EDWPS supported the planting of 0.94 hectares of wildflowers in the UK across 2022-2023

EDWPS is part of an imaginative and beautiful solution to the problem of the loss of flowers and pollinators in the UK. Not only are wildflowers attractive and beneficial to our well-being, but for the thousands of pollinating insects, wildflowers are critical.

Since 1940 we’ve lost ninety seven percent of our flower rich meadows and hundreds of our pollinator species are in decline. In areas, our local wildlife finds itself in isolated oases, walled in by agricultural land, urban landscapes, roads, and gardens.

Our solution is to restore B-Lines – a network of insect pathways along which we are restoring and creating wildflower rich habitat. These insect super highways created in partnership with GreenTheUK and Buglife will extend across the whole of the UK, allowing wildlife to move freely through our countryside and towns. Thanks to EDWPS, we have created a network of flower-rich pathways benefitting pollinators, other wildlife and people.

Wildflower Restoration in Nottinghamshire (0.94 hectares)

With students from Brackenhurst Campus in Southwell at the Nottingham Trent University, EDWPS supported the planting of native wildflower seeds and plug plants along 3 sections of main drive into Brackenhurst Campus. The campus is both a working farm and a wildlife haven with dedicated spaces to outdoor learning environments. A further selection of established plants were planted by students as part of their environmental education near the animal unit on-site a few weeks after the prelimary planting. The wildflowers planted will play an important role in further improving a species-rich haven.

As a Nottingham based business, EDWPS already have ties with Nottingham Tent University and are pleased to have supported students with the opportunity to learn about biodiversity and transform the habitat on their site with seeds and plugs. Brackenhurst campus run courses on biodviersity conservation making this area another fantastic example of habitat that has been transformed.

Wildflowers & Grasses Planted

Wild Carrot: Daucus Carota

This biennial herbaceous plant is closely related to the carrots we grow and eat today. If you dig up the roots early enough, they are edible, but by the time the flowers appear, they will be too old and woody to eat. Wild carrot flowers are small and white, which is how this plant got its other name: Queen Anne’s lace.

Cornflower: Centaurea Cyanus

This annual plant is native to Europe and best-known for its striking blue flowers which bloom from late spring into early summer. The cornflower’s vibrant petals are a magnet for butterflies and bees. The flower is also called “the bachelor’s button”; possibly because they were commonly worn by single men and women hoping to find love, or maybe because they resemble buttons that require very little sewing!

Cowslip: Primula Veris

You can recognise the cowslip by its clusters of drooping bell-shaped yellow flowers which make a cheery addition to meadows and woodlands. Cowslips are very strongly associated with springtime and Easter, thriving on chalky soils where they flower between April and May. They were traditionally picked to make May Day garlands and wedding decorations.

Autumn Hawkbit: Leontodon Autumnalis

The autumn hawkbit shares part of its name with the dandelion because the two flowers are really very similar. This grassland perennial’s yellow rosette flowers are in full bloom from June to October. Unlike its hairy cousin, the rough hawkbit, the autumn variety has slender, almost hairless leaves.

Rough Hawkbit: Leontodon Hispidus

The rough hawkbit is a rather hairy plant which fares best in the full sunshine. It looks quite a lot like the dandelion and shares its famously diuretic properties. Hawkbits have a sweet smell, like honey.

Self-heal: Prunella Vulgaris

Self-heal’s bright purple flowers grow close to the ground in meadows and grasslands as well as by the side of the road and on lawns. It is in bloom between June and October. As you might expect from the name, this small plant has long been used in herbal medicine to treat a number of ailments.

Sheep’s Sorrel: Rumex Acetosella

Sheep’s sorrel leaves look a little like spinach, and they are widely used in salads or as a garnish. The plant has a citrus taste, so it features in both sweet and savoury dishes. Sheep’s sorrel grows quickly and has small, red flowers which are pollinated by the wind.

Common Toadflax: Linaria Vulgaris

The common toadflax has creamy orange and yellow flowers and is often found growing on wasteland and by the side of the road. It is very popular with bumblebees and honeybees. Common toadflax is also known by the nickname “butter-and-eggs” because of the colour of its petals.

Bird’s-foot Trefoil: Lotus Corniculatus

Bird’s-foot trefoil is already a pretty great name, but this plant has many other exciting aliases, including “hen and chickens” and “eggs and bacon”. These colourful names refer to the plant’s red and yellow flowers. Its seed pods are reminiscent of a bird’s claws.

Kidney Vetch: Anthyllis Vulneraria

Also known as lady’s fingers or devil’s claws, these slightly woolly-looking bright yellow flowers bloom from June to September. The kidney vetch thrives on sand dunes and cliffs and can be found dotted around the UK coastline. This plant used to be known as “woundwort” and was used as a herbal remedy for cuts and bruises

Yarrow: Achillea Millefolium

This hardy perennial has a slightly aniseed taste and can be made into tea; in the Middle Ages, it was used to flavour beer. Centuries ago, Yarrow was used to heal wounds and stop bleeding, but it was also thought to start nosebleeds, and still has the nickname “nosebleed plant”. Starlings and other birds use yarrow to line their nests.

Yellow-rattle: Rhinanthus Minor

This plant’s yellow flowers are in bloom from May to September. It makes a popular addition to any wildflower meadow, as it feeds off the nutrients in other grasses, reducing competition between species. Its seeds grow in brown pods which make a slight rattling sound.

Common Bent: Agrostis Castellana

This slightly wispy, bristly perennial grass grows quickly. It is also known as highland bent, and is often found on roadsides or in wildflower meadows. Common bent is what is known as a hyperaccumulator of zinc and lead, which means it can grow in soils with a high concentration of those metals.

Small-leaved Timothy: Phleum Pratense ssp Bertolinii

This grass is named after Timothy Hanson, an American farmer who introduced it to the United States in the early 1700s. Timothy grass is a common trigger for those who suffer from seasonal allergies, but its pollen has been used in the development of a hay fever vaccine. Timothy hay is a popular treat for many animals, from small pets to thoroughbred racehorses.