Wildflower and BNG Seeding Projects
Meadow creation and BNG delivery for councils, developers and land managers
CDTS North & West delivers wildflower and BNG-compliant seeding across a range of project types, from multi-year urban wildflower programmes for local authorities to large-scale habitat creation schemes for developers meeting Environment Act obligations. We work with annual colour mixes, perennial meadow mixes and local-provenance seed, applied by hydroseeding, conventional drill seeding or brush seed harvesting depending on site conditions and ecological specification.
Every project below reflects a different challenge and client type. What they share is the same requirement: successful establishment of species-rich vegetation that satisfies planning conditions, ecological targets or community objectives.
Recent Wildflower & BNG Seeding Projects
Solihull MBC — Urban Wildflower Programme
Client: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Location: Multiple sites across Solihull, West Midlands
Scale: 25+ individual sites across the borough
Service: Wildflower seeding (annual colour mixes and perennial meadow mixes)
Programme: Multi-year rolling contract (ongoing since 2016)
Solihull MBC needed a specialist contractor to establish wildflower displays across high-profile urban locations including parks, road verges, roundabouts and recreation grounds. Sites ranged from 75 m² raised planters to 2,300 m² highway roundabouts, each with different soil conditions and public visibility pressures.
CDTS prepared and seeded each site using herbicide treatment and tailored wildflower mixes. Annual colour mixes were specified for high-visibility locations. Perennial mixes were used on park boundaries and recreation ground margins where long-term, low-maintenance habitat was the objective.
The programme has expanded year on year. Areas seeded in 2016 have been maintained through a single annual cut-and-collect regime, keeping soil fertility low and supporting continued wildflower dominance.
Wistow Estate — BNG Habitat Creation
Client: Environment Bank
Location: Wistow Estate, Leicestershire
Scale: 15 hectares
Service: Conventional seeding for BNG habitat creation
Completed: Spring 2025
Environment Bank commissioned CDTS to deliver large-scale habitat creation at Wistow Estate as part of a biodiversity net gain scheme. The 15-hectare site required species-rich grassland establishment to generate measurable BNG units under the Defra statutory metric.
CDTS carried out ground preparation and conventional drill seeding across the full site area using Blec Turfmaker precision drills, placing seed at the correct depth and spacing to maximise germination on the prepared substrate. The seed mix was specified by the project ecologist to target the habitat condition required for BNG unit calculation.
This project demonstrates CDTS's capacity to deliver at scale on BNG-specific schemes, working directly with habitat banks and environmental specialists to meet metric-driven outcomes.
Tarrington Wetlands — Ecological Seeding and Wetland Planting
Client: Bentleys
Location: Tarrington, Herefordshire
Scale: 4 hectares seeding + 15,000 wetland plug plants
Service: Hydroseeding, conventional seeding and wetland plug planting
Completed: 2025
Tarrington Wetlands required a combined approach to establish both terrestrial and aquatic habitats across a 4-hectare site. The project scope extended beyond conventional seeding to include the installation of 15,000 wetland plug plants, making it one of CDTS's most ecologically diverse recent commissions.
CDTS hydroseeded slopes and accessible areas while using conventional methods on flatter ground. Wetland plug plants were installed across pond margins and wet areas to establish marginal and aquatic vegetation. The combination of techniques ensured habitat creation across the full range of site conditions, from dry slopes to saturated ground.
A419 Cirencester Bypass — Wildflower Chalk Cuttings
Location: A419, Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Service: Wildflower seeding on chalk/limestone road cuttings
Completed:Historic project (20+ years ago)
One of CDTS's earliest wildflower seeding projects, the A419 Cirencester Bypass involved establishing native wildflower species on newly formed chalk and limestone road cuttings. The low-nutrient, calcareous substrate provided ideal conditions for wildflower establishment without the competition from vigorous grasses that typically undermines meadow creation on fertile soils.
More than two decades later, the A419 cuttings remain a thriving biodiverse corridor, demonstrating the long-term viability of well-specified wildflower seeding on appropriate substrates. This project is a powerful proof point for the durability of species-rich grassland when the initial establishment is done correctly.
Murphy Construction Head Office — BNG Wildflower Seeding
Client: Ground Control (for Murphy Construction)
Location: Goldborne, Greater Manchester
Scale: 10,000 m²
Service: Conventional seeding and wildflower/BNG seeding
Completed: 2025
Murphy Construction's new head office development required wildflower and BNG-compliant seeding across 10,000 m² of open space. CDTS was engaged through Ground Control to deliver the ecological seeding element alongside conventional grass areas, ensuring the site met its biodiversity obligations prior to handover.
Broader Wildflower and Ecological Track Record
CDTS's wildflower portfolio extends well beyond the projects featured above. Over three decades we have established species-rich vegetation on road verges, flood meadows, nature reserves, parkland, reclamation sites and development land across the UK. Selected projects include:
Parks and public realm
Annual and perennial wildflower programmes for local authorities including Solihull MBC, establishing pollinator-friendly displays in urban parks, recreation grounds and community spaces.
Road verges and highway schemes
Wildflower seeding on highway cuttings and verges for Highways England and local authorities, including the A419 Cirencester, A55 North Wales and multiple bypass schemes where calcareous or low-nutrient substrates provided favourable establishment conditions.
Wetland and habitat creation
Reedbed creation at Mardyke, Essex. Old Moor Wetlands restoration. Tarrington Wetlands plug planting. Ely Pocket Park. Tring Nature Reserve. Projects combining seeding with wetland planting to create diverse aquatic and terrestrial habitats.
Discuss Your Wildflower or BNG Project
Whether you need a wildflower meadow to discharge a planning condition, a species-rich grassland to generate BNG units, or an annual display programme for public spaces, we can advise on the right seed mix, seeding method and establishment approach for your site.
Send us your ecological specification, site plans or BNG metric requirements and we will provide a tailored recommendation and quotation.