The Wildflower Project

Wildflowers on Marine Way Bank October 2011

Tom Hynes, Biodiversity Officer for Devon County Council, met Exmouth in Bloom members on site. In his opinion, the grass is too vigorous for wildflowers to become established. He recommended weakening the grass by sowing yellow rattle seeds with wildflower seeds. Seeds were sourced from Devon grower Goren Farm.
The ground was prepared by raking out the thatch, strimming the grass, raking again and scarifying the soil. Seeds were sown at 1g per square metre into strips of 5m x 1.5m near the top of the bank, starting at the station end, with gaps of 10m in between the strips. We have sown 7 strips. In theory the flowers will produce seeds next year and will spread along and down the bank. We hope they will cohabit with the daffodils already in the bank.
Yellow rattle will parasitise the grass as it grows. It requires short grass in January and removal of weeds such as thistles, ragwort and dock. Germination is in February after cold weather; flowers by late May; produces seed in early July which are only viable for a few months. Thus October is the ideal month for sowing yellow rattle.
The wildflowers sown with yellow rattle were common knapweed, yarrow, corky fruited water dropwort, betony, cowslip, birdsfoot trefoil, red campion, meadow vetchling and common vetch.
DCC cut the grass on the bank once per year in September. This is ideal for wildflowers.
In spring 2012 we plan to plant ox-eye daisy plugs and foxgloves in the bank.
Whilst working on the bank, we attracted a lot of attention from passers-by, who generally approved of our efforts. We have enough seed to sow 4 more patches at the other end of marine Way. If this trial proves successful next year, we will work along the bank.
We have been offered wild poppy seeds, wild strawberry plants and wild foxglove seedlings, but first we are consulting Tom Hynes for his advice.
Exmouth in Bloom would like to thank Pat Attard and Tom Hynes for their expertise and encouragement with this project.

Exmouth In Bloom

The Wildflower Project

Wildflowers on Marine Way Bank October 2011

The wildflowers sown with yellow rattle were common knapweed, yarrow, corky fruited water dropwort, betony, cowslip, birdsfoot trefoil, red campion, meadow vetchling and common vetch.

DCC cut the grass on the bank once per year in September. This is ideal for wildflowers.

In spring 2012 we plan to plant ox-eye daisy plugs and foxgloves in the bank.

Whilst working on the bank, we attracted a lot of attention from passers-by, who generally approved of our efforts. We have enough seed to sow 4 more patches at the other end of marine Way. If this trial proves successful next year, we will work along the bank.

We have been offered wild poppy seeds, wild strawberry plants and wild foxglove seedlings, but first we are consulting Tom Hynes for his advice.

Exmouth in Bloom would like to thank Pat Attard and Tom Hynes for their expertise and encouragement with this project.