BFS 1 – Traditional Hay Meadow Wildflower Mix

About BFS 1 - Traditional Hay Meadow Wildflower Mix

A traditional hay meadow conservation mix of 26 UK native wildflower and grass species, suited to low fertility, circumneutral (near-neutral pH) soils, from moist to free-draining, that dry out over summer. It matches NVC community MG5, the ‘Lowland Meadows’ habitat of principle importance.

This type of meadow is managed traditionally: the sward is left to flower and set seed from spring until early summer, then a hay cut removes fertility, followed by grazing for the rest of the year. Light to moderate grazing can also replace the hay cut. You can maintain structural diversity, such as tussocky grassland and taller herbs, by fencing off certain areas on rotation, which benefits flowering species and the wildlife that use them. Hay meadows support high plant diversity, giving a flower-rich resource for notable pollinators such as the common carder bee and the shrill carder bee in southern localities.

• Suitable NVC community: MG5
• Sowing rate: 5g/m²
• Contains: wildflowers 20% (19 species), grasses 80% (7 species)

N.B: All seeds specified in this mixture are subject to availability at the time of purchase.

Species in this mix

Wildflowers:

• 4% Achillea millefolium (Yarrow)
• 10% Centaurea nigra (Black knapweed)
• 9% Galium verum (Lady’s bedstraw)
• 3% Hypochaeris radicata (Common cat’s-ear)
• 4% Lathyrus pratensis (Meadow vetchling)
• 2% Leontodon autumnalis (Autumn hawkbit)
• 8% Leucanthemum vulgare (Ox-eye daisy)
• 5% Lotus corniculatus (Common bird’s-foot trefoil)
• 3% Pimpinella saxifrage (Burnet saxifrage)
• 10% Plantago lanceolate (Ribwort plantain)
• 1% Primula veris (Cowslip)
• 11% Prunella vulgaris (Selfheal)
• 9% Ranunculus acris (Meadow buttercup)
• 5% Rhinanthus minor (Yellow rattle)
• 6% Rumex acetosa (Common sorrel)
• 3% Sanguisorba officianlis (Great burnet)
• 3% Stachys officianlis (Betony)
• 2% Succisa pratensis (Devil’s bit-scabious)
• 2% Vicia cracca (Tufted vetch)

Grasses:

• 3.0% Agrostis castellana (Common bent)
• 2.5% Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet vernal grass)
• 1.5% Briza media (Quaking grass)
• 20.0% Cynosurus cristatus (Crested dog’s-tail)
• 25.0% Festuca rubra ssp litoralis (Slender creeping red fescue)
• 45.0% Festuca rubra ssp rubra (Red fescue)
• 3.0% Trisetum flavescens (Yellow oat grass)