The area, which some years ago served as a putting course (between the tennis courts and the stream), is currently being developed as a wildflower meadow, for people to enjoy as part of “Wild Play”. The area will be planted with wildflowers to provide a colourful and interesting experience for children and adults alike. There will be a circular mown path and seats to enjoy the flowers. The meadow will provide valuable resources for the local wildlife, and the planting of selected wildflowers was carried out in September 2013. Warwick District Council worked with Friends of Abbey Fields to carry out this work.
On October 12th, 2013, a stalwart group of FOAF volunteers braved the rain and worked with Jon Holmes and Edward of Warwick District Council to plant 350 plugs of Ribwort Plantain, Meadow Buttercup, Ladies’ Bedstraw, Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Rough Hawkbit and Black Knapweed in the main wild flower meadow, between the path from Abbey Hill to Bridge Street and Finham Brook. The planting of the last plug, by Jon Holmes and our chair Pat Smith, can be seen below, with some of the other volunteers.
The following were planted in the wildflower meadow in 2012:
- Hypericum perforatum (Perforate St John’s Wort)
- Betonica officinalis (Betony)
- Centaurea nigra (Common Knapweed)
- Euphrasia officinalis (Eyebright)
- Galium verum (Lady’s Bedstraw)
- Leucanthemum vulgare (Oxeye Daisy)
- Lotus corniculatus (Birdsfoot Trefoil)
- Plantago lanceolata (Ribwort Plantain
- Primula veris (Cowslip)
- Prunella vulgaris (Selfheal)
- Ranunculus acris (Meadow Buttercup)
- Ranunculus bulbosus (Bulbous Buttercup)
- Daucus carota (Wild Carrot)
- Trifolium pratense (Wild Red Clover)
- Succisa pratensis (Devil’s-bit Scabious)
- Rumex acetosella (Sheep’s Sorrel)
- Campanula rotundifolia (Harebell)
- Athyrus pratensis (Meadow Vetchling)
- Tragopogon pratensis (Goat’s beard)
- Vicia sativa ssp segetalis (Common Vetch)