Wildflowers at Ceres Road in Wetherby
Earlier in the year, Penny Stables was contacted by Irene, a resident of Wetherby, about the possibility of planting some wildflowers on the corner of Ceres Road where it meets Hallfield Lane.
Our Community Green Group happily took on this task, helping to dig over the area to remove weeds and grasses to ensure the flowers had the best chance of establishment. Seeds provided by the residents as well as some of our own were then spread. A sign was put up to inform the public about the initiative and stakes provided by Leeds City Council were installed to ensure the area was not cut.
Following some initial weeding by the Community Green Group, a plethora of flowers have sprouted making for quite a stunning display.
The area will be weeded prior to next year's flowering season with additional seed including yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) spread to help suppress the encroachment of grasses.
Wildflowers in the UK have seen a dramatic decline since the intensification of agricultural in the 1930s leading to a 97% decrease in our wildflower meadows. Whilst bigger is always better, establishing and maintaining wildflower areas such as these can have a hugely beneficial impact on our native pollinators whilst improving the area for local residents.
If you want to find out more about creating your own wildflower patch, please click here.
Great job by everyone. Hope other areas want to join in, such as Deighton Road and on Ainsty Road corner.