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meadow making re-post

Greencube's own Meadow Study

Meadow Making re-post 

Here in my own garden, just outside the studio window we have worked hard creating a meadow. 


This is our view from our workplace and I wanted an uncluttered, dreamy space that frees the mind to enable us to work without too many external influences. 




The garden has been scraped to remove all nutrient rich top soil leaving a sandy sub-base clearing - nettles, couch grass and other weeds.

We have sown two types of meadow seed and we are currently enjoying the following:

Annual Seed Mix
Cornflower's
Corn Marigold's
Common poppy
Corn Chamomile

Perennial Seed Mix

Wild Carrot

Bulbous Buttercup
Yarrow
Cowslip

Meadow seed supplied by really wild flowers







There are over 20 other species of meadow seed to germinate and grow through the season, so I'll take further photos and record the success (or failure) of each.

We have seen many butterfly visitors including:

Peacock
Red Admiral
Meadow Brown
Brimstone
Small White
Orange Tip
Large White
Speckled Wood
Holly Blue
Comma

The hardscapes are a repeat from those used in the front garden:

Sawn and sandblasted grey sandstone, butt jointed for a minimalistic, clean look and quartz paddlestones used for walls and step risers. The trellis is a linear softwood painted in grey to tie in with the windows of the house and studio and hides the composters.



Our super, comfortable, modern furniture made from black steel and polyester rope.



The garden is framed by a mature Laurel hedge (Prunus rotundifolia) and Beech (Fagus sylvatica). There are a series of yew (Taxus baccata) cubes planted in the meadow, to form structure and contrast to the meadow, influenced by my many visits to the late Christopher Lloyd's garden at Dixter.

The shade border is planted with sculptural Dicksonia antartica with climbing Hydrangea petiolaris and underplanted with Hakonechloa macra, a simple and bold combination.





The main terrace appears to float in the meadow, I have not mown a path to it yet. It's a great place to sit, rest and contemplate.
















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