There is no doubt wild flower meadows are increasing in popularity, not just for their aesthetic qualities, but also for the significant benefits they offer to increase biodiversity and help meet the UK’s sustainability targets.

Wildflower Turf Ltd was set up in 2003 after owner James Hewetson-Brown wanted to find a solution to the problems faced when growing a meadow from seed.

He went on to create the UK’s first, soil-less growing system for wild flowers and grasses to meet the demand for superior quality, ready-made wild flower meadows without the establishment problems associated with traditional seeding methods.

The soil-less system suppresses weeds naturally, allowing flowers and grasses to establish as soon as the turf is laid. A 50% wild flower and 50% grass mix also offers significant benefits over traditional seeding methods. Wild flower seed mixes are typically sown at 20% wild flowers and 80% grass seeds which often means the grasses dominate resulting in few flowers maturing.

Ready-made wildflower turf guarantees establishment of a wild flower meadow and can be cheaper than seed, saving 30 per cent over a three year period. Wildflower Turf’s products require very little maintenance, with just one cut a year in autumn. An open sward over the winter allows healthy, disease-free plants to thrive, ensuring a perennial cycle which gives a guaranteed wild flower environment year after year.

The significant benefits of wildflower turf over wild flower seeded meadow areas were illustrated by the company’s recent project to supply large areas of the Athlete’s Village and London 2012 Olympic site.

Initial cost considerations had meant that some of the peripheral areas on the site were sown with wild flower seeds from another supplier, but it was shown to have been a false economy.

Darren Pilbeam of architects Bovis Lendlease oversaw the installation and maintenance of the areas. He said: “Despite being seeded twice, we were still only seeing around 10 flowers in every 30m² area.

“We had to call James from Wildflower Turf Ltd back in to replace these seeded areas with wildflower turf.”