The Mini Meadows project aims to promote wildflowers and more insect friendly spaces in Tattenhall.  

We hope to encourage people to either leave a small patch of their lawns to see what grows, dig over a patch and sow wildflower seeds, or even just sow wildflower seeds in a pot.

This will develop greater biodiversity - encouraging more insects, moths and butterflies, seeds left on uncut plants in the autumn and winter also provide food for birds. Frogs, toads and newts will turn up in more wildlife friendly gardens with long grass and even just a little pond. Then maybe a hedgehog might arrive.

Mini Meadows can include public as well as private spaces, including the churchyard, roadsides and green spaces within the village like Covet Rise, GP woodland area, Glebe Meadow as well as peoples’ own gardens.

The Spinney and Frog Lane areas are being developed as part of CWAC’s biodiversity plan. Glebe Meadow, originally registered as a Site of Biological Importance (SBI) in Cheshire, is an important Local Wildlife Site (LWS); the largest meadow in our village.

A botanical survey  of Glebe Meadow, submitted to CWaC and Cheshire Wildlife Trust, confirm a species-rich habitat, including the following:

•              23 species of grass

•              20 species of wildflowers

•              Small Skipper Butterflies (uncommon in Cheshire) and a number of other declining species such as Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Meadow Brown, and

•              A host of invertebrates.

An inventory of a small area of mini meadow outside Tattenhall Hall registered 28 different flowering species (this area has also  been planted up with early flowering species like snowdrops, wild daffodils, primroses and cowslips.

Sian and Alison Wright, who own a meadow on Tattenhall Road, are also working with TT and the Cheshire Wildlife Trust to add a significant additional wildflower space within the boundary of the village. An initial survey of their meadow will be posted in the coming weeks.

 If you want to be part of this project but need advice you can email  transition.tattenhall@gmail.com.