TM
We know that people love Pictorial Meadows but what do the bees think ? Read inside : Edinburgh University Pollinator research at Pictorial Meadows
2
Contents Welcome …2
Based in Sheffield, UK, Pictorial Meadows brings together horticulturalists, designers, ecologists, landscapers and of course our hard working Dispatch Team.
History of Pictorial Meadows …3 Introduction… 4 Meadow Installation Service…6 Pollinator Research …8 Perennial Meadow Development…1o Users’ Photo Gallery…12 Visit Sheffield Manor Lodge…14 Community Engagement …15 Rain Garden Research…16 Pictorial Meadows in Scandinavia …18 Establishing Annual Meadows…20 Establishing Perennial Meadows …27
Pictorial Meadows Seed Mixes Annual mixes……………..21 Standard Classic…21 Short…22 Golden Girl…22 Pastel…23 Candy…23 Blue Wave…24 Grandstand…24 Cornfield Annual ...25 Contrasting… 25 Remembrance mixes ..26
Perennial mixes………… 27 Nice & Easy…27 Golden Summer…28 Purple Haze…28 Treasure Chest…29 Patchwork Quilt.. 29 Woodland Edge…30 Brick Rubble Mix…30 Native Meadow…30 Green Roof Mixes …31
The Company was originally founded by Professor Nigel Dunnett and is part owned by the University of Sheffield and the environmental social enterprise Green Estate. Benefiting from the ongoing research from the University and the pioneering application work of Green Estate, products and knowledge are continually evolving. As a team we are passionate about the subject and are constantly working on new designs and improved solutions. Our unique strength comes from our dual role in the landscape industry. We are landscape practitioners ourselves at the forefront of development to new landscape solutions especially in increasingly challenging economic times. As a major user of our own products we have considerable vested interest in quality and reliability. This has driven our establishment of the seed company where we can control all elements of bespoke design, cost and supply. We hope you will find lots of inspiration in our new 2014 catalogue for your own landscape. And remember, we are here to help you establish and enjoy your own individual meadow however large or small.
Sue Sue France, CEO , Pictorial Meadows Ltd The rest of the UK team
Cover photo by Annie Neilson
Alan
Brian
Christos
Dan
Dawn
Jonathan
Mark
Matt
Michaela
Mike
Helen
http://annieneilson.wix.com/photography Pictorial Meadows is a Registered Trade Mark of Pictorial Meadows Ltd We reserve the right to alter the composition of our mixes without notice.
Susan
3
The Pictorial Meadows concept was developed out of an intensive research programme at the University of Sheffield. Initial tests investigated the robustness, length of flower and visual quality of individual species, followed by their performance in simple and then more complex mixtures. This work was carried out in experimental plots, but crucially, also in a whole range of real-life situations. The intention of the programme was to create fully reliable, fail-safe seed mixes that gave outstanding returns from minimal inputs, in addition to environmental and biodiversity value. But from the very outset the creation of the most breath-taking and visually-beautiful displays was the top priority for these mixes. Providing a framework of meticulously calculated colour, form and texture combinations, the experimental programme led to very carefully balanced mix formulations. These have unique characteristics, delivering months and months of full-flowering impact, without the need for intensive maintenance.
Nigel’s Gold Medal winning 2013 Chelsea Garden themed around wetland meadow planting. See centre spread article for inspiration and new wetland meadow design developments
Pictorial Meadows in Christine Lomer’s ‘The Iris Garden’ in Marnes, Spain - Photo; Nina Hoff. www.iris-lomer.com
4
Pictorial Meadows are carefully selected mixes of native and exotic species designed to be long flowering and give high impact across a range of conditions in large and small spaces.
From a Spanish Hillside to a Social Housing Estate Via the Olympic Park These new meadows can bring a range of benefits; not only stunning floral displays and positive PR but enhanced wildlife value and savings over other large scale vegetation options.
Ever wanted to grow a meadow but too afraid to try?
Continuing Research ensures
5
Have you tried but were disappointed by the results? A lack of knowledge and understanding around meadow creation and management in urban areas has put many off trying, or trying again , but growing ‘meadows’ has never been more reliable. New seeds mixes and establishment techniques developed by Pictorial Meadows have reinvented the idea of the urban meadow and restored confidence in this valuable planting approach.
Pictorial Meadows are best known for their annual meadows mixes. A spectacular feature of the Olympic Park, these have a wide range of commercial and domestic uses. They are increasingly used by Local Authorities to replace traditionally managed areas such as intensively mown grass verges, bedding or rose beds with Councils reporting a surge in positive feedback from the public and improved PR as a result.
But Pictorial Meadows Perennial Meadows are now breaking new ground. Compared to the ‘instant’ annual meadows, perennial meadows require a more careful establishment regime. Although techniques are cost effective and relatively simple, they need to be carried out consistently and at the right time. Read more about this on page 27 Despite the wide range of applications, Pictorial Meadows are not a replacement for traditionally managed hay meadows or existing ecologically diverse native grasslands. We would not expect to see Pictorial Meadows sown in sensitive locations. However in urban contexts, for example, parks, gardens, village greens, housing estates, private landscapes and tourist attractions, they can bring a welcome boost to local biodiversity alongside the uplifting flowering display.
Pictorial Meadows leads the market The ongoing research collaboration with partners is resulting in innovative and exciting applications for meadows and new commercial and domestic uses are emerging. These include meadows for recycled substrates such as brick rubble, for ‘rain gardens’ and for low fertility dry conditions such as green roofs. Others include tall herbaceous, prairie and walk-able meadows and methods for enhancing existing amenity grassland. Many of these mixes and techniques are already available, for others ‘watch this space’. Using Pictorial Meadows, whether in a local community garden or a large international event, brings with it a host of benefits, recognized by residents, site managers and bees alike. Pic Eli Shany
6
“We sowed a variety of sites with Pictorial Meadow mixes. We have received lots of compliments from the public and had positive local press. A photo made it into The Guardian on Monday, One of our Councillors was also interviewed for local Tyne Tees news last night. We are delighted with the project and we are hoping to roll out the project further next year.” Clare Rawcliffe Countryside Officer, South Tyneside
Pictorial Meadows, through it’s parent company Green Estate Ltd, offers a complete service for successful meadows. Offering help with any element from site analysis, design, implementation and longer term management on any scale or site across the UK, our expert Meadow Team is here to help .
South Tyneside Meadow Establishment Feasibility Study & Implementation Plan
Consultancy Reports & Contracting Quotes Satisfied Customers include Local Authorities, Private Landowners, Housing Associations, Schools, Friends of Parks Groups and Visitor Attractions.
Bespoke Meadow Mixes and Pictorial Meadow Turfing Solutions “This area has already proved successful, attracting compliments from staff, students, community and visitors. Thank you Green Estate for all your work on this.” David Leen Vice-Principal (Resources) St Mary’s University College,Twickenham
Pictorial Meadows Turf
For larger schemes we are able to work with you on bespoke meadow designs, special colour themes and of course seed supply. New for our Contract Customers in 2014 we are also able to offer Pictorial Meadows grown to order in turf form as well as provide supplementary meadow species in plugs and larger pots. Pre-grown solutions can overcome practical challenges associated with inner city highway verges or SUDs schemes. They are also invaluable in very high profile locations and to mark sporting or cultural events when there is usually less time to establish a new landscape from seed and assured impact is critical.
Twickenham
For further details of these services email info@pictorialmeadows.co.uk
7
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s very bold move to replace an 8 mile stretch of grassed central reservation with bulbs and pictorial meadow flowers was a huge success in 2013 The route stretched from the M18 junction at Bramley right into Rotherham Town Centre and included several major junctions and roundabouts. There were two important drivers for change. For Health and Safety reasons road closures were imposed 8 times a year in order to cut the central grass verges. This was highly inconvenient and drove up maintenance costs. Secondly, the council wanted to see this key corridor considerably enhanced for wildlife and people. They worked with Pictorial Meadows to come up with a solution that could deliver a much better scheme and also save money.
Challenging Logistics
“There were a few interesting logistic problems to overcome and the Meadows Team had to learn to operate all the machinery throughout the night but we’ve been really pleased with both the results and the feedback. Once a Local Authority experiences success like this we find that we can work together to improve and diversify schemes year on year. “ Dan Cornwell, Contracts Director for Pictorial Meadows
“ We have received over 250 emails and letters since the central reservation came into flower in July praising our scheme. The compliments have come from local residents and from many visitors to Rotherham from all over the Country. “ Richard Jackson Streetpride Area Manager Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Scan to watch a video of the journey along the River of Flowers
8
When a meadow seed mix is advertised as ‘Wildlife Friendly’ what does it really mean? Sheffield has been at the centre of new ideas around flower rich meadows for many years. These meadows mix native and non native species together to extend the flowering period and boost the aesthetic impact. Anyone who has ever grown a Pictorial Meadow knows how they act as literal honey pots for bees, butterflies and a host of other wildlife. However, there has been a lack of any substantial evidence backed by serious research around this. Exactly which species in the mixes have the most impact ? Can complex mixes really be enhanced for nature without sacrificing aesthetics? How much of the benefit is related to the surrounding environment and management ? There are just some of the questions that needed to be investigated.
Are Non-Native flowers Goodies or Public Enemy Number One? The first and very important point is context. What’s appropriate and good in a City, a Park and a garden is very different to what might be appropriate in a nature reserve, in an important wildlife corridor and in our naturalised countryside. Replacing bedding plants and mown amenity grass is one thing, introducing or replacing low fertility species rich meadows quite another.
Flora or Fauna ? Second we have to think about whether we’re looking at the flora or the fauna – the plants or animals (and that largely means insects) What’s good for one is not necessarily good for the other Thirdly, is there a plan or a need to protect some very specific species or is diversity and numbers more important?
Happy Wildlife or Happy People ? Last but by no means least – what’s the trade off between happy wildlife and happy people? Where human populations are at their most dense and access to the countryside is limited, is it better that people have a landscape they culturally respond to and which makes them feel benevolent to the natural world or should feelings come second to ecology?
Summer 2013 in Sheffield : Christos Papachristou, Pictorial Meadows Development Officer with members of the Pollinators Research Team (l - r)
Eleonora DiCuffa Volunteer data collection assistant
Katherine Holmes Pollinators research assistant
Tom Godfrey PhD student and project leader
The UK Insect Pollinator Initiative. In 2011 a major 3 year national research project was launched called the UK Insect Pollinator Initiative. There are 9 Projects in all which will together make a significant contribution to our knowledge. One project, led by the University of Bristol, with academic partners at the University of Reading, University of Leeds and the University of Edinburgh is focussing down on Urban Pollinators. We will have to wait for Publication in 2014 but already the studies are providing considerable new knowledge
And of course our bees thrive
Edinburgh University Research Linked to the national initiative, Pictorial Meadows has been working with Edinburgh University to explore floral resources in individual Pictorial Meadows species. Taking it from there , Pictorial Meadows wants to investigate further the benefits of manipulating mixes, the place of exotic species and best management practices to balance people and wildlife needs in urban meadows . Might high impact meadows help to make our cities ‘Oases for Pollinators? Pollinators supply a crucial ecological service, and finding ways to improve their lot is a major challenge. Urban environments are growing across the UK and flower-rich oases in otherwise uninviting city habitats could support large numbers of pollinators.
Cities as Pollinator Pumps Graham Stone , Professor of Ecology, Edinburgh University and Principle Supervisor for the study suggests that whilst our Cities, for cultural and spatial reasons might not be good places to build up large populations of native plants, they could be great places to build up populations of native pollinators. Seeing Cities as productive Pollinator Pumps supporting not only our agriculture but our native plant populations is an intriguing new way in which we might consider our urban landscape and the place for meadows in the future. Our research results won’t be published until next year but after two years of Field Trials we are getting some fascinating insights which should really help us to better balance aesthetic and wildlife needs in the future. We know which of the flowers provide most pollen and nectar for pollinators and in our mixes, perhaps surprisingly, it’s not the natives. Also we also know that that one meadow mix alone was observed to have attracted 1500 individual pollinators and this is just part of the food chain. Evidence also tends to support the belief that there’s no single ‘perfect’ mix. Rather it’s the complexity and mosaic of interconnected patches that offer the most value.
We’ll be planning to report back through the Urban Pollinator project JULY 2014 Stakeholder Meeting and posting next stages on the Pictorial Meadows website in due course.
Local School children try their hands at Bee - keeping Honey bees are only one of dozens of species observed this summer in our meadows but they have clearly thrived as we’ve already extracted 150 lbs of honey from our Meadow Hives. The Pictorial Meadows Bee House is used for schools across the area as an educational resource and to encourage urban bee-keepers in this wonderful activity.
9
h the s are bot mes w o d a e M sche ndscape la t s le p most sim and the , e v a h n eadows m o you ca w t o year ted. N nd every complica a e m a s the ting are ever d interes n a w e n g s somethin ich is what make h w ating. happens sly fascin s le d n e them ce CEO Sue Fran dows / Mea Pictorial tate Green Es .
Working alongside Professor James Hitchmough from the University of Sheffield, we have been really getting to the bottom of the factors that affect successful establishment and long term performance of perennial seed sown meadows From a combination of controlled experiments and longer term observations we are now emerging with many of the key factors for success that will help landscapers and designers have the confidence and skills to create an almost limitless number of new meadow like landscapes.
Scan to read more about James’s Hitchmough’s work
Meadows on Normal to High Fertility Soils ‘Traditional’ meadow mixes and management techniques succeed on low fertility soils and are appropriate for agricultural and conservation purposes. This is rarely relevant in park , garden or amenity green space situations. The challenge for us has been to develop long season flowering perennial meadows that work on normal fertility soils. The secret behind meadow success lies in the recognition that meadows are not in fact ‘natural’ and definitely not ‘management free’. Perennial meadows in particular are complex plant communities, the result of specific environmental conditions and management over a long period.
This lack of understanding has proven to be the downfall for many who have tried to establish meadows in the past. Results have often been disappointing with meadows dominated by a few species or being overtaken by weeds. We not only want ecologically stable mixes and exciting new vegetation forms , we want them to be established with the least impact (money, skills and time). Follow the step by step instructions that we provide with the seeds (or can be read on our website) or book onto one of our Meadow Tours or Technical Seminars to be sure of success.
Exciting new forms are emerging that have the possibility to shape our future landscapes in years to come such as these startling South African inspired schemes created by James Hitchmough for the Olympic Park landscape.
With interest growing in new forms of perennial meadow, sourcing affordable, ethical and reliable seed suitable for our British landscapes becomes more important. In 2013 we established our very own Flower Farm here in the heart of Sheffield. We will still be relying on our wonderful network of seed producers. However, this allows us to select out and bulk up new and interesting species, explore long term performance in the field and supply supplementary plug plants for contract work. Run as a social enterprise the nursery also provides some great work experience and training opportunities which makes us happy too!
11
Pictorial Meadows Photographic Competition.12 We believe that the best advertisement for our seed mixes are photos showing what our customers have achieved with them. Each year every customer is invited to send in photos to show what their Pictorial Meadows display has turned out like. The small selection here show how Pictorial Meadows can be used on both a large and small scale to bring colour and excitement We hope this will inspire you to try Pictorial Meadows and your photo could appear here next time.
Scan this QR code to visit Pictorial Meadows photo galleries to see larger versions of these and 100’s of other inspirational photos.
13
Visit
Sheffield Manor Lodge home of
Pictorial Meadows and so much more…
Did you know that Sheffield Manor Lodge was once one of the greatest houses in the North of England and the centre of a tale of Medieval Passion, Power and Intrigue?
14
For the past 10 Years we have been uncovering new chapters in this story and gradually opening up the whole site for public access and enjoyment. Whether it’s to discover the amazing tale of Mary Queen of Scots’ imprisonment, how Sheffield could have become known as the Potteries rather than the Steel City, how Sheffield survived the Blitz, or how we are transforming urban landscapes to combat the changes tomorrow brings, you are welcome to come along and have fun discovering a Great Sheffield Story Look out for our Open Gardens next July and an opportunity to really get behind the scenes and follow the 2014 Meadows Trail.
Last November we were particularly honoured to welcome one of our landscape design heroes, Piet Oudolf at Sheffield Manor Lodge. Piet, Dutch garden designer, nurseryman and author is a leading figure of the "New Perennial" movement. His designs use bold drifts of herbaceous perennials and grasses which are chosen at least as much for their structure as for their flower colour. Here at Sheffield Manor Lodge we are of course the centre for development of field sown impressionistic Pictorial Meadows working closely with colleagues at the University of Sheffield. Currently we are busy preparing lots more new meadow areas to be enjoyed in the years ahead. And we suspect that some of them will be just a little ‘Piet inspired’.
15
Real Community Engagement “Flowers in The Frame” was a Sheffield project designed to teach older people about digital photography using the abundance of Pictorial Meadows displays in the city as the main subject matter. Work was celebrated in an exhibition in a local art gallery as well as being displayed in Sheffield’s city centre Winter Gardens where the mayor presented the participants with certificates of achievement.
Work carried out with research partners, the University of Sheffield has shown that contact with these flowering displays contribute to a sense of well-being : ‘The flowers make me smile’ as one resident put it.
Green Estate’s working horse ‘Big Lad’ is a firm favourite with school children. Here helping to sow seeds in Wakefield.
Using Pictorial Meadows to create an Outdoor Classroom Over the past few years Dr Wendy Rees has been inspiring primary schools in South Devon to create outdoor learning areas for children using just a few small packets of Pictorial Meadows seeds. The pictures clearly tell the story of the preparation of one of these plots but what’s most impressive is the variety of learning opportunities Wendy has imaginatively instigated for the children including : ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Metric measurement and counting Learning and counting different colours Identifying the numbers of plants Use of small garden hand tools Inspiration for creative writing Inspiration for painting and drawing Even a project to identify which flowers bees prefer
And do the kids enjoy it … well, what do you think ?
16
One of the greatest opportunities for using diverse and attractive meadow-like plantings is in the field of Water-Sensitive Urban Design (also known as Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems). Features such as Rain Gardens, Bioswales, Temporary Wetlands and Vegetated Filter Strips will only work because they are based on the use of appropriate planting and soils. Pictorial Meadows founder, Professor Nigel Dunnett, has been at the forefront of creative thinking in the use of these features in designed landscapes.
Increasing urbanisation and the impacts of Climate Change mean that we need to use our landscapes to make cities more resilient to the effects of an unpredictable climate and the increasing frequency of extreme events. Landscape features that soak up and absorb excess rainwater will help reduce the amount of severe flooding, but will also increase the amount of beautiful plantings and wildlife in urban areas.
Bio Swales at the Olympic Park designed by Nigel Dunnett
Greater use of water-sensitive plantings results in landscapes that make a very strong positive contribution to the urban environment. Perfect for parks and gardens, watersensitive plantings are ideal for highways, streets, car parks, business parks and commercial landscapes, housing areas, and many other applications.
17
Unfortunately many schemes to date are mostly characterised by mown grass.
Nigel Dunnett in the real Shangri-la searching for new species that will thrive in our UK climate
3 Year Study Under Professor Dunnett’s supervison, PhD Student, Jia Yuan is currently working to change this. Jia’s 3 year study is now well underway looking at many of the technical aspects of enhanced successful wetland eco systems that can not only tolerate and thrive in these very challenging environments but be manageable as a meadow and look beautiful.
Scan to visit Nigel Dunnett’s website
www.nigeldunnett.info
18
Our Man in Scandinavia – Jan Iversen Trained in horticulture at the University of Copenhagen, Jan has been running Florum.dk since 2010. Providing a very personal and adapted range of ’urban greening’ products suitable for the Scandinavian market has enabled him to build experience in the use of Pictorial Meadows in many schemes in Denmark and Southern Sweden . Customers include Local Authorities, Landscapers, Garden Managers, Social Projects and Tourist Attractions. We have found that climatic and soil differences have not made a substantial difference between the UK and these areas but differing approaches to weed control have definitely raised challenges. With its stricter environmental laws, use of herbicides has been banned and the focus is on mechanical and cultural methods to ensure that flowers, rather than aggressive weeds, dominate. For all mixes, an initial clean seed bed has been a priority. Excellent results have been achieved in areas converted from mown grass. Soils which have developed large weed banks require different strategies according to the site and weed problem. Techniques include mulching, capping with clean topsoil, post emergence mowing, deep ploughing, selecting taller mixes and accepting a level of hand weeding.
Florum.dk set up a joint development project with AgroTech A/S financed by the Danish Ministry of Science (Agro Tech is the Institute for Agri Technology and Food Innovation, an authorized Technological Service Institute)
Niels Ehler, Senior Consultant for AgroTech A/S says “ The aim of the project was to find the best way to implement the Pictorial Meadows’ concept in Denmark. With its stricter environmental laws, Denmark has excluded the use of herbicides, therefore new mechanical and cultural methods of getting an initial clean seed bed have had to be explored. Further the social impact of getting young unemployed and unskilled people working with establishing flowers meadows was investigated in cooperation with the commune of Albertlund. The Pictorial Meadows flower seed mix concept has proved to be a cost efficient and successful way of adding beauty to the Danish urban landscape”.
19
Jan, Christos and staff from Fredericia Municipality in Denmark share knowledge and experience with others
The City of Malmö has in the last few years tested and increased the use of Pictorial Meadows both in street areas and in parks.
Torun Jorde from Kommunteknik says “The meadows have had a great effect and are very easy to create. Most people haven’t seen anything like this mention thing like, “…..all of a sudden, it just appeared out of nowhere ! ” We have received unusually high amounts of positive feedback concerning the flowers but also people want to know how we actually created the meadows. It seems to suit everyone whether pedestrian, cyclist or driver. We have only had to weed out a few thistles every now and then. The Streets and Parks Dept are very happy with the way the meadows have been received by the public and plan to increase the area to be sown next year. ”
John Taylor from Slottsträdgarden says I’m really glad we’ve trialled these mixes over the last few years as this means we’ve been able to show them to study groups and the public in the city centre. People really appreciate the look with many other gardeners using them in Southern Sweden. They are very easy to sow and maintain, with just a couple of sessions weeding out thistles and fat hen in our garden. Apart from looking good for a long time they are great for insects, my bees love them. We have events in the garden and if we need an area to look that little bit extra special, we can time the sowing to get a good show at the right time of year
20
Establishing Annual Meadows Pictorial Meadows Annual Mixes provide the easiest, most colourful and reliable of displays. They offer the real wow-factor and are suitable to use in all areas, from planters and small front gardens to parks and field-scale landscapes. You don’t need to worry about your soil conditions - just pick the colour mix you prefer - they work in all types of garden soil. The basic procedures are : ● Get a clean weed free, cultivated and firm seedbed ● Sow the seeds evenly across the clean soil in spring at a recommended sowing rate of 2.5g - 3g per square metre ● At the end of the season, as late as the following February ; mow or strim the dead flowers and remove the debris ● Next spring - start again !
In 2013 Pictorial Meadows customer Ian Railton created this lovely garden from scratch. A new garden with full floral display in just one season well done Ian !
5 Most Frequently Asked Questions about Annual Pictorial Meadows Do your mixes contain grass? No, they are 100% flowers please do not mix with grass seed as the grass will kill off the flowers. Can I just throw the seeds on top of my grass to create a meadow? No, the seeds must be sown onto bare weed-free soil. Do I dig in the seeds? No , they need light to germinate. But they do need to come into contact with the soil so after sowing them use a roller if you have one or use the back of a spade to tap them down.
Scan to see more Pictorial Meadows FAQ’s
For annual mixes 2.5 - 3
5 Most Frequently Asked Questions about Annual Pictorial
grams per sq metre.
Between March and May as long as frosts
have finished for annuals.
Or visit our website www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk
21
Pictorial Meadows “Standard� Annual Mix The original and the most popular Pictorial Meadows mix produces stunning displays through until late October / November, starting out with white, blues, pinks and reds, turning to reds, orange and yellow in the autumn. The mix has been carefully balanced for colour and succession of display. Components include: Shirley Poppy - Papaver rhoeas Californian Poppy - Eschscholzia californica Cornflower - Centaurea cyanus Fairy Toadflax - Linaria maroccana Tickseed - Coreopsis tinctoria and Larkspur - Delphinium ajacis
Late season flowering when autumnal colours dominate
22
Pictorial Meadows “Short” Annual Mix A mix suited especially to more restricted or compact situations, but having the same long-flowering characteristics of the standard mixture. Ideal for small gardens and containers . Use instead of ground cover in herbaceous borders for extra colour Components include : Fairy Toadflax - Linaria maroccana Red Flax - Linum grandiflorum var. rubrum Shirley Poppy -Papaver rhoeas Love-in-a-mist - Nigella damascena Candytuft - Iberis umbellata Blue Flax - Linum usitatissimum
Pictorial Meadows “Golden Girl” Annual Mix It's wasn’t just Team GB that were a success in the summer of 2012. Visitors to the Olympic Park were wowed by wonderful flower meadow displays. Capture the memories of the event and the look of the Olympic Park yourself with this celebratory mix. Featuring various species of : Californian Poppy - Eschscholzia californica African Daisy - Dimorphotheca sinuata Golden tickseed - Coreopsis tinctoria Corn Marigold - Chrysanthemum segetum Blue Cornflower - Centaurea cyanus
An exciting alternative to bedding plants
Pictorial Meadows “Pastel” Annual Mix A beautiful ‘strawberries & cream’ mix of white and pink with a scattering of clear blue and other pastels. Particularly impressive towards the end of the flowering period when other pastels takes over from pinks as the dominant colour theme. Blending elements such as : Bishop’s Flower - Ammi majus Cosmos - Cosmos bipinnatus Cornflower - Centaurea cyanus Shirley Poppy - Papaver rhoeas
Pictorial Meadows “Candy’ Annual Mix A vibrant collection of bright sparkling colours including sweet purples, playful yellows, radiant reds with a splash of wispy-whites and baby-blues producing stunning eye-candy effects. Main components: Tickseed - Coreopsis tinctoria Fairy Toadflax - Linaria maroccana Field Poppy - Papaver rhoeas Cornflower - Centaurea cyanus Californian Poppy Eschscholzia californica
Corn Marigold Chrysanthemum segetum
23
Pictorial Meadows “Blue Wave” Annual Mix
24
The Blue Wave mix is designed to reflect the shimmering waters of the Olympic aquatic centre . It combines different shades of blue species that flower at different times during the season to create a continuous long flowering display . Main species include: Cornflower - Centaurea cyanus Blue Salvia - Salvia horminum blue Larkspur- Delphinium ajacis Viper’s Buglos - Echium vulgare
Pictorial Meadows “Grandstand” Annual Mix Designed with stunning and vibrant colours interspersed with dramatic tall varieties this mix wowed visitors to the Olympic Park and was featured next to what was claimed to be the world’s largest burger restaurant. Included in the mix are : Bishop’s Flower -ammi majus Larkspur - Delphinium ajacis Red Orache - Atriplex hortensis ‘Crimson Plume’ and Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta
25
Pictorial Meadows “Cornfield” Annual Mix A carefully selected mix of pretty cornfield annuals that will flower mainly in July and August. Includes favourite wildflowers : Field Poppy - Papaver rhoeas Cornflower - Centaurea cyanus Corncockle - Agrostemma githago
Pictorial Meadows “Contrasting” Annual Mix A vibrant mix with a combination of orange and yellow with contrasting blue components and smattering of reds. Photo shows a section of Rotherham’s River of Flowers Throwing together species like : Cornflower - Centaurea cyanus Red Flax - Linum grandiflorum var.rubrum Baby Blue Eyes - Nemophila insignia Larkspur - Delphinium ajacis
Scan to order your seeds
Or visit www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk
26 Celebrate Your WWI Centenary with Pictorial Meadows special Remembrance Poppy Mixes On our home site of Sheffield Manor Lodge we will be celebrating the Centenary with a whole year of special events. To help set the scene we’ve created 3 new mixes just for this year which we’d like to share with you.
“Flanders Field” Just Pure Flanders Poppy for that completely authentic setting. We will be using this in our own small memorial garden dedicated to the members of the Sheffield Pals Regiment who fell at the Somme in 1916. See below for details.
“Least We Forget” Mix A simple combination of summer flowering Flanders Poppy mixed with much later-flowering Golden Coreopsis to ensure a continuation of pure colour into early autumn. We will be planting this on a field scale to provide maximum drama as people drive into our new ‘Between the Wars’ Living History Cottage - the setting for many of the Sheffield Manor Lodge 2014 events.
“Old Comrades” Mix A more varied mix dominated by mixed Poppies including Flanders Poppy in early summer with later flowering annuals emerging after the poppies fade away. This mix includes Bishops flower, Red Flax and Cosmos and we will be using this to provide a colourful and long-lasting flowering edge close to our events arena
If you have special centenary events planned for specific dates do get in touch so we can advise on best sowing dates and establishment and management SHEFFIELD ‘PALS’ Poppy Garden at Sheffield Manor Lodge In a special ceremony in June 2012 this small, intimate memorial garden featuring Flanders Poppies was opened by Col Geoffrey Norton to commemorate members of the Sheffield Pals, (12�� Sheffield City Battalion, Yorks & Lancs Regiment) who died at the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916. Rev. Julie Upton of the local St Aiden’s church dedicated the site and was joined by ex-servicemen and well-wishers. A piper from Sheffield Pipe Band played a lament. www.manorlodge.org.uk
27
Establishing Perennial Meadows Perennial Pictorial Meadows mixes provide an idealised impressionistic meadow . They are more sustainable than annuals in the long term and offer exciting new design possibilities. They do however require much more careful preparation and attention through to the end of their first year. After that management and maintenance is relatively simple but well timed operations will always be critical.
Scan to read more details or visit www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk
The basis procedures in Year 1 are : ● Get a very clean seed bed. Make sure you have removed all perennial weeds and grass in particular. ● Mulch the seed bed just before sowing with a good 75 mm layer of sterile material (we mostly use 150 mm sterile green waste compost to allow for settling ). This really helps to suppress annual and windblown weed seed in year one ● Each mix has a carefully formulated sowing rate, follow the instructions for your mix ● If you can, then sow in autumn /early winter before the first really big frosts – this encourages really good spring germination ● In year one you will need to establish a good dense sward by cutting twice late June and mid August. This also discourages annual weed growth
Pictorial Meadows “Nice & Easy” Hybrid Mix A quick flowering hybrid mix blending together colourful meadow annuals, biennials and short term perennials . Designed to flower well for three seasons including the year it's seeded if spring sown. Particularly suitable for temporary landscapes and ones where instant results are important . Photo shows this mix in situ at The Olympic Park in year 3. Contains over 20 species including : White Chamomile - Anthemis tinctoria 'Alba', Common Evening Primrose - Oenothera biennis Purple Mullein - Verbascum phoeniceum,
3 years
Spike Speedwell - Veronica spicata, Baby’s Breath - Gypsophila elegans Catchfly - Silene armeria ‘Electra’ , Musk Mallow - Malva moschata flowering
28 Our most Popular Perennial Mix
Pictorial Meadows “Golden Summer” Perennial Mix A warm and golden colour-themed mixture for normal fertility soils . Generally yellows and golds with hints of orange and flashes of later purples. Our most popular perennial mix. Contains over 20 species including : Garden Yarrow - Achillea fillipendulina Perennial Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia fulgida deamii Lance-leaf Coreopsis - Coreopsis lanceolata Lady’s Bedstraw - Galium verum Oxe-eye Daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare Meadow Buttercup - Ranunculus acris Evening Primrose - Oenothera odorata
Yellow Theme Mix
Pictorial Meadows “Purple Haze” Perennial Mix A beautiful cool and elegant colour themed mixture for normal fertility soils. Predominantly mauve and blue with billows of white and flashes of purple for contrast. Contains over 20 species including :
Purple and Blue Theme Mix
Greater Knapweed - Centaurea scabiosa Field Scabious - Knautia arvensis Wild Carrot - Daucus carota Perennial Flax - Linum perenne Oxe-eye Daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare Purple Coneflower - Echinacea purpurea Michaelmas Daisy - Aster amellus Sweet Rocket- Hesperis matronalis
29
Pictorial Meadows “Treasure Chest” Perennial Mix A gorgeous, robust and very richly coloured meadow designed for long flowering impact on normal fertility soils . Contains over 20 species including : Great Burnet - Sanguisorba officinalis Macedonian Scabious - Knautia macedonica Wild Margoram - Origanum vulgare Oriental Poppy - Papaver orientale 'Brilliant' Cowslip - Primula veris Betony - Betonica officinalis Woodland Sage - Salvia nemorosa
Long Flowering
Pictorial Meadows “Patchwork Quilt” Perennial Mix An open lower canopy meadow designed for less fertile soils but providing a riot of colour and shape from spring to late autumn. Contains over 20 species Including : Clustered Bellflower - Campanula glomerata Carthusian Pink - Dianthus carthusianorum Meadow Buttercup - Ranunculus acris Musk Mallow - Malva moschata Greater Knapweed - Centaurea scabiosa Wild Carrot - Daucus carota Viper’s Bugloss - Echium vulgare Field Scabious - Knautia arvensis Spiny Rest Harrow - Ononis spinosa
For Less Fertile Soils
30 Pictorial Meadows “Woodland Edge” Perennial Mix A lovely and reliable mixture to sow in semi-shade or to use to provide shorter term colour and interest around new tree and shrub plantings. Long flowering with sensational spring and early summer impact Contains over 15 species including: Red Campion - Silene dioica Wood Avens - Geum urbanum Oxe-Eye Daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare American Wood Aster - Aster divicarius Foxglove - Digitalis purpurea Meadow Cranesbill - Geranium pratense Columbine - Aguilegia vulgaris sp.
For Shady Areas
Pictorial Meadows “Brick Rubble” Perennial Mix A dramatic and colourful long season meadow mix designed for the most infertile and free draining of sites. Suitable for use on pure brick rubble and demolition sites. Contain over 20 species including : Musk Mallow - Malva moschata Perennial Flax - Linum perenne Greater Knapweed - Centaurea scabiosa Hollyhocks - Alcea ficifolia Red Flax - Linum grandiflorum var. rubrum Chives - Allium schoenoprasum Red Valerian - Centranthus rubra
Pictorial Meadows “Native Meadow” Perennial Mix A more traditional and subtle meadow. Suitable for conservation sites. A selection of very dependable native flower rich species without grass that will succeed in a wide variety of soil conditions. Flowering predominantly June to August Contains over 15 species Including: Lady’s Bedstraw- Galium verum Black Knapweed - Centaurea Nigra Greater Knapweed - Centaurea scabiosa Oxe-eye Daisy - Leucanthemum vulgare St John’s Wort - Hypericum perforatum Betony - Betonica officinalis
Suitable For Conservation Sites
Ideal for demolition sites
31
Green Roofs are vegetated layers that sit on top of the conventional roof surfaces of a building. They are composed of lightweight layers of free-draining material that support low-growing tough droughtresistant vegetation. Because of their very wide range of environmental and economic benefits , green roofs have become important elements of sustainable and green construction in many counties. Establishing a Green Roof from seed is a simple and cost effective solution compared to the use of sedum mats or plug plants . Pictorial Meadows offer a range of seed mixes designed to withstand the rigours of a roof top environment whilst providing a rich bio-diverse ecosystem and colourful display.
Pictorial Meadows offers professional users 3 main green roof mixes, made-to-order, with and without grasses and can custom-design larger orders to location and budget.
Pictorial Meadows “Botanical Skyline” Green Roof Mix The Premium solution for all green roofs! Species rich and including Sedums and few ornamental grasses, Pictorial Meadows Botanical Skyline mix will give you a colourful, robust, biodiverse meadow for your green roof. Excellent for accessible roofs, roof gardens and for your back garden shed too! Over 15 species including : Dianthus carthusianorum, Echium vulgare, Armeria maritima, Petrorhagia saxifraga and of course Sedum spp.
Pictorial Meadows “Standard Skyline” Green Roof Mix A really flowery Meadow suitable for all extensive Green Roofs . A well balanced mix of flowering perennials that will provide visual interest for a very long period and which are capable of thriving in a dry and stressed environment . Over 15 species including : Malva moschata, Anthemis tinctoria, Linum perenne, Dianthus carthusianorum and Prunella vulgaris
Pictorial Meadows “Economy Skyline” Green Roof A grass-rich Green Roof Meadow mix excellent for large scale projects where performance and economy are more important than high impact flowers. With a 50-50 combination of flowering perennials and grasses there’s still plenty here to provide colour and bio-diversity value Over 10 species including : Cynosurus cristatus, Phleum bertolonii, Gallium verum, Dianthus carthusianorum and Anthemis tinctoria.
Scan this QR code to visit Green Estates website for details of our Green Roof installation and maintenance services
www.greenestate.org.uk
Pictorial Meadows Ltd Manor Oaks Farmhouse 389 Manor Lane Sheffield S2 1UL
Tel 0114 267 7635 Fax 0114 267 7636 Email: info@pictorialmeadows.co.uk www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk
Pictorial Meadows is a Registered Trade Mark of Pictorial Meadows Ltd We reserve the right to alter the composition of our mixes without notice.
Scan to order your seeds
Or visit www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk