Hay meadows with their wonderful profusion of wildflowers and butterflies are disappearing from our countryside at an alarming rate. This book celebrates in words and photographs the meadows that remain tucked away in odd corners in every part of our country. Taking the most common type of meadow, Margaret Pilkington shows how, with the help of the National Vegetation Classification we can understand the unique collection of plants present and explains the Biodiversity Action Plan for wildflower meadows that it was hoped would ensure no further loss of this special, vulnerable habitat. She gives a clear, concise account of the challenges posed and the practical steps being taken to halt its decline, including the use of ecosystem services to highlight its value. Meadow flowers are adapted to survive and reproduce in grass-land that has been managed in a particular way for centuries. The voices of those who farmed in this way describe traditional hay making and the changes that have led to the loss of these meadows, a loss that has led to a huge decrease in the butterflies and other wildlife that depended on them for food and shelter. Margaret Pilkington explains the intimate connections between flowers and the insects that visit them, an explanation brought to life in John Pilkington’s close-up photographs.