30/07/2026
Wildflower meadows growing on residents as 139 more added to scheme
Flagship gardeners and neighbourhoods staff at one of the meadows, in Litcham, Norfolk. Pictured are, back from, from left, Tyler G Howell, Gary Hurn, Alan Todd, Gary Van Der Zanden, Rebeka Smith. Front row: Charlotte Bane, Ellie Olander, Norman Smith, and Matthew Pearman.
Almost 400 communities now have wildflower meadows as part of a social landlord’s push to bring nature back to its green spaces.
Flagship, part of Bromford Flagship LiveWest (BFL), is aiming to create more than 1,000 wildflower meadows in the east of England by 2030, giving residents greener places to relax and unwind, and making havens for birds, insects and small mammals.
Charlotte Bane, neighbourhood services manager at Flagship, said the meadows project had been steadily winning more fans since it started in 2023.
She said: “It’s fantastic to see these wildflower meadows bursting with colour and attracting so much wildlife, particularly as we move closer to summer and more flowers begin to bloom.
“At first, people were naturally unsure of how these different ways of managing the land would look.
“But the response has been really positive, they’ve seen just how beautiful it can be and how carefully it has been designed to support nature while ensuring these green spaces remain accessible and enjoyable for everyone.”
Neighbourhood gardener Ellie Olander keeping pavements clear at Manor Drive, Litcham, one of the sites added to BFL’s meadows scheme in 2025 that is now seeing good wildflower growth
Flagship has added wildflower meadows to 139 more communities across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire this year, bringing the total Flagship manages across the east up to around 390.
Daniel Salliss, biodiversity and land manager, said this meant 160,000 square metres - more than 20 football pitches’ worth – were now covered in total.
Mr Salliss said: “This is not only about helping wildlife. Longer grass means deeper roots which can soak up more rain, so these meadows help reduce flood risk too.”
Mowing around the wildflower areas is neighbourhood gardener Matthew Pearman, creating paths alongside the colourful patches.
Still only a part of the green spaces involved are given over to wildflowers – other areas are mown regularly – depending on what locals want and what the space itself needs.
In the meadow areas, grass is left to grow over summer before being cut short. Wildflower seeds are then sown for future seasons. Some meadows have newly installed benches for people to sit and enjoy the nature.
New wildflower meadows for 2026 can be found at sites including: Magpie/Waterloo Road, Norwich; Bignold Road, Norwich; Hales Court, Holt; Woodland Rise, Sheringham; Hall Close, Fakenham; Forward Court, Aylsham; Chalk Lane, Narborough; and Halford Road, Attleborough.
There are also new meadows at St Catherines Close, Mildenhall; Elderberry, Red Lodge; Brackley Close, Felixstowe; Fornham House, Ipswich; Brightwell Close, Ipswich; Provan Court, Ipswich; Cromwell Road, Beccles; and Pound Close, Halesworth.
One of the signs posted at each of Flagship's wildflower sites, with a scannable QR code for people to learn more about the project