Trentham, in Staffordshire, has sown over 12 million annual seeds this year all around its
Capability Brown designed Lake and the edge of its SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest)
oak woodland combined with perennial meadow displays.
Trentham a 725-acre estate, annually replaces recreational grass areas with 5000m2
of Annual Flowering Meadows which give visitors an amazing uplifting, immersive and colourful
experience as they walk around the lakeside.
The planting mixes have been created by Professor Nigel Dunnett of Sheffield University who is the
RHS ‘Grey to Green’ ambassador, and creator of the schemes at the London 2012 Olympic Park and
the Tower of London Platinum Jubilee Superbloom. Nigel has also designed Trentham’s perennial
meadow displays which feature mixes of garden favourites and UK native wildflowers that can be
seen around the lakeside, woodland walks and maze.
The display at Trentham is part of a growing number of destinations planting on such a large scale in
the UK, with 20million seeds sown in London.
Carol Adams, Head of Biodiversity and Horticulture at Trentham comments: “The annual meadow
mixes are recognised to be Bee Friendly and nectar rich for other pollinators such as moths and
butterflies. We also find them popular with damselflies which look stunning with turquoise or rust red
iridescent bodies, proving popular with photographers. The combination of insects and oil rich seeds
are drawing in flocks of feeding birds like gold and green finches and families of wren and because of
the successional flowering this will continue right into the autumn and winter. Another bonus we’ve
also noticed is the increase in bank and field voles and harvest mice nesting in higher numbers in the
mosaic of longer tussocky grass and lakeside margins of reeds and native perennials adjacent to
the plantings, which in turn is supporting an increase in predators such as Kestrel and weasel. We
love how they inspire our visitors to try this low maintenance approach to gardening.“
Carol adds: “Throughout the summer the displays, with the longest lasting mixes designed to
successionally flower right through to the autumn frosts, we are often seeing pollinators feeding right
into early November!”
The annual meadows evolve through a spectrum of colours with Trentham’s Kingfisher mix inspired
by its resident pairs giving bold orange and blue blooms combined with white. The iridescent rainbow
colours of Dragonfly wings have also been used to inspire a mix. There is a traditional hay meadow
mix with scarlet poppies, golden corn marigold and vivid blue cornflowers whilst the ‘classic mix’ starts
with this traditional colour palette and builds through a rainbow of jewel colours culminating in goldens
and vibrant orange in the autumn. With plenty of seating and spaces to throw out a blanket for picnic,
there’s ample opportunity to stop and enjoy the amazing views at Trentham.
Access to the meadows is free for Trentham members or included within garden admission for
visitors, which is £12.50 for adults, £9 for children aged 5-15, under 5s go free.
https://www.trentham.co.uk/
Trentham offers one of the UK’s most diverse days out with a range of leisure activities for
all ages. It’s one of the country’s top leisure destinations, attracting more than 3.2m visitors
per year.
In 2021 Trentham won an iTravel Staycation Award for Green Space of the Year, in
recognition of natural refuge the destination provided during the pandemic. The fabulous,
restored Trentham Gardens, at the heart of the estate, attracted 837,500 paid visits in 2019
– making them one of the most visited gardens in the UK.
Owned and managed by St. Modwen, the expert developer and regeneration specialist, the
725-acre estate, which was previously owned for over 400 years by the Dukes of
Sutherland, has undergone a massive regeneration programme since 2003.
The famed Trentham Gardens includes the very important Italianate Gardens designed by
Charles Barry in the 1830s, which have been lovingly restored using top landscape
designers. The gardens feature the UK’s first ‘barefoot’ walk, as well as a fantastic children’s
adventure play area and maze, and a beautiful walk around the mile-long lake, originally laid
out by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown in the 18th century.
Trentham is also home to Trentham Garden Centre and the expanded Shopping Village,
which offers a huge range of shops and eateries for the whole family, as well as a 119-
bedroom Premier Inn Hotel.
Trentham is a conservation and biodiversity hotspot, with the Monkey Forest offering visitors
the opportunity to walk amongst 140 free roaming Barbary macaques, in a natural woodland
environment for this endangered species. Trentham boasts extensive woodlands with the
formal conservation designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), with the wider
estate providing grazing for rare breed herds and wild black fallow deer.