Over the last few weeks the Friends of Ecclesall Woods have been working with the rangers to create a new meadow in the Donkey Field. The grass has been cut three times and all the clippings removed to prevent nitrogen build-up in the soil (nitrogen encourages grass growth at the expense of wildflowers).
Cut grass, containing seed from Beauchief Allotment meadow (which was filled with wildflowers this summer) was then spread over the area. The hope is that these wildflower seeds will now germinate in our new meadow. The seed of yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor), a parasite of grass roots, was also sprinkled onto the meadow. This plant will weaken vigorous grasses, reduce competition and help the wildflowers to establish over the coming years.
