Wildflower meadows

Whether it is a blaze of yellow from meadow buttercups or the spikes of green-winged and early purple orchids – North Wales's wild meadows hum with life from the first spring bloom to the purple of the last of the black knapweed. With just 15,000 hectares of species-rich neutral grassland remaining in the UK, these vibrant and life-filled fragments are true wildlife gems.

Walking through a wildflower meadow is a tonic for the senses and an experience that The Wildlife Trusts are working hard to safeguard for future generations.

Do a little research in advance and find out where you can find your closest wild flower meadow. Here are some of the best: Cors Goch on Anglesey, Caeau Tan y Bwlch, south of Caernarfon and Maes Hiraddug near Dyserth.

Summer is the peak time for wildflower meadows, when whole hillsides are alight with colour and thrumming with insects. While the flowers may be the stars of the show, don't forget the insects; butterflies, like the orange tip, the day-flying burnet moth, bumblebees laden with pollen. If there is water nearby, it’s possible that dragonflies and damselflies will also be zipping through the meadow. Old meadows are sometimes enclosed with hedges consisting of trees and shrubs, including field maple, hazel, hawthorn and spindle, providing a home for even more wildlife.

If you’re not lucky enough to live close to one of these special meadows, it’s still possible to find wildflowers everywhere. Around the edges of fields or in undisturbed corners , stitchwort, red campion bird's foot trefoil can add a splash of colour; some species of orchid such as early purple or common spotted can be found on road verges. For those really hankering for a splash of summer colour that also benefits wildlife, why not have a go at planting your own wildflower meadow?

From seeing colourful wildflowers to spotting magnificent birds of prey, we can help you get closer to wildlife across North Wales.