Meadow restoration

In July 2021 Charles Flower and his daughter, Sarah, held two workshops at Long Mead Meadow, providing insight into the restoration and establishment of wildflower meadows. The group of about 20 in attendance came from nearby surrounding areas, each with common endeavours to restore wildflowers. From Oxford College gardeners to Eynsham villagers working with 20x20m patches of land, the diverse group shared a passion. Talking together we were able to learn about the techniques needed to achieve restorations goals, for example, knowing when to top the crop to ensure enough light reaches the seeds below the earlier flowering plants. We also felt a real sense of community cohesion, with everyone doing their part in creating corridors and steppingstones for wildlife to thrive in. The workshop demonstrated the creativity and energy that can be achieved by the Nature Recovery network approach, which connects people from different worlds.