When a wildflower meadow goes wrong..

This is an example of a strip in a public park that was cultivated and left un-mown in the hope it would turn into a wildflower meadow. I am not sure whether it was sown with a meadow mix, but in a situation like this such a mix would not stand a chance. What has happened is that vigorous fast-growing weeds of cultivation whose seeds were already in the soil have taken advantage of the high levels of nutrients and have taken over. The two dominant weeds in the picture are Bristly Ox-tongue and Fat Hen. The swards in public parks are often high in nutrients because of years of mowing and leaving the clippings in situ, where they rot down and enrich the soil, together with the results of years of dog owners exercising their dogs. This makes them unsuitable for conversion to a perennial meadow unless the topsoil is removed.

© Marc Carlton 2009
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