Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
– Hardy perennial with purple thistle-like flowers; loved by bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)
– Frothy white umbellifer that lines hedgerows and verges in late spring; an invaluable early nectar source for hoverflies, beetles, and a host of smaller insects.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
– Aromatic perennial with fern-like leaves and flat white flower heads; thrives in a range of conditions and supports many insects.
Greater Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa)
– Larger cousin of common knapweed with deeply lobed leaves and impressive, fringed purple flower heads; a magnet for bumblebees, butterflies, and seed-eating birds.
Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum)
– Delicate, mat-forming perennial smothered in tiny golden-yellow flowers with a honey-like scent; food for several moth species and a classic component of traditional hay meadows.
Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)
– Climbing perennial legume with purple-blue flower clusters; valuable for nitrogen fixing and a favourite of bumblebees.
Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
– Showy white and yellow daisy-like perennial; a classic meadow flower that thrives in nutrient-poor soils.
Hedge Bedstraw (Galium mollugo)
– Scrambling perennial with clouds of tiny white flowers; excellent for supporting insects and weaving naturally through taller plants at hedgerow and meadow edges.
Musk Mallow (Malva moschata)
– Elegant perennial with deeply cut leaves and pale pink, musk-scented flowers; a beautiful and underused wildflower that bees and butterflies find irresistible.
Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
– Tough rosette-forming perennial with slender flower spikes; provides food for various moth and butterfly larvae.
Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)
– Biennial umbellifer with intricate, lacy white flower heads, often with a single dark floret at the centre; an excellent plant for insects and a lovely structural addition to dry grassland.
Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
– Tall, architectural biennial with spiny stems and oval purple flower heads; beloved by bumblebees through summer and an essential winter food source for goldfinches.
Field Scabious (Knautia arvensis)
– Tall perennial with lilac-blue pincushion flower heads held on wiry stems; one of the finest butterfly plants for dry grassland and a beautiful addition to any meadow.
White Campion (Silene latifolia)
– Upright perennial with pure white, evening-scented flowers; particularly attractive to moths and a lovely pale contrast among summer grasses.
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria)
– Upright perennial with yellow spires of flowers; attractive to bees and thrives on dry, sunny banks and meadow edges.
Red Campion (Silene dioica)
– Cheerful perennial of hedgerow banks and woodland edges with vivid rose-pink flowers; an early and reliable nectar source for long-tongued bees and bumblebees.
Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata)
– Robust, clump-forming perennial grass with distinctive tufted flower heads; tolerant of drier conditions and provides important cover and egg-laying habitat for several butterfly species.
Crested Dog's-tail (Cynosurus cristatus)
– Fine-leaved, tufted grass tolerant of low fertility; adds structure and longevity to meadow swards.
Tall Fescue (Lolium arundinaceum)
– A robust, deep-rooted perennial grass well-suited to heavier soils; its strong growth provides valuable cover and nesting structure for invertebrates.
Strong Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca rubra)
– Fine, slow-growing grass with a vigorous creeping habit that binds the sward together; thrives in poor soils and complements wildflower mixtures.
Smooth-Stalked Meadow Grass (Poa pratensis)
– Creeping perennial grass with fine texture; provides dense sward and good ground cover.
Meadow Fescue (Lolium pratense)
– A reliable, long-lived perennial grass suited to fertile, productive meadows; forms a sound base sward and persists well under regular cutting or grazing management.
