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The UK’s leading specialist in biodiversity-boosting wildflower schemes is celebrating a series of senior internal promotions, following a sustained period of growth.

With a long-established family-run heritage, Wildflower Turf Ltd has appointed Olly Hewetson-Brown as Deputy Managing Director, following his time as Production Assistant Manager.

Alongside this, the Hampshire-based business has promoted Charlie Davison to Commercial Director and appointed Samuel Monaghan as Production Director, reflecting the company’s long-standing commitment to developing talent from within.

Wildflower Turf Ltd is a second-generation family business, with the Hewetson-Browns farming in Hampshire for over 50 years. The company is an established and respected name in the UK wildflower market and has gained national recognition across high-profile public realm projects and the wider built environment.

Most notably, Wildflower Turf played a key role in the landscaping of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, supplying wildflower turf for the Athletes’ Village as part of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy.

More recently, the company has delivered a number of high-profile wildflower habitats, including biodiversity enhancements at Leeds Skelton Lake Services Green Roof and planting for community and public-realm schemes such as the Seafield Park Mini Forest project in Hampshire add in bespoke turf for the Queen’s memorial garden. Its…

Wildflower Turf Ltd, the pioneering developer of soil-less wildflower turf, is setting the standard for biodiversity, sustainability, and long-term ecological success. Its scientifically developed Wildflower Turf® is helping landowners, developers, and local authorities achieve Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) targets by creating high-value habitats that establish quickly and thrive over time. 

Years of dedicated research and innovation mean that not all wildflower turf is created equal – what’s beneath the surface matters just as much as what grows above. 

With Biodiversity Net Gain becoming a legal requirement for most developments in England, Wildflower Turf® provides a practical, proven solution for delivering measurable biodiversity improvements. Independent habitat assessments consistently show that Wildflower Turf® supports a greater range of pollinators, invertebrates, and bird species compared to conventional grass or seed-only approaches—making it an ideal choice for projects seeking to deliver genuine ecological uplift. 

With over 20 years of research and development, Wildflower Turf Ltd has pioneered a soil-less, whole-root system that ensures superior establishment, healthier plants, and significantly reduced maintenance. Wildflower Turf Ltd has spent years refining its soil-less, whole-root growing method to ensure optimal results for every project. 

James Hewetson-Brown, Managing Director of Wildflower Turf Ltd, said: 

“Our Wildflower Turf® is the result…

Wildflower Turf Ltd, the UK’s leading supplier of wildflower turf and meadow solutions, is proud to announce its success at this year’s Pro Landscaper Sustainability & Biodiversity Awards, held during the FutureScape exhibition at London ExCeL.

The company’s Meadowscape Pro product was ‘Highly Commended’ in the Sustainability Product of the Year (Soft Landscaping) category. This recognition underscores Wildflower Turf’s long-standing commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility within the landscape and horticulture sectors.

Adding to the celebrations, Olly Hewetson-Brown, Assistant Production Manager at Wildflower Turf, was named among Pro Landscaper’s ‘30 Under 30: The Next Generation’ – a prestigious accolade celebrating rising talent in the landscaping industry. Olly, son of Managing Director James Hewetson-Brown, has played an integral role in the company’s production and sustainability initiatives.

James Hewetson-Brown, Managing Director of Wildflower Turf Ltd, said: “We’re thrilled to have received recognition in two categories. Meadowscape Pro continues to demonstrate how sustainable, biodiverse planting can be both practical and transformative, and it’s fantastic to see Olly’s hard work and dedication celebrated among the industry’s brightest young professionals.”

These awards reinforce Wildflower Turf’s position at the forefront of sustainable landscaping, continuing to drive forward biodiversity-rich solutions for designers, contractors, and developers across the UK.

For more information…

When the growing season winds down and the air turns crisp, many of us steel ourselves for a dull winter stretch until spring returns.  For owners of wildflower meadows (or those about to install one), it’s natural to worry: “Will my meadow just look like a patch of grass through winter?” Certainly, there will be more grass visible, and far fewer blooms, but that doesn’t mean all beauty and value vanish. In fact, winter is a critical phase in the lifecycle of the meadow. 

And if you’re planning a new meadow, there’s no need to wait for spring – Wildflower Turf can be installed all year round, even in the colder months, ensuring your meadow is ready to flourish when the growing season begins. 

Here’s how we at Wildflower Turf like to help clients understand and manage their meadow over winter, while protecting its ecological value. 

By winter, most wildflowers will have died back or be dormant, leaving seed heads, stems, and bare patches. Grasses, both native and opportunistic, tend to remain visible and may dominate the view.  

However, the meadow is still doing essential ecological work, even…

Enhance Grass Control: A Scientific Approach to Wildflower Meadow Management

Last year’s unusually wet and mild weather brought a particular challenge, leading to the ‘year of year of the grasses’. Across the UK, grasses thrived and in some cases started to dominate, a challenge in trying to establish and maintain a diverse, vibrant wildflower meadow.

To tackle this industry-wide challenge, we’ve developed Enhance Grass Control, an innovative solution featuring Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor). In this blog we explore how this remarkable species can help you restore balance and boost biodiversity in your wildflower meadow.

Before we explore this further, it’s important to note that meadows are a type of grassland habitat, so by definition they should contain a good proportion of grasses. Grasses are fundamental to the health of these habitats. Grasses play a vital role in offering structural support, texture and ecological balance. They also support biodiversity, providing food and habitats for numerous species, including birds, insects and mammals. Grasses, however, in the right environment will naturally colonise and can overpower slower growing wildflowers.

The Power of Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor)

So, how does it work? Yellow Rattle is a hemi-parasitic plant, meaning that it taps into the…

Why Autumn is the Best Time to Sow Wildflower Seeds

Did you know that autumn is one of the best times to sow wildflower seeds? Read on to discover why autumn seed sowing gives your wildflowers the ultimate head start!

The Key Advantages

1. Optimal Growing Conditions:

Autumn generally brings milder temperatures and increased rainfall, the perfect combination for growing wildflower seeds. Unlike the harsh heat and unpredictable dry spells of summer, or the cold dormancy of winter, autumn provides a gentle consistent environment. This allows seeds to absorb moisture, break dormancy and begin the vital process of germination without the stress of extreme conditions.

2. Natural Stratification:

Many native wildflower seeds require a period of cold, moist conditions to break their natural dormancy. This process, known as stratification, mimics their natural journey through winter. When sown in autumn, the seeds are exposed to fluctuating temperatures and moisture levels throughout the colder months. This ‘winter chill’ prepares them perfectly, signaling that spring is coming and it’s time to emerge, resulting in higher germination rates and more vigorous growth come spring.

3. Developing Deep, Robust Root Systems:

Seeds sown in autumn have a critical advantage, an extended period to…

Summer 2025 has seen unusually hot and dry weather across the UK. The intense heat and lack of rain have significantly accelerated and shortened the lifecycle of many wildflower species. You may have already noticed your wildflower meadow starting to brown and wilt. This is because many wildflower species have already finished flowering early and are preparing for winter dormancy. If this warm dry weather continues, you can expect your wildflower meadow to look quite brown and finish flowering for the season by end of July/early August.

So, what should you do next?

Traditionally, wildflower meadows are cut in the Autumn between mid-September and early October. However, given this year’s extreme temperatures, a Summer Drought Cut might be required as early as late July or early August.

But this solution isn’t for everyone. Let’s delve into the what, why and how of a Summer Drought Cut to see if it’s right for your meadow!

Is an early Summer Drought Cut right for me?

It’s crucial to understand that an earlier cut might not be applicable to everyone. Your decision should be based on the current state of your wildflower…

In our rapidly urbanising world, the expansion of cities often comes at the cost of nature. In the UK alone, we’ve lost a staggering 97% of our wildflower meadows since the 1930s. This dramatic decline in biodiversity has serious implications for the health of our urban ecosystems.

But there’s hope—wildflowers are a small but mighty solution. Not only do they bring beauty to our towns and cities, but they also play vital ecological roles that support environmental sustainability and wildlife resilience.

Here are the top 5 ecological benefits of wildflowers in urban spaces:

Urban areas often struggle with poor air quality. Wildflowers help clean the air by absorbing pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter. These plants act like natural air filters, improving public health and creating a cleaner urban environment. Research shows that green spaces containing wildflowers can significantly reduce levels of airborne pollution.

Learn more about pollution mitigation here.

Wildflowers are powerful allies in the fight against climate change. Through carbon sequestration, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their biomass…

It’s easy to be impressed by the colour and vibrancy of a newly installed wildflower meadow. But, at Wildflower Turf Ltd, we believe that what happens after the initial bloom is what truly matters.
With over 20 years of research and innovation behind us, Wildflower Turf® is designed not just to thrive today, but to deliver real ecological benefits for years to come.

Resilience Starts Below the Surface

The secret to a long-lasting meadow lies in the roots. Unlike traditional turf, Wildflower Turf® uses a carefully developed soilless system. This protects existing soil life and avoids the disruption that often leads to weed growth, nutrient loss, or poor establishment.
Instead of needing chemical inputs or constant watering, our turf develops a dense, fibrous root system that naturally suppresses weeds, retains moisture, and creates the ideal conditions for wildflowers to thrive with minimal intervention.
The result is a meadow that settles quickly, stabilises fast, and continues to perform without becoming a maintenance burden.

Sustained Support for Biodiversity and Pollinators

A wildflower meadow is more than a visual feature. It’s a living system that, when designed well, becomes a long-term habitat for insects, birds, and soil organisms.
Wildflower Turf® is grown from…

Bird populations are declining worldwide, and the UK is no exception. In our rapidly urbanising world, over a quarter of bird species face extinction and 70 UK bird species are on the IUCN Red List. This decline poses a significant threat to biodiversity and the delicate balance of our ecosystems. As cities sprawl, natural habitats disappear, replaced by buildings and roads. This reduces the available space for birds to nest and forage leading to their decline.

But there’s a glimmer of hope!

Green roofs, also known as living roofs, are innovative solutions that involve planting vegetation on top of buildings. They vary in complexity, from extensive green roofs with deep soil layers supporting a diverse range of plants, to intensive green roofs that resemble landscaped gardens.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, green roofs offer a multitude of environmental benefits. They play an important role in urban cooling. Additionally, green roofs play a crucial role in stormwater management by absorbing rainwater, preventing runoff and reducing the strain on urban drainage systems. These green spaces also contribute to air quality improvement by filtering pollutants and releasing oxygen. Most importantly, green roofs support biodiversity…