Cows have been sent into Holland Park again to help manage its wild flower areas.
Two English Longhorns, Nimbus and Neija, will stay in the park for a fortnight and eat their way through tough grass and nettles and, in the process, encourage the development of wildflower meadows.
English Longhorns are renowned for their docile nature and rough grazing abilities, and enjoy tucking into nettles, course grasses, wild flowers and thistles.
The boost they will provide to wildflower meadows is important as they are in decline around the country. The meadows, which support birds and small mammals, are also home to many invertebrates including butterflies, grasshoppers, bees and even rare moths.
The cows will graze in the aboretum and oak enclosures and will disturb the soil and bulbs. In the long term, this will benefit the bulbs encouraging them to flower more vigorously in the following seasons.
It is the third year that English Longhorn cows have been used in Holland Park. In the past British Saddleback pigs have grazed in the park for up to two months which also helped with the management of the meadow area.
The cows can be spotted in the enclosure adjoining the Kyoto garden near Lord Holland’s pond and statue.
