One of the few places remaining to see my favourite wild flower in all its glory is along motorway verges, where linear swathes of ox-eye daisies seem to glow in the sunshine. Of course, we cannot fully appreciate their simple beauty in such locations as our eyes must remain firmly fixed on the road ahead.

However, at least they are a haven for wildlife and a good nectar source for a range of insects, being especially valuable when we realize that ninety-seven percent of wildflower meadows have vanished under the plough or been developed since the second world war.

Sitting in or walking through a wildflower meadow is a delightfully relaxing experience and it is a good idea to take a field guide as there will be a variety of flowers blooming and some will test our identification skills.

One sunny afternoon in mid-June I strolled on my local common among tall grasses, meadow buttercups, ox-eye daisies, birds-foot trefoil, vetches, clovers, medic, knapweed, stitchwort, yellow-rattle, bee orchids and many more. Flying among the flowers small heath and common blue butterflies lent movement and colour.

I walked along a pathway, sensibly mown a metre or so wide through the middle of the meadow so as not to trample the flora. Many commons and parks, including central London Royal parks now wisely recognise the need to leave sizeable areas of long grasses and flowers instead of manicuring everything out of existence as in the past, thus providing welcome habitat for butterflies, moths and a variety of wildlife.

Wild flower meadows enrich not only our lives but the lives of countless creatures dwelling within.