in 2010 this was a lawn 
since then, its been allowed to grow all spring and summer, followed by cutting and removing clippings in autumn/winter
*we didn't resow* - most of the plants you can see spread naturally when released from frequent mowing
*we didn't resow* - most of the plants you can see spread naturally when released from frequent mowing
if we had resown, we'd have unwittingly wiped out our (then unknown) population of adder's tongue fern - a rare plant of old grasslands
(centre of the pic, doesn't look much like a fern at all!)
(centre of the pic, doesn't look much like a fern at all!)
we have however scattered in seed collected from local semi-natural meadows/pastures. this is how we established yellow rattle, a wildflower that parasitises grass roots. in doing so, it reduces dense grasses, creating space for other wildflowers
the reason lawns, some road verges and council-managed grasslands aren't flowery is simply down to the cutting regime: flowers are promoted by cutting less frequently in spring/summer, and by removing the clippings. get this right for a few years and you get lots of wildflowers
