Happy National Meadows Day!
National Meadows Day is an annual celebration of wildflower meadows across the UK. The event takes place on or around the first Saturday of July each year.
Every year organisations and individuals across the UK open their wildflower meadows up for people to visit. Do you know of any round the Greenhavens area?
Newhaven
Karen lost count of the number of Red Tailed Bumblebees in the wildflower verge at Fort Road, Newhaven – there were hundreds of them! There were also a few Buff Tailed Bumble Bees and honey Bees.
This annual wildflower meadow is situated below a skate park and sandwiched in-between a basketball pitch and a football pitch. It shows how recreation and wildlife can compliment each other.
Wildflower meadows in Denton Playground in Newhaven are also looking lovely. These were an annual wildflower mix, one of six meadows that are part of the LDC Wildflower Initiative in Newhaven.
I’ve also spotted some lovely flowers blooming on Denton Island by the beautiful new bandstand, and in Riverside Park.
At Valley Ponds, perennial wildflower meadow flowers including yellow toadflax are at their peak at the moment. This is a beautiful green space that has undergone a lot of restoration of the last four years, thanks to Newhaven Town Council.
Saltdean
Saltdean Residents’ Association had wanted for some time, to create a wildflower verge on the wide grass area at Crowborough Rd behind the Retirement Homeridge House flats. Their long term plan is to provide a circular walk with benches to provide an attractive exercise route for everyone.
Recently a utility company left the verges bare and muddy so SRA looked around to find out how to get started, improving the area. Greenhavens Network provided the contacts, advice and plan to get them started, and the Resident’s Association asked permission from ESCC and Telscombe town council. The first seeds were planted in April and more will follow in October. What a difference!
Seaford
In Seaford, annual wild flower seeds were also planted in Crouch Gardens and these too are looking very colourful! Flowers have been planted round new trees planted by Seaford tree wardens. This should help protect them from strimmer damage. It’s not all about looking pretty though. Real meadows have periods where they look untidy! The real benefit is that areas of long grass can harbour up to fifty times more insect life than mown grass!
Peacehaven
I spotted these lovely flowers in the conversation garden raised bed, in Peacehaven park. Poppies are short lived, but much loved wild flowers! It shows that you don’t need a huge meadow to make a difference, just a small bed or pot full of wild flower seeds can also make a stunning sight, and be very welcome to wildlife.
At the edges of Peacehaven park are some stunning wild flower fields, and there are more flowers on the green roof of the Southern Water facility.
Earlier in the year Kew were giving out free wild flower seeds, and lots of our groups took advantage of this offer. If you fancy planting wild flowers, this site has suggestions on where to get free seeds.
If you’ve been planting wild flowers too, do share your photos with us on our facebook page.
You can also share them here
Enjoy those meadows while you can. Don’t forget to have a listen for the buzzing of insects, and see what wildlife you can spot too!
Judy
