This is a large private estate in Somerset which has attracted quite a bit of media coverage lately because the owner has created a 2 acre wild flower meadow out of old derelict farm land over the last two years or so. Abandoned buildings have been removed and the land worked on to make it suitable for planting wildflower seeds. This summer and up to the end of August visitors are invited to walk round the field on pathways kept for the purpose to admire this remarkable collection.
I visited last weekend and was surprised to see so many plants still in flower and more so the range of plants. There are some non native plants.
As a visual spectacle it certainly has the wow factor in big measure.
I recommend you visit before it is all over for this year.
Click here for a link. If that doesn't work use this URL: http://barcrofthall.co.uk
This is the first year for this project and next year may be different and without in any way detracting from this achievement there may be ways in which it can be made even more interesting and wildlife friendly. I should add the conservationist have a wide rang of views on what they consider good practice so my views may not be the only way to go. I think you have to see it for yourself and then we can comment. Bearing in mind that if it wasn't for the private owner there would not be anything except derelict farm buildings to comment on.
For your interest here is a list of some of the flower growing on the field but not necessarily in flower for your visit in August:
Details taken from the Barcroft web site ( any errors in transcribing the list especially in spelling will be mine!)
Ammobium alatum Winged everlasting
Brachyscome iberidifolia Swan River daisy
Calendula arvensis Calendula
Chrysanthemum carinatum Chrysanthemum
Cladanthus arabicus Palm Springs daisy
Clarkia amoena Farewell to spring
Collinsia bicolor Chinese houses
Consolida regalis Forking larkspur
Convolvulus tricolor Morning glory
Coreopsis basalis Golden Mane
Coreopsis tinctoria Plains Coreopsis
Cosmos bipinnatus Cosmos
Cosmos sulphureus Sulphur Cosmos
Cynoglossum amabile Chinese forgrt-me-not
Daucus carota Wild carrot
Delphinium ajacis Wild dephinium
Didiscus caerulea Silver scabious
Echium vulgare Viper’s bugloss
Eschscholtzia californica Californian poppy
Gaillardia aristata Blanket Flower
Gaillardia pulchella Indian blanket
Gilia capitata Blue field gilia
Gilia tricolor Birds eye gilia
Gypsophila muralis Baby’s breath
Helichrysum monstrosum Dwarf everlasting flower
Helipterum roseum Paper flower
Iberis amara Dwarf candytuft
Iberis umbellata Candytuft
Delphinium consolida Larkspur
Lasthenia Californica California goldfields
Lavatera Trimestris Rose mallow
Leontodon hispidus Rough hawkbit
Linaria maroccana Spurred snapdragon
Linum grandiflorum Scarlet flax
Linum usitatissimum Blue flax
Lomas inodora Yellow ageratum
Nemophila menziesii Baby blue eyes
Origanum majorana Origano
Nolana paradoxa Wild bird
Papaver rhoeas Poppy
Phacelia Campanularia Californian bluebell
Phacelia Tanacetifolia Lacy phacelia
Ratibida columnifera Prairie coneflowers
Scabiosa columbaria Scabious
Silene vulgaris Catchfly
Tolpis barbata Umbrella milkwort
Ursinia anethoides Ursinia
Venidium fastuosum Cape daisy
Viscaria occulta Blue angel
Agrostemma githago Corncockle
Chrysanthemum segetum Corn marigold
Xeranthemum annuum Everlasting flower
Zinnia elegans Zinnia
Anthemis Arvensis Corn Chamomile
Ammi majus Queen Anne’s lace
Centaurea cyanus Cornflower
Clarkia unguiculata Mountain Garland
