Hardington Moor National Nature Reserve covers partly calcareous clay-rich soils on sloping ground and comprises three meadows surrounded by established hedges.

The meadows are examples of species-rich unimproved neutral grassland, which is now nationally rare.

The rare French oat-grass is very abundant on the site and the fields are home to a wide variety of plant species, most notably adder's tongue, corky-fruited water-dropwort and large numbers of green-winged orchid.

Invertebrates found at the site include butterflies such as gatekeeper, small tortoiseshell and common blue.

Less commonly seen are large skipper, green-veined white and green hairstreak.