Managing the Greens

Managing the Greens for Wildlife

A key aim of the project was to encourage more wild flowers growing on the wilder parts of the village greens, and a survey of the six greens identified 74 species of flowering plants and 19 of grasses. This sounds like a lot, but in practice many are never seen in flower. In 2010 the school were involved in planting a wildflower garden, to link in with and provide petals for the Well Dressing. Following on from this the enhancement of the greens for wildflowers was concentrated on a small part of Well Green , between the well and the footbridge. In 2011 the area was roped off and 500 pluglants planted. These were all species which were known to occur locally. See what we planted and where we put them below. Yellow rattle seed was also scattered, and this will be repeated in 2013. Rattle is a hemi parasite which suppresses the growth of grasses. It is hoped that this, together with mowing of the grass at least twice a year, (but not between May and September) and removal of the mowings will encourage the plants to flower, set seed and spread.

Chapel Green also had a smaller number of plants put in in 2010, and the mowing of the banks on the green was reduced to allow both the new and existing plants to set seed and flower. Where resources allow , docks and thistles have been removed by hand.