Shining the spotlight on Pictorial Meadows’ Classic mix
Adaptive, engaging and resilient are the three concepts that drive innovation at Pictorial Meadows. Working alongside partners such as the University of Sheffield, they have been at the forefront of developing stunning designer meadows for our urban spaces for twenty years.
Ever-changing colour
Pictorial Meadows’ flower mixes are truly adaptive, engaging and resilient – none more so than their original Classic mix. This flower meadow was meticulously designed by Professor Nigel Dunnett from the Landscape Department at the University of Sheffield to mimic the intense colour waves found in nature. It is the ever-changing colour waves in this mix that people love and elicits such strong emotional responses.
Maximum impact with minimum input
The Classic mix was intentionally designed to deliver the highest value impact for minimum effort, achieved through expertly designed successional flowering. The meadow you see after the first six weeks is very different to the one you see in the following weeks. The meadow starts with lower flowering plants like fairy toadflax, followed by taller plants like cornflower, followed by even taller plants like poppies. The meadow is designed so each successionally taller plant hides the dead heads of the previous flowers. The result is an ever-changing and always fresh display of stunning flowers.
Extended flowering period
An additional benefit of this successional flowering design is an extended flowering period during the growing season. Whilst the first flowers start appearing in as little as six weeks after sowing in the spring, the Classic mix will continue flowering right up to the first frost of autumn. Throughout this time, twelve different resilient species present ever-changing colour waves, which is why the display you see at the end of the season is completely different to the one you see after the first few weeks.
Tried and tested
As one of Pictorial Meadows’ most reliable and tried-and-tested mixes, Classic has been used on some of the largest scale meadow projects in the UK, including the Rotherham River of Flowers. At nine miles in length, it is the longest urban meadow in the UK.
It is the blending of the science of horticulture and environmental management with the creativity of painting with flowers that makes every Pictorial Meadows product unique.
Pictorial Meadows is part of The Green Estate Community Interest Company and offers a range of designer meadow seed mixes and turf alongside a professional meadow creation, management and consultation service.
