Doorstep Discoveries
Having to walk from the house and not being able to explore further a field has many of us finding all sorts of places within walking distance of our homes.
Whilst I had been to Mickfield Meadow before from home and as part of other drive to walks I had never experienced the snake head fritillaries throughout the meadow. This has been my favourite door step discovery so far and I’ve been back several times to take photos of the wildflowers in different sun light at different times of day.
Mickfield Meadow is a beautiful hay meadow that has never been sprayed or fertilised which means that it is home to an array of wildflowers many of which are now scarce in Suffolk. This wonderful meadow is managed by Suffolk Wildlife Trust and is managed with a summer hay cut and grazing of the late summer growth. The boundary hedges are managed by a combination of trimming and the traditional method of coppicing which encourages regrowth and created long living, dense hedge that is great for wildlife.
There are many wildflowers you can see in the meadow which include: goldilocks buttercups, and in the wetter areas marshland flowers like ragged-robin, meadowsweet and the beautiful snake’s head fritillary – one of only four sites in Suffolk where it can still be found.
Dogs are welcome on leads in the meadow so it makes for a wonderful walk for all the family. My dogs and I have enjoyed it multiple times over the last 6 weeks and can’t wait to see what else the meadow has to offer throughout the year.
Get your boots on and get out in your local area to find other doorstep discoveries like Mickfield Meadow.
public rights of way #GetOutside #GetOutsideChampion doorstepdiscoveries exploring Mickfield Meadow staylocal Suffolk Wildlife Trust
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I remember planting snakes head fritillaries some years back…..lovely images….
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Thank you
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We have snake heads in the garden a partially shaded mossy patch under the copper hazel. They have almost finished, it was the second bloom in our little garden after snow-drops and before the scattered for-get me-nots. We have a dedicated patch for wildflowers a four foot strip 50ft long along the stream that runs alongside our home. I may have been too kind with my preperation to the area last year, as sadly little if any beat the way through the endless ground elder and new shoots of bramble. This year I … over enthusiastically seeded again native seed from the grass people a UK based company. Where the snake heads appeared I see wild violet and tiny almost grass like stems of what I suspect is welsh poppy or something similar. We sit on about a quarter of an acre or less, but rural Suffolk with lots of farm land and ponds around. Every one could try to encourage less formality or even a dedicated patch to help and encourage our wild life. Some would say I have spoiled the formality of our Victorian garden in place of weeds but our wild edges bring us enjoyment, bees birds and a quaint beauty only found in some English spaces.
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You lucky thing, I can’t ever seem get them to take in my little cottage garden! A little wildscape in the garden is never spoiling it I wish everyone would let a little bit of wild in
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