Sowing wildflower seed is full of interest and delight, but also of the unexpected. We sowed our “scruffy triangle” with seeds from the “Grow Wild” initiative in May 2014 and were rewarded that summer with a good show of Poppy, Cornflower and Corn Marigold, along with plenty of plants emerging from the seed bank in the soil. Along with the usual Broad-leaved Docks, common on all waste ground, and Charlock, which always emerges when soil is disturbed, there was also White Dead-nettle, an important early flower for emerging bumblebee queens. A surprise however was the emergence in the second year of Weld, or Dyer’s Rocket. This was used in the past as an important source of a bright yellow
You may remember the earlier postings on Facebook showing volunteers preparing and then sowing seed alongside the path in the area sown last year by the cubs. Preparation May 1 Seed Sowing May 18 I am pleased to say all that work was not in vain, after a long delay because of a lack of rain in June, flowers are now blooming, mainly a mix of white and yellow with the occasional splash of red. This time the white daises are not the large Oxeye Daisy, but those of the more delicate Scentless Mayweed. Alongside them the clear yellow/gold of Corn Marigold contrasts with the occasional Poppy and Cornflower that complete the trio of cornfield annuals that have all but disappeared from our fields.
