The Meadow Makers' Network Forum

Is anyone looking for green hay to restore or create a wildflower meadow?

The West Devon Meadows Group has been offered several bales from meadows near Torrington. But these are no ordinary meadows – these are RHS meadows.

The offer came from the Royal Horticulture Society’s Rosemoor Gardens. It was made by the garden’s curator, Jonathan Webster, to the steering committee of the West Devon Meadows Group during a visit to the gardens in June.

The meadows are extremely rich in wildflowers including orchids. Some of the meadows have had one or two non-native species planted in them so those bales may be more suitable for people looking to establish a wildflower meadow in a large garden.

The RHS is planning on cutting the meadows in the next two weeks and the group is keen to hear from anyone who would be able to use it. However it is hoped that bales from these meadows will also be available in future years.

The meadows group is waiting for more information from Rosemoor on the size of the bales and a species list. Those interested may have to collect the bales and provide a donation to the RHS.

Anyone who would like more information is asked to contact Annemarie Morris at annemariemorris83@gmail.com
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Hi,
I visited Rosemoor last year through my work on the West Country Buzz project, and was hoping to do some green hay, the meadows there are great and I surveyed the species (most frequent species include greater knapweed, meadow cranesbill, cats ear, betony, red clover, oxeye daisy, yellow rattle, selfheal, white clover, bird's-foot trefoil, southern marsh orchid).

However, when the meadows were cut they said the small baler they use can't handle fresh material and must be dried before baling - but that the dry bales were available to pick up - I thought it was worth sharing as you may want to check if you can have proper green hay from Rosemoor (which must be cut, baled and spread immediately) or if it will be dried. Whilst still retaining some species, dry hay could also be used, but there's a higher success with proper green hay.

Hi Jamie,
Thank you for your message. Yes we too had some concerns about this and we're seeking more information from Rosemoor. Their meadows also contain a few non-native species such as cyclamen-flowered daffodil and hoop petticoat daffodil (from Portugal and Spain) and blue and white Camassias. As an ecologist I wondered how you felt about this? I thought the hay might be more suitable for people wanting to create a wildflower meadow in a large garden rather than landowners wishing to restore or create meadows in the wider landscape. But I guess it depends how purist you are? I'd welcome your views.
Best wishes
Jon
West Devon Meadows Group

Hi Jon,
As I surveyed the meadows in June/July I wasn't aware of some of those other species present (I might have heard of the Camassias being in the sward), so was planning to use it to restore a species-poor pasture. I agree that some purists would discourage it being spread anywhere outside of a garden setting, I think ideally you wouldn't want those non-native species present, but wonder how much of their seed might be in the hay and if they could be pulled out if they did establish at a receptor site?

I think it depends how invasive those species are and if they could be managed if they did turn up, but I wouldn't spread the hay near to a high nature value site just in case - it is a tricky one as the majority of the sward is abundant native species that we need more of!

I would advise to get some more detailed information as what we originally had planned last summer with Rosemoor didn't happen - they said they would let us know when the hay was cut but we weren't informed until 5 days afterwards. I just checked my correspondence with them from last year and they said that they can provide loose green hay if someone arranges for a contractor to bale it in the yard on the same day. Their machines won't bale green hay as it clogs up the mechanism, but someone with a large baler could. Otherwise, the bales are made after a couple of days drying.