Ihatedaffodils

[Barbara Taylor]

Great to hear Andy Tasker on Radio 4 expressing something I've been thinking about for some time, ever since I cycled near my home on the northern edge of the Lake District when 17 in 1964, to see the local council "santising" the verges: moving the verges & decapitating early spotted orchids! The grass was short, so the action was not in the interests of public safety & totally senseless. I was horrified. My father phones the council & registered our disapproval, but to no avail. The orchids have not returned.

I was slightly happier to discover a small clump water avens on a bank lower down the road last summer, but will we ever be able to restore what has been lost?

The "cut regardless" policy along our roads :has resulted in the characterless bland banality of the verges throughout our countryside, to which the planting of daffodils is merely an addition as a form of "corporate art".

I am about to train in wildflower recognition with the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust & Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust in the hope that I can be part of a movement to save what is left & restore what has been lost.

[Barbara Taylor]

Please click one of the Quick Reply icons in the posts above to activate Quick Reply.

[treecreeper]

I couldn't agree more Barbara. Same goes for the practice of sterilising pavements with weedkiller, which my council does.

[wizzo]

Welcome Barbara! Wizzo

[Jez]

Good on you Barbara!!!

[shenk1]

A neighbouring council (Rotherham -credit where credits due) apparently had grass verges set with wildflower seed last year and my mother said they looked absolutely stunning! I'll be looking out for them this year and will post some pics when I see them

[welsh.lensman]

Hi Barbara and welcome to WAB.

[Barbara Taylor]

Thanks for the welcome & all the encouragement. I shall report on my experiences on the verge edge.

[sunnydale]

Hi Barbara and welcome