The Meadow

An area of long grass in Watercress Fields is deliberately left unmown during Spring and Summer to encourage natural wildflowers to seed and grow, like you would find in a meadow.

Meadows are one of the rarest habitats in the UK, with 97% of this habitat lost in Britain since World War II. (source – English Heritage)

Nowadays, a meadow generally describes a largely unmanaged natural area with an abundance of grasses and flowers. More traditionally, a meadow was a field allowed to grow naturally until the late summer. It was then harvested for hay, before being grazed by animals in winter, during spring and summer it would be allowed to grow naturally again.

Although some meadows occur naturally, most are the result of people managing the land. The agricultural process prevents shrubs and woodland from taking hold, enabling other plants and the creatures that rely on them to thrive. So, when it comes to meadows, humans have actually had a positive effect on the natural environment!

Pollinators, like bees, butterflies and other invertebrates, rely on meadows for food and shelter. In turn, animals such as birds, bats and hedgehogs feed on these insects, whilst other mammals such as squirrels and rabbits use it for cover from predators.

Not only do meadows provide a fantastic habitat, they are also great carbon sinks. This is because soil stores carbon - making meadows and grassland very important.