Blooming Britain

Verges host hundreds of wildflower species

Brimming with colour and buzzing with pollinators, road verges are a daily delight in early summer. A survey for the charity Plantlife found that they collectively host more than 720 species of wildflower, almost a hundred of which are at risk or near-threatened in Britain. With so much agricultural land farmed intensively and many woodlands in poor condition, the nation’s verges have become important refuges. Unfortunately, many verges are themselves badly maintained nowadays, either mown too early and frequently or swamped by dense growth of nettles and brambles.

One of the causes is a worrying lack of botanical knowhow among the general population. Widespread ‘plant blindness’ leads us to undervalue the wild strips of grassland by roads and motorways. Now in its second year, Plantlife’s Great British Wildflower Hunt is part of a drive to get more people interested in our rich floral heritage. We’re being encouraged to rediscover the simple joy of picking poseys of wildflowers – responsibly, of course. When more than half of Britons can’t recognise a plant as common as red clover, we have problem.

GET INVOLVED Take part in the Great British Wildflower Hunt and see Plantlife’s code of conduct for picking wildflowers: www.plantlife.org.uk/wildflowerhunt

NOT ONLY DO FLOWERY VERGES BRIGHTEN OUR JOURNEYS, THEY ARE VITAL HABITATS, TOO.”