Although it is far too late for many ancient British wildflower meadows lost to modern agricultural methods, some do survive to remind us of their glorious biodiversity. Pioneering work has been done to re-establish some, but most of us have come to realize that turning our gardens into flowery meads is an impractical dream too far. So it’s quite refreshing to read ‘Wildflower Meadows – Survivors from A Golden Age’ by Margaret Pilkington, (Papadakis £25) which celebrates and explains the nature of our remaining wildflower meadows rather than exhorting me to dig up the lawn, discard the topsoil and persuade yellow rattle to establish itself. It is a book written by an expert (and beautifully photographed by her husband) that will be of practical use for landowners with vulnerable habitats they wish to understand and protect. For the rest of us it is a fascinating account of our ancient meadows, both past and present, to be read and enjoyed.