Does that provide refuge for snakes and ticks?
I have mown paths through the wildflower meadow so donât wade knee deep in vegetation. And quite possibly there are snakes and ticks, as they are common here. But no more so in garden then anywhere else.
I would be super-impressed by a pristine potager, we love looking at other peoples! But a stereotypical English sterile lawn? No way. Reminds me of those awful 1970âs TV programmes about stuck-up neighbours.
Interestingly, the really evil whatsits that hide in long grass over the summer are the aoĂ»tats (harvest mites). When I strim long grass Iâm dressed in long trousers tucked in socks and wellington boots and long sleeved shirt - even on the hottest of days. AoĂ»tat bites are a nightmare!
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It is a very small suburban garden so the âwildâ area is looked at rather than walked through.
A mow in Autumn does seem the correct way to treat it.
Nice - but âwildflower meadowâ is not really natural (though I agree better than lawn for the local ecosystem).
The natural state of most areas in which wildflower meadows will flourish is âforestâ.
Not many of those in central Cambridge! And that meadow is a thing of beauty.
It is - but wildflower meadow still needs to be managed - even with only one annual cut. If mankind hadnât turned up and built Cambridge it would, indeed, have been forested.
I think the answer is clear⊠thanks to @anon88169868
we all stop mowing/trimming/whatever our lawns/weedpatches⊠and let the forest take back its natural place in the scheme of things âŠ
hurrah⊠
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Methinks Stella is being a tad sarcastic 
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Great challenge with âwildâ meadows is to get rid of the thugs like dandelions, if you want the delicate poppy and meadow daisy strewn look. And itâs very important that the ground is impoverished - too much of our cultivated land has been over-fertilised. If you have nettles then thatâs a sign of well-fertilised soil. As Paul says, wild flower meadows need managing.
We just let our dandelions rampage. As said elsewhere in this thread, dandelions are brilliant for bees early in the year when not much else is flowering.
Oh no, not sarcastic at all⊠just having a little funâŠ
I do like the idea of more trees⊠weâve far too much tarmac/concrete etc⊠in the modern world 
I was struggling many, many years ago when trying to keep control of a large park/garden and work full-time⊠and Dad explained that certain areas could be left wild (including by the trees ) ⊠and we would enjoy the natural benefits⊠phew, that saved my life and my sanity.
It worked !!
Here, thankfully we have just a small area which was all brambles and is now weedy lawnlettes which need mowing fairly regularly, but do support a plethora of bees, butterflies (amazing variety) ⊠and the hedgehogs that come snuffling along and the toad, frog, dragonfly the list goes onâŠ
and this is in a prime spot in the village centre.
No-one worries that the âgreenâ is not all perfect grass⊠thank heavensâŠ
I would like to grow trees but, unfortunately, we are on rock with just a thin layer of soil.
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I forgot to mention the glowworms⊠apparently we are doing something right⊠we have them every year in various parts of our little plot. Magical 
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But he did and it isnât. I think it is marvellous what they have done, do get out of the manger 
thereâs a nice wildish bit of pasture just over the river on Scholarsâ Piece.
We should all be growing Miyawaki forests, or encouraging them to be grown.
In specific areas, yes. Cambridge is lovely, yes. Wildflower meadows yes (just in case you thought I was a heathen who doesnât like flowers)
However, overall I reckon weâre a â2/10 see meâ on managing the planet.
There is a natural cycle, and yes forest is end stage. But trees fall down, die, burn etc and then you start the cycle all over again. So a clearing will be filled with flowering annuals and short lived perennials as well as grasses, which slowly get colonised by more shrubby plants, and then trees. Itâs why we have such a marvellous range of flora and fauna rather than just those that prefer a woodland/forest environment.
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looks nice iâm sureâŠbut not what i want right next to my patio and deckingâŠsorry, in my orchard fine!
Make your own spray mix of 1 litre cheap vinegar, salt (tablespoon) & washing up liquid (tablespoon). Completely organic, effective and safe for birds.
People who never go out in the dark are missing a treat.
I take the dog out for a short walk before bedtime and often see glowworms.
They are of course, beetles and not worms. Only the females have the trick of photoluminescence, advertising their readiness to mate. The lght goes off as soon as they have got what they want. Typical female behaviour, cynics might say. 
There always seems to be one that has to wait longer than all the others. Not bright enough, or maybe just a bug with an ugly mug!