With Spring having just burst into our lives, you might want to start growing wildflowers, but where in the UK is best to start sowing?
Research that we’ve put together suggests that the South East and Scotland are the best areas for growing wildflowers, based on garden space available, hours of sunshine per day, the amount of ‘B-lines’ (areas where bees have clear passage between safe areas) and the least amount of pollution, which can hold back wildflower growth.
The right wildflowers in any spot are the best wildflowers in your area, whether you have acres or an outside window box you can help boost biodiversity.
Here are the top ten areas of the UK that are best for growing wildflowers, although anyone can grow them, whether it’s in a window box, as part of a raised bed or by creating a small wildflower patch in their garden.
Founder of My Square Metre, Ed Crowther adds: “I think it is so important that everyone can be involved in helping solve the biodiversity crisis.
“Now is a great opportunity to get people living closer with nature and taking individual responsibility for helping their patch, even if it’s just a window box. And you can always plant wildflowers in the UK with My Square Metre.”
On garden size, Ed says: “The larger your garden, the more chances there are of wildflowers either already blooming or the potential to grow more. Getting started is so easy, simply dig over soil removing as much grass as possible, scatter a suitable mix of seeds and rake in before watering, being wild, the flowers do their own thing and you can expect to see growth rather quickly.
“You can then cut them down to about 8cm tall in late Autumn, and remove the cuttings.”
Ranked areas in terms of amount of garden space in m2:
On sunshine, Ed adds: “It should come as no surprise that the sun does wonders for wildflowers. A combination of daylight and rain is always a great mix for any growing conditions, but those extra rays really help wildflowers to thrive.”
Sunniest Cities: Sunshine per day on average:
https://britishbusinessenergy.co.uk/blog/sunshine-duration-the-sunniest-cities-in-the-uk-and-europe
Commenting on pollution, Ed says: “Pollution is bad news for all of us of course, but it can stunt and even stop the growth of wildflowers simply because industrial activity can contaminate soil and water that the plants rely on to grow. Having said that, planting wildflowers in these areas will mean C02 is absorbed and the plants will return to the soil, so it’s always worth planting out seeds.”
Least polluted cities and regions: Based on AQI-US rating (the lower number being a higher rating):
B-Lines:
Based on Bug Life’s B-Line map, which charts how many clear routes there are within the area that bees and insects can migrate safely from green area to green area.
B-Lines
