A Big Thank You to our volunteers that prepared the soil under our woodland trees for the wildflower seed which has now been sowed. It was alot of work over quite some period and its actually something that very rarely gets done. Most wild flower meadow seed is sown in open sunny areas so this is a first for us and is very rare for others to do either. But we bought a special seed which will hopefully tolerate the shade.
Don’t expect much colour next summer though , just getting some green growth will be a success – but if one doesn’t try, one never will know what’s achievable. Not that much was actually growing under these large limes as they let in so little light. These large lime trees planted in that long line along Clouston street are the only trees humans planted on the land till North Kelvin Meadow was formed in 2008 and we started planting the orchard area plus a few other trees. We have about 500 mature trees and 90% of them have come from mother nature.
What we have done is try to rewild that area by introducing native flower seed. Hopefully we don’t get too much footfall, as too much and flowers haven’t a chance to establish themselves. That’s why these large cut branches have been positioned to “nudge” people in a different direction.
Anyway below is a list of what we sowed and where. In total we bought and sowed 1kg of seed which cost £276.50
Pack one: Native British wildflower seed mixture for woodland. Ideal shade loving wild flowers. Seed mix contains 17 wildflowers including Wood Sage and Bluebell Seed. Flowers from May – September.
It was sown on the raised area along Clouston street , beneath the large lime trees. Only so far as our entrance, half way along the street, so not the full way to the shed. Note this area has natural soil as it was never a sports pitch.
https://www.meadowmania.co.uk/wild-flower-meadow/wild-flower-seed-mixes/wildflower-seed-for-shady-areas.htm
500g which cost £157.
Bluebell Seed (Hyancith non Scripta) 2.5%,
Common Agrimony (Agrimonia Eupotar) 5.0%,
Hedge Bedstraw (Galium Mollugo) 15.0%,
Hedge Garlic ( Alliaria Petiolata) 10.0%,
Hedge Woundwort (Stachys Sylvatica) 2.5%,
Herb Bennet (Geum Urbanum) 5.0%,
Nettle Leaved Bell Flower (Campanula Trachnium ) 1.0%,
Ragged Robin (Lychnis Flos Cuculi) 1.0%,
Red Campion (Silene Dioica) 17.0%,
Self Heal ( Prunella Vulgaris) 17.0%,
Square St Johns Wort (Hypericum tetrapterum) 0.5%,
Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis Odorta) 6.0%,
Upright Hedge Parsley (Torilis Japonica) 6.0%.
Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis Cambria) 0.25%,
Wild Angelica (Angelica Sylvestri) 2.0%,
Wild Foxglove (Digitalis Purpurea) 7.5%,
Wood Sage (Teucrium Scorodonia) 1.5%
Pack Two: Native British wildflower seed mixture for partial shade. Ideal near hedgerows too. Seed mix contains 20 wildflowers including Yellow Rattle and Yarrow. Flowers from May – September.
It was sown in that area below the slope but not further than the large cut branches. Some of it was sown in that area near the lane fence. Note this has an artificial red blaze surface under a thin amount of soil , as it was used as a sport pitch. Poor soil though is excellent for meadow flowers as then they don’t get outcompeted by grass. In this woodland area though there is hardly any grass due to a lack of sunlight so it will be interesting to see if any of it grows – fingers crossed.
https://www.meadowmania.co.uk/wild-flower-meadow/wild-flower-seed-mixes/wildflower-seed-for-partial-shade.htm
500g which cost £119.50
Betony 5%,Bluebell seed (Hyancith non Scripta) 1.5%,
Common Agrimony ( Agrimonia eupotare) 5.0%,
Common Vetch ( Vicia Sativa) 0.5%,
Dark Mullein (Verbascum Nigrum) 0.1%,
Hedge Bedstraw (Galium Mollugo) 5.0%,
Herb Bennet (Geum Urbanum) 2.5%,
Lesser Knapweed 4.0%,
Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus Acris) 1.0%,
Ox Eye Daisy (Leucanthemum Vulgare) 12.0%,
Red Campion (Silene Dioica) 10.0%,
Ribwort Plantain (Plantago Lanceolata) 10.0%,
Self Heal (Prunella vugaris) 10.0%,
Sorrel (Rumex Acetosa) 2.5%,
Sweet Cicely ( Myrrhis odorata) 1.0%,
White Campion (Silene Alba) 10.0%,
Wild Foxglove (Digitalis Purpurea) 0.3%,
Wild Garlic (Alliaria Petiolata) 6.0%,
Yarrow ( Achillea Millefolium) 10.0%,
Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus Minor) 3.3%
We have also planted bulbs which cost £187 along the Clouston street fence line and in other areas.
Fingers crossed some of this at least comes up next spring / summer.
It will really help introduce more biodiversity into the land which in turn helps people and especially the young kids have a better experience of getting in touch with nature which is so important in this busy built up area of Glasgow.