Coronation Meadows, the initiative launched by the former Prince of Wales in 2013 to honour the 60th year of the late Queen's accession to the throne, has seen 101 wildflower meadows restored or planted in the last ten year, it has been announced today.
A collaboration between two charities, Plantlife and The Wildlife Trusts, Coronation Meadows was set up in the face of the loss of 97 per cent of our wildflower meadows since the 1930s.
The charities identified 60 species-rich meadows from which seed could be harvested to increase wildflower crops and meadows elsewhere.
In the ten years since Coronation Meadows began, the seed has been used to create 101 new or restored wildflower meadows.
In the first three years more than 700 volunteers took part in the project, which was in part funded by Biffa through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “The expansion of our beautiful wildflower meadows is a wonderful legacy for communities everywhere to enjoy. The magnificent sight of wild orchids shimmering in a field of delicate wild grasses in the afternoon sun to the hum of bees is something that everyone deserves to experience and enjoy."
Ian Dunn CEO of Plantlife said: “We know healthy habitats such as meadows form the foundations of all successful conservation, as well as being at the roots of a healthy society and in addressing the climate challenges we face. At Plantlife we aspire to create a combined area equal to 20,000 new football fields of meadows before the end of this decade to give everyone the chance of experiencing the beauty and wildlife-rich meadows that were once commonplace. The exquisite Coronation meadows started 10 years ago give us confidence we can do so.”
Some of the newly created Coronation Meadows
Thameside Nature Discovery Park, Essex
The new meadow here is not a conventional one – it sits atop a landfill site which took London’s rubbish for 50 years. Green hay was taken from Essex Wildlife Trust’s Langdon Nature Discovery Park donor site and was spread here on the same day that it was collected in order to ensure the freshness of the seed. The new six hectares of grasslands are alive with the sound of skylarks and shrill carder bees.
Eycott Hill, Cumbria
An extinct volcano, this special upland is cared for by Cumbria Wildlife Trust and has wetlands, moorland and restored meadows which were enhanced with seed from the wonderful Coronation Meadow, Piper Hole. Autumn hawkbit, melancholy thistle and eyebright bloom in this awe-inspiring spot which is increasing in flora every year.
Middledown, Somerset
Look out for lady’s bedstraw, early purple, common spotted, green-winged orchids and ploughman’s spikenard at this heavenly meadow which is alive with butterflies on a warm day. The seed was brush harvested from Chancellor’s Farm Coronation Meadow and spread by hand by Somerset Wildlife Trust volunteers. Local school children also helped to grow and plant plugs of other key species such as bird’s-foot trefoil, knapweed and cowslip.
Gwynedd road verges, Wales
The stunning flower-rich mosaic of small fields at the magical Caeau Tan y Bwlch Nature Reserve, is cared for by North Wales Wildlife Trust and owned by Plantlife. In 2022 roadside verges near the 2023 Eisteddfod site in Boduan were recipients of its green hay and will welcome visitors with colourful flowers, buzzing with life. Seed from Caeau Tan y Bwlch has also been spread along the main road outside Gwaith Powdwr Nature Reserve in Penrhyndeudraeth.
Red Hill, Lincolnshire
A former barley field, 60-acre Red Hill became a Coronation Meadow after huge restoration by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust – now it is one of the best chalk downland meadows in the county. Volunteer, Harry Turner, an octogenarian at the time, planted thousands of cowslips at Red Hill. Red Hill expanded to take in a former festival site nearby called Badger Farm – this became a new recipient meadow using Red Hill’s seed, with devil's-bit scabious, cowslip, bird's foot trefoil, bee orchids and autumn gentian.
Hurstans, Sollers Hope, Herefordshire
Seed from Joans Hill Coronation Meadow, a Plantlife nature reserve, was brush harvested and spread across the 3.6ha field at Hurstans. Hurstans is now a traditional hay meadow, with an annual hay cut and grazing over the winter, and now boasts a healthy population of Green Winged Orchids. Last year the landowner, who belongs to Herefordshire Meadows charity and the local meadows farm cluster group was delighted when Hurstans was declared a special place for nature and became a new county Local Wildlife Site.
Hurdley Meadows, Montgomeryshire
When this site was restored, there were 5 flowering species, there are now over 70 including Great Burnet, Rough Hawksbeard, Globe Flower, Devil’s Bit Scabious, as well as hundreds of Common Spotted and Early Marsh Orchids. In 2016 this heavily grazed site was harrowed and broadcast with seed from Ty Brith Coronation Meadow (Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust). Experience the joy of the meadows on Jun 11th and July 9th, 2023, when the owners open their garden as part of the National Garden Scheme.
Marsden Old Quarry, South Tyneside
Marsden Old Quarry Local Nature Reserve, cared for by South Tyneside Council, is important for different types of grassland. In 2016 as part of the Coronation Meadows project, seed was harvested from part of the site to create a new patch of magnesian limestone grassland for specialist plants. A partnership with Durham University Botanic Garden led to the establishment on the reserve of two plant species – dropwort and small scabious - that are both relatively rare in County Durham. Marsden Old Quarry
