) 06-03-2011, 02:17 PM

Hi and welcome to wab..

Deb London · #3 (**permalink**) 06-03-2011, 02:24 PM

Hi Blondie,

Good luck with that project. WAB is the place to post loads of questions and you can get some really good advice. Have a good look around and read as well.

Welcome to WAB

Deb

Tursiops2 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-03-2011, 02:33 PM

Hi Blondie, welcome to the forum

Lucky you, having all that land to play with! If you want to manage such a large area for wildlife, you are effectively creating a small nature reserve, and for expert advice, based on local knowledge, your first port of call should probably be the Scottish Wildlife Trust Scottish Wildlife Trust | Home, they will probably be able to help.

N.B. Poppies are plants (some would call them weeds) of cultivated land, and are unlikely to do well in a "wildflower meadow" - the term is usually applied to grassland which is either mown annually or grazed by stock, rather than cultivated.
T2

Ladywell · #5 (**permalink**) 06-03-2011, 02:44 PM

I think that you need to source your seed locally rather than buy in from just anywhere. Sounds like a diverse meadow so you maybe need to think about different plants for the wet areas. Our biggest field has never been cultivated and, as a result, the colours in spring are amazing - it changes from week to week. We cut it for hay after the end of July when most of the seed has fallen. It makes the most amazing hay -full of natural herbs and plants. Perhaps you need to think about letting part of it grow for hay to feed your ponies through the winter. Local farmers are usually prepared to do this for you and take half the crop as payment.
Good luck - it sounds exciting.

gregA · #6 (**permalink**) 06-03-2011, 03:28 PM

Hi and welcome to WAB good luck with what you are doing and i'm sure you will get some good help and advice here

gregA

Jez · #7 (**permalink**) 06-03-2011, 07:30 PM

It would be worth your while to invest in a few books 1 in particular is by Pam Lewis titled Making A Wild Flower Meadow and getting hold of a Naturescape catalogue will be invaluable Naturescape British Wild Flowers Catalogue & Growing Guide- Free