Meadows

Our Meadows

Marden Meadows SSSI, one of the best examples of unimproved neutral grassland in Kent, is a Marden treasure. Farmed with pre-WW2 methods until the death of its last farming owner, it is now owned by Kent Wildlife Trust.  Orchid hunters arrive from all over the country to see the meadows at their peak in May when the green-winged orchids and other flowers are spectacular. It is the Coronation Meadow for Kent.

 In the wider area, local conservation meadows are sanctuaries for plants incompatible with the competitive grasses and legumes of improved grassland. Species can be lost when grass is mown before plants have had time to flower and set seed. Conservation meadows are also a refuge for less vigorous grasses and meadow sedges.

As plant biodiversity increases, insect species increase, which in turn attracts birds, reptiles and mammals.

Look out for

Spring/ Early Summer: Orchids, birds foot trefoil, forget-me-nots, bedstraws, vetches and vetchlings, tares, sorrel, speedwells, bugle, buttercups, glaucous sedge, Good Friday grass, adders tongue fern.

Late Summer/ autumn: Agrimony, centaury, knapweeds, fleabane, autumn hawkbit.