I
have been constantly surprised by wildflowers this year; not only on
account of their sheer beauty and abundance but also encountering
them in situations that I would never have imagined. I nearly crashed
my car at the end of Broad Street as I craned my neck in disbelief to
catch a glimpse of the central reservation full to bursting with the
riotous colour of wildflowers. Birmingham City Council, steered by
Sarah Raven's campaign to encourage and preserve our wildlife by
planting indigenous wildflowers, experimented with the inclusion of
meadow planting in this year's 'Birmingham
in Bloom',
display. I hope they decide to persevere with using wildflowers, as I
find them a welcome change to the omnipresent and over-showy bedding
plants.
Then
there were the Olympics! Never mind the lightning displays of the
likes of Usain Bolt, and the mighty achievements of Team GB. What
about the Olympic Park itself where the area equivalent to more than
ten football fields have been planted with wildflowers from Norfolk.
It took two years of experimentation to ensure the best display
possible and timed to the minute to produce a ribbon of gold around
the stadium. This shows true innovation and showcases the creator’s
sustainability and ecology policy while forming the future legacy of
the site.
This to me is a true British achievement!
On
holiday in the Gower Peninsular, earlier this year, I was astounded
to see the rich variety and the sheer numbers of wildflowers that
this area enjoys. I was to be truly inspired by the plant
combinations in terms of colour and form. Pyramid Orchids (Anacamptis
pyramidalis), in carpets of wild thyme, greeted me on the beach by a
caravan park, not realising how beautiful and elegant they were. Sea
Holly (Eryngium maritimum), Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paraliasis) and Sea
Bindweed (Calystegia soldanella) clung to the seemingly inhospitable
sand dunes. The bright cerise pink of the Bloody Crane’s-bill
(Geranium sanguineum) and the intense yellow of the Common
Bird’s-foot-trefoil were an eye catching duo, one example of the
many pink/purple and yellow plant combinations that I was to see on
the Gower. On the coastal hills there were Spikes of Foxgloves
(Digitalis) towering above the Bracken and numerous plants, including
species of wild orchids that I had never seen before soaking up in
the boggy conditions of the Whitford Nature Reserve.
.JPG)
And finally a field in Barlow, the next village to where I was brought up, a meadow which has been planted with wildflowers, causing quite a stir, with local people talking about it and flocking to see it. Local artist Diane Gilder had wondered what to do with the land next to her studio 'The Art Room'. Her artistic interest in flowers lead her to work with a local farmer to trial a wildflower meadow and the results have been stunning, with each year bringing a host of different flowers and colour combinations. I look forward to seeing what next year brings and congratulate Diane on bringing the beauty of a wildflower meadow back to the Derbyshire countryside.
When
you think about it this is a reflection of the rarity of such a
feature. In a rural setting wildflower fields are as much a novelty
as roadside verges in the urban setting of Birmingham.
See
more pictures
http://www.dianegilder.co.uk/photogallery.htm
click
Art Room Meadow Barlow Field and click Art Room Meadow Barlow
Since
the Second World War more than 97% of our wildflower meadows have
disappeared and along with it so has much of our wildlife.
Wild
flowers are vitally important to pollinating insects such as bees,
butterflies and hoverflies.
A
wildflower meadow is also a great way to encourage biodiversity in
the garden. It will attract; insects, birds, moths, frogs, and small
mammals,. I will certainly be encouraging my customers ,wherever
possible, to dedicate some of their garden to growing wildflowers.
Useful
links
How
to grow a wildflower meadow
Wildflower
and grass seed mixes sold by Hillier Nurseries
http://meadowanywhere.com/
Author Melanie Smith - Gardenplan Design
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