Public perceptions and preferences for wildflower meadows in Beijing, China

Wildflower meadows have been planted in China over several years; however, there is a lack of research on public perceptions and preferences with respect to their acceptance and design. We distributed a questionnaire survey and photographs to evaluate the responses of students and non-professionals to wildflower meadows. We selected 15 photographs of five types of herbaceous vegetation to assess preferences. There were significant differences among vegetation types; natural grassland was better appreciated by students and non-professionals, whereas urban meadows received the lowest satisfaction rating compared to lawns, monocultures, and flowerbeds. This study also demonstrated that Chinese respondents were familiar with wildflower meadows, although they believed that the meadows can only be maintained for short periods. The establishment of wildflower meadows was welcomed in parks, residential districts, accessory greenbelts, rural areas, and roadsides. Gender, age and botanical knowledge influenced aesthetic preferences for herbaceous vegetation and urban meadows to varying degrees. Students were more concerned with costs, whereas non-professionals valued the aesthetical appearance of wildflower meadows more highly. Both groups valued wildflower meadows with long flowering periods, a natural look, and low maintenance.