Annuals in public places

[egro]

Wildflowers are naturally very attractive. Unfortunately intensive farming practices and I feel a need , by some people ,to have everything bare and hard landscaped has led over the years to a decline in their number. However I hope that new farming practices will redress the problem.Hope more councils take the idea on board.Very best wishes. Egro.

[SweetRocket]

This is becoming quite a popular thing to do by authorities, spring can be very interesting around where I live with grass verges and roadsides including motorway verges all springing into a kaliadscope of colour.
In the spring I buy a packet of native wildflower seeds and scatter them in any bare patches in my garden, front and back and it’s quite interesting waiting to see what grows. I might add though as soon as I spot Teasel poking its head out of the ground I have to pinch it out, as beautiful as the flower is, unfortunately my garden is too small to accommodate such a spiky, aggressive plant.

Hope the trend continues and well done Sheffield, you've shown a great example of what can be achieved. Beautiful photo's!!

[Susie]

Ayup Paul!

Well, I am completely biased regarding this because my town, Horsham, won both the Gold Achievement Award in the Best Small City/Large Town category, plus the RHS Bloomin’ Wild Award, because of its initiative to turn over many of its public planted spaces to wild flowers as well as encouraging as many residents as possible to plant wild flowers. Despite the lousy weather this summer the displays have been magnificent. I hope they continue this scheme next year.

Over the past year I have planted virtually the whole of both my front and back gardens with wildlife friendly plants and created habitats for invertebrates and amphibians and I am already reaping the rewards.