Meadow

Piper Hole, Kirby Stephen

Coronation Meadow

One of the few, rare examples of meadow habitat in the country left undamaged by agricultural intensification. Herbs, such as great burnet (see 'Species to spot' below) are especially abundant, earning it the local name "herbie meadow".

Recipient Meadows

Species to spot



  • Great burnet

    Best time to see: April - Aug.

    The bulbous, blood-red heads of this member of the rose family often indicate a floodplain meadow. The name burnet comes from the Old French for 'dark brown' - the same source as 'brunette'. 

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  • Yellow rattle

    Best time to see: May - Sept.

    A semi-parasitic flower, that feeds off nutrients in nearby grass roots. In doing so it helps restrict the vigorous grasses, allowing more delicate wildflowers to emerge. Its 'rattle' is from tiny seeds in their pods.

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  • Meadow buttercup

    Best time to see: May - Aug.

    A giant relative of the buttercups often on lawns. Its likely this flower put the 'butter' in buttercup given its tendency to grow in meadows grazed by dairy cows. © Ray Woods.

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  • Pignut

    Best time to see: April - June

    With delicate, branched stems, and white umbels of small flowers. Shakespeare refers to pignut in The Tempest when Caliban says 'I pr’ythee, let me bring thee where crabs grow; And I with my long nails will dig thee pig-nuts; Show thee a jay’s nest, ....' 

    Image by Cath Shellswell, Plantlife

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