Meadows Appeal
Donate £50
£50 could pay for soil sampling for one meadow
Donate £34
£34 could pay for 5 bags of peat-free compost for the nursery
Donate £20
£20 could pay for 20 wildflower plugs to be grown in the nursery.
Hannah Dalton – Senior Living Landscape Officer
Hannah has been working at Cheshire Wildlife Trust for 5 years and leads on our Pollinating Cheshire project. She works tirelessly across the county working with farmers, local charities, landowners and on our own nature reserves to bring back our lost meadows. Through her work. Hannah has helped create, restore and enhance 296 acres of meadow! Can you help her do even more by supporting our appeal?
Daniel Nash - Land Management Officer
Dan has been working at Cheshire Wildlife Trust for 2 years, taking the Bickley Hall Farm nursery from strength to strength. What started as a few hundred wildflowers being grown in the garden has now developed into a professional nursery with an automated irrigation system and multiple polytunnels. Last year Dan helped oversee the growth of over 20,000 wildflower plants, along with a team of incredible volunteers!
Can you help Dan do even more by donating to our appeal?
Rachel Bradshaw
Field vole c. Bob Coyle
Jon Hawkins - Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography
Collecting seed at Dane in Shaw Pasture
Common blue © Vicky Nall
More about our ambitious plans
Pollinating Cheshire
We have an ambitious target to create 740 acres of wildflower meadow in Cheshire by 2030. Our Pollinating Cheshire project began in 2016 in response to the alarming decline of wildflower meadows. We champion a collaborative approach, partnering with landowners who see the value of restoring their land for nature. In the last 5 years almost 300 acres has been created, restored or enhanced.
This isn’t about buying land but empowering landowners to create meadows. As experts, we can guide them through every step, from initial soil analysis to the sowing of wildflower seeds and ongoing management.
- We create new meadows by harvesting seed from existing species rich meadows.
- We restore and enhance existing meadows by introducing local plug plants to add extra species and over sow with seed and changing management.
- We advise landowners how to manage their meadows to get the most diversity out of their meadows.
- We survey and soil sample all our potential meadows to ensure we use the most suitable method to restore it.
- We use green hay, brush harvested seed, locally bought in seed and plug plants for our meadow creation and enhancement.
Here are some examples of meadows we've restored as part of Pollinating Cheshire.
The Bickley Hall Farm wildflower nursery
Bickley Hall Farm Nursery was set up in 2018 to grow plug plants to enhance newly created wildflower meadows. It plays a key role in our Pollinating Cheshire work. All of our plug plants are grown from seed which is hand collected in Cheshire.
Once fully grown, they’re used to add diversity to existing meadows as well as helping to create new ones This year’s ambitious goal is to grow 50,000 plants of 36 species including oxeye daisy, knapweed and bird’s-foot trefoil. These wildflowers will help to enhance 50 acres of new and existing meadows this year.
To do this, we need to build a potting shed which will allow staff and volunteers to work comfortably in all weathers to pot seedlings. We also need compost, tools and extra trays.
Six seasons of meadow making
By donating to our appeal and become a meadow maker you’ll be part of the six-season transformation – from preparing the soil to a flourishing meadow buzzing with life!
Year 1
- Spring: Laying the ground work - Experts asses the land, analysing vegetation and soil to ensure the perfect match for a rich meadow.
- Summer: Gathering nature's bounty - Seeds are collected from a thriving 'donor' meadow, choosing one with similar conditions for the best chance of success.
- Autumn: Sowing the seeds of change - Land is prepared and our precious local seed is scattered. A gentle roll ensures it binds to the soil to germinate.
- Winter: Watchful waiting - Things are dormant through the winter. However, the frost stratifies the seed making it ready to germinate in the spring.
Year 2
- Spring: A vibrant tapestry - Flowers bloom, attracting pollinators. We add diversity as needed.
- Summer: A symphony of life - Butterflies flutter, birds sing and the meadow hums with life. A new wildlife haven is born, ready to donate future seeds.