Norfolk scheme brings ancient wildflower meadows back to life

Restoration project uses seed-rich hay taken from roadside verges to regrow lost meadows

There is something back to front about the idyllic scene on a meadow south of Norwich. Hay is normally gathered in, but this freshly cut, sweet-smelling grass is being carefully forked across a field.

The hay, harvested from nearby roadside verges, is spread to scatter the seeds contained within it, part of an innovative scheme to restore natural flower-rich meadows and reverse losses. More than 97% of Britain's wildflower meadows have vanished since the 1930s.