Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
– Hardy perennial with purple thistle-like flowers; loved by bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
– Tall, frothy-flowered perennial of damp meadows and riverbanks; its creamy flower heads carry a sweet almond fragrance and attract a wide range of pollinators.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
– Aromatic perennial with fern-like leaves and flat white flower heads; thrives in a range of conditions and supports many insects.
Pepper Saxifrage (Silaum silaus)
– A slender umbellifer of old, unimproved grasslands; its pale yellow flower heads are a reliable indicator of ancient meadow and support a range of hoverflies and beetles.
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria)
– Upright perennial with yellow spires of flowers; attractive to bees and thrives on dry, sunny banks and meadow edges.
Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
– Showy white and yellow daisy-like perennial; a classic meadow flower that thrives in nutrient-poor soils.
Bird's-Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
– Low-growing perennial legume with yellow "bird's-foot" flowers; excellent for bees and common blue butterflies.
Black Medick (Medicago lupulina)
– Low-growing legume with small yellow flower clusters; nitrogen-fixing and beneficial for soil health.
Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
– Tough rosette-forming perennial with slender flower spikes; provides food for various moth and butterfly larvae.
Cowslip (Primula veris)
– Beloved spring perennial with nodding clusters of golden-yellow flowers; an important early nectar source for bumblebees and the caterpillar foodplant of the Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris)
– Low-growing perennial with purple flower heads; attracts bees and helps knit together swards.
Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)
– Tall, glossy yellow-flowered perennial common in meadows and pastures; excellent for pollinators.
Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor)
– Semi-parasitic annual that reduces grass vigour, allowing wildflowers to flourish; distinctive rattling seed pods in late summer.
Ragged Robin (Silene flos-cuculi)
– Distinctive perennial of wet meadows and marshes with ragged, deeply-cut pink petals; a magnet for long-tongued bees and one of the most charming flowers of damp ground.
Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)
– Climbing perennial legume with purple-blue flower clusters; valuable for nitrogen fixing and a favourite of bumblebees.
Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis)
– Robust perennial with rounded pincushion flower heads of rich lilac-blue; a vital late-season nectar source and the sole foodplant of the marsh fritillary butterfly.
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.
Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
– Familiar perennial of grassland and meadow with arrow-shaped leaves and reddish flower spikes; the foodplant of the small copper butterfly and a valuable structural plant in the sward.
Rough Stalked Meadow Grass (Poa trivialis)
– A creeping perennial grass well-suited to damper, shadier conditions where other grasses struggle; its fine texture and adaptability make it a useful component in moisture-retentive swards.
Common Bent (Agrostis capillaris)
– Fine-leaved perennial grass forming dense tufts; tolerant of a range of soils, ideal for meadow mixes.
Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum)
– Slender, early-flowering perennial grass with the distinctive sweet scent of new-mown hay; one of the most characterful grasses of traditional meadows and a pleasure to run a hand through on a warm day.
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.
Crested Dog's-tail (Cynosurus cristatus)
– Fine-leaved, tufted grass tolerant of low fertility; adds structure and longevity to meadow swards.
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.
