Flower rich meadows developed over hundreds of years. Cattle were removed from summer leys in spring and the grasses and flowers allowed to grow. This was cut for hay at the beginning of July, or later, in September. After a month or so the cattle were returned for winter grazing. Replicating this pattern of management enables you to create a wildflower meadow. No you don't have to get a herd of cows!

First you need to choose a suitable location, preferably an open sunny site, maybe linking with other types of habitat. A site with poor infertile soil and/or subsoil will provide the ideal setting and unless you specifically want a wet meadow it should also be reasonably well drained.

The simplest way to begin is to introduce some bulbs or plant plugs into an existing lawn. Arrange the plants of each species in clusters to achieve a natural looking effect, 4 or 5 plants per square metre. Scrape away an area of grass to reduce competition, remove a small divot, set the plant, heel in firmly and finally water.

The problem with trying to convert an existing lawn is that the turf probably includes rye grass, a vigorous and hard wearing grass and of course it will have been fed and pampered. Given their freedom the vigorous grasses take over. You are then faced with the choice of either reducing the soil's fertility (continue mowing, removing the cuttings and not feeding for several years) or of creating a meadow from scratch.

This is where the hard work comes in!

1. You will need to remove the turf and perhaps the topsoil to expose the subsoil.
2. Remove weeds (i.e. anything you don't want to grow) and stones.
3. Prepare a seedbed raking, sieving , firming and watering.
4. You will expose seed which have been lying dormant and these will germinate within a few days and bits of root will produce shoots, all of which need to be eliminated. The easiest and most efficient way of doing so is to use a non-selective, non-residual systemic weed killer. Allow a minimum of three weeks between preparing and sowing.
5. Lightly sow wild grass seed (remember to avoid rye grass!) mixed with silver sand at the recommended rate. It's a good idea to divide the seed into two, sow half in one direction and the rest at 90 degrees to the first lot.
6. Make the first cut for autumn sown grass six weeks after spring growth begins and when spring sown grass is 100mm high. The blades should be set no lower than 50mm. Continue cutting until the end of March. After each cut firm the surface to push loosened plants back into place.
7. Introduce plants as explained above. Keep spring flowering plants separate from summer/autumn flowering plants.
8. When the plants have died back by July or September, cut the hay. Leave it to shed seeds or to let insects etc. escape and then remove it.
9. Do not be tempted to use chemical controls, let the forces of nature do the job for you and in this way you will be able to help to restore endangered habitats.