One of the activities of the Conservation Action for Nature volunteers this summer has been collecting yellow rattle seeds from National Trust fields and then sowing it in local parks and other areas, in order to create new meadows. We are creating new meadow areas in parks, including Innox Park in Twerton and Kensington Meadows and there will be more. Our partnership means that we can bring together the skills (and seed!) of the National Trust and Avon Wildlife Trust to work alongside and in coordination with Bath & NE Somerset Council’s Parks Department and other landowners.
The reason for concentrating on yellow rattle is because it’s a semi-parasite, which removes the nutrients from the adjoining grasses and soil, this creates the correct conditions for wildflowers to grow. An unexpected bonus is how much fun it is – as you can see from the seed-sowing dance!
