Wildflowers

What will happen at the end of the summer?

Between late August and October, meadows will be cut with the cuttings left on the surface for around seven to 10 days. This is deliberate as it allows the seeds to disperse into the soil surface, regenerating the meadow for next year. The cuttings will then be collected up.

With a grant from Chester Zoo, we have purchased a tractor and mini-baler, which will easily pick up the cut grass and create bales of wildflower/ grass that can be easily handled.

This will be taken to our green waste processing facility, however we are also interested to hear from local residents/ businesses/ farmers who may able to make use of the bales.

Following the collection of the cuttings, the meadow will be sown again to ensure the species become established.

The future?

This is a five-year programme and we plan to expand the number of meadow sites and involve residents and communities more and more as we work through our action plan. 

In partnership with Chester Zoo we can offer help and support, training and tools so that communities can come together to ensure these special areas of biodiversity thrive.

Across the UK, volunteers grow wildflower plants at home, and hold planting days to help enrich their wildflower meadows. Regular weeding, monitoring of insects and plants, whilst increasing the percentage of wildflower species will ensure the success of this project for generations.

Throughout the summer, we will be contacting ward councillors with various information packs to allow them to engage with residents, while offering support for current and future projects.