'I love it. It’s hope': the mysterious self-willed wildflower meadow that seeded itself

TL;DR

Sayer's Old Meadow in north Norfolk transformed from a single crop field to over 150 plant species through only an annual hay cut.
This ecological recovery occurred without sowing commercial wildflower mixes or undertaking expensive interventions.
The findings suggest that nature's own processes, with minimal intervention like annual cutting, can effectively restore flower-rich meadows.
The meadow's transformation challenges the common practice of using expensive wildflower seed mixes for restoration.
The field's biodiversity has increased annually since the hay-cutting began in 2011, replacing thistles and annual weeds with perennial wildflowers.
The annual hay cut reduces nutrients in the soil, favoring delicate wildflowers, and prevents the field from turning into woodland.
Seeds may have been dispersed by wild deer, or potentially by human activity, as the nearest rare flower populations are miles away.
This "self-willed" meadow is more genetically diverse and locally appropriate than 'McMeadows' created with commercial seed mixes, and is significantly cheaper to establish.

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