Fort Road to bloom again this summer

The experiment last year saw three sections of grassland along the busy road ploughed and sown with British wildflowers to help provide a source of food for bees and other pollinating insects.

While one section flourished, there were comments that the other two areas were not as colourful.

The ACLMS spokesman said islanders were likely to see the opposite this year.

‘At Fort Road the central area was seeded with annual wildflowers which grow very quickly from seed,’ he said.

‘These included poppies, cornflowers, corn chamomile, and corn marigolds, which gave a colourful display from June to September.

‘Annuals grow from seed each year and while some of the plants will have seeded we may not see as many flowers in that section this summer. This is due to the very wet weather, which will favour stronger early grass growth that may crowd out some of the flower plants.’

The other two areas on either side were planted with perennial wildflowers.

‘[These] grow more slowly from seed and not all of them flowered in 2017,’ the spokesman said.

‘These plants included bird’s-foot trefoil, black knapweed, musk mallow, ox-eye daisy, wild carrot, and yarrow. Some of the flowers of perennial plants are not as colourful as the annuals, but their flowers are a richer source of food for pollinating insects. Last year it was noticeable that they attracted more butterflies than the annual wildflower display nearby.

‘The perennial wildflower plants will have overwintered and should be stronger and produce more flower this year. The plan is for more perennial flowering plants will be added to the central section to improve the food sources for insects in future.’

Wildflowers have become increasingly important, as increasingly intensive farming, climate change and the use of pesticides have reduced the food sources for insects, bees and butterflies.

‘The introduction of wildflowers that are pollen and nectar-rich to Fort Road greatly increased the range of food sources for pollinating insects in the area,’ the spokesman said.

‘The bright flowers also encouraged interest in the project and many people contacted Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services to find out what they could do on their own fields or gardens. This project aligns closely with the States of Guernsey’s biodiversity strategy.’

n The Guernsey Pollinator Project, led by La Societe Guernesiaise in support of the biodiversity strategy, has been set up to encourage more interest in supporting local bees, butterflies and pollinating insects.

For more information on what plants and shrubs provide the best sources of food all year round and where to plant them visit https://pollinatorproject.gg.