This mini meadow at Pontyclun Park has a fantastic diversity of grasses and wildflowers. Look out for the trembling flower heads of quaking grass, the flowering spikes of common spotted orchid, white and yellow oxeye daisy, purple black knapweed and the lilac of field scabious. The small yellow flowers of common bird’s-foot trefoil are the food plant of common blue butterflies. It’s also known as ‘eggs and bacon’ and ‘Granny’s toenails’!
The height of summer brings red-tailed bumblebees and striking red and black six-spot burnet moths buzzing through the flowers, small copper butterflies sunning themselves on grass heads, and noisy meadow and field grasshoppers. Pied wagtails will chase tiny flies and, when the knapweed and scabious have flowered, goldfinches feed on the seed heads.