A huge thank you to the Bowland Hay Time Project which has made a generous donation of 20kg of locally brush-harvested, species-rich wildflower seed for the meadow.
Peter Blackwell (Bell Sykes Coronation meadow) was involved in the brush harvesting and storage of the seed (meadow seed has to be kept cool and dry and should be used as fresh as possible). Peter kindly delivered the seed to us and helped sow it into the less species-rich areas of meadow. Sheep had recently grazed down the meadow and this has created lots of open space in the sward to receive the seed.
97% of wildflower hay meadows have been lost in the UK, so we are very fortunate to have old, local hay meadows from which seed can be harvested. These meadows have been traditionally and carefully managed for many years, often by generations of owners.
Read more about the Forest of Bowland Hay Time project in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. If you would like support and advice on making a meadow on your own land, or through community projects, please get in touch with Meadow Maker project leader Carol Edmondson.
