Making a small meadow from scratch

The commonest reason a wildflower patch turns into a patch of grass is soil that is far too rich. Wildflowers evolved on poor ground; feed them and the grasses win.

Strip, do not feed

Remove the top few inches of topsoil if you can, or at the very least scarify hard and rake off everything you loosen. Never add compost.

Sow yellow rattle first

Yellow rattle is semi-parasitic on grass roots and will weaken the grasses for you. Sow it in autumn - it needs a cold winter to germinate - and let it establish for a season before you add much else.

Cut late, and take the cuttings away

One cut after the flowers have set seed, usually late summer. Leave the arisings for a few days to drop their seed, then remove them. Leaving them to rot puts the fertility straight back.