Why do our expensive seeds fail when weeds never seem to? Often it’s because conditions are not exactly suitable despite our best efforts.  Sometimes though, when everything is just right, weed seeds will make a mockery of our efforts to destroy the countryside. Flower-rich haymeadows are one of the most endangered habitats anywhere threatened by modern farming practice, which sees wildflowers as ‘weeds’, and development alike.

    Wild plants will quickly gain a foothold wherever the soil is left open after disturbance see how quickly. Flanders poppies covered the ground during the disruption of the First World War.
    The same sort of thing happened in North Somerset when the Bristol to Portishead A369 road was diverted at St Georges Hill to accommodate the M5 motorway junction at the Gordano service area many years ago [c. 1971]. A half-mile stretch of new road was cut through a field to straighten and widen the old one. The highway authority may have originally sown some grass to cover the mess, but even if that was the case it’s doubtful that the mixture included any wildflowers. Unfortunately two local government reorganisations later records have been lost, and memory fades.

    Gradually as the conditions settled weeds started to establish themselves amongst the grass on the verges. As with any such site dandelions, thistles and other windblown seeds would have been the first, followed by heavier ones like ash and sycamore. Later those carried by birds resulted with bramble and hawthorn being prominent. For 20 years the site was left virtually undisturbed. The whole area was gradually developing into a long and narrow woodland, as the trees grew taller and thicker.  Apart from mowing the regulation metre-wide strip next to the tarmac and a swathe to provide sight-lines at junctions, no management has ever been undertaken by the councils. At other sites along the route to Bristol trees now meet overhead in a leafy tunnel!

    About ten years ago I was excited to realise that some of the plants were primroses and cowslips common enough in South Devon perhaps, but now quite a rarity locally. What was also evident was that more robust plants were overrunning the flowers. To prevent this, small areas were cleared every year by hand. The flowers thrived. Spurred on by the success larger areas were mowed annually. A side effect of removing the debris was that conditions started to change as the nutrient levels dropped. More flowers began to establish as the conditions slowly altered. There are now all sorts of meadow plants gracing the banks after the spring flowers die back including several varieties of orchids.

    All of the plants found have established themselves naturally, apart from some fruit trees that have obviously grown from discarded apple cores Royal Gala thrives here! As time passed more and more people began to notice the flowers and to appreciate them. Now a growing team of volunteers spends time every autumn and winter making sure that the wildflowers can continue to delight passers-by every spring and summer. Not all the trees and brambles are removed; some areas are left to mature, whilst the meadows are maintained between. This way as diverse and varied a range of habitats as possible is being conserved.

    For the first time a complete survey was undertaken in 1991. Initial results are encouraging; despite being alongside a route that is daily brought to a standstill with commuter traffic the range of wildlife continues to increase. One 50-metre stretch holds at least 50 species of plant. By May 2005 increased expertise in identification had raised the total on the site to something like 270 [including fungi]! Badger, rabbit and smaller mammals are much in evidence though unfortunately more at risk from the traffic! A surprising variety of birds and insects [especially Marbled White butterfly and Cinnabar Moth] is regularly found, mostly unaffected by the lorries and cars thundering by. A thorough survey of invertebrates is planned for 2006.

    What is most exciting is the realisation that, despite the destruction caused by the building of new roads and the increase in traffic, wild things will re-colonise. On a site like this the number of vehicles appears to have little effect, in fact it seems to have a positive side in that there are virtually no pedestrians and even fewer dogs to disturb the wildlife. The emissions from the traffic may not be totally beneficial to those working on the verge, though there are no indications that the plants are affected. The endangered wildflowers have been conserved.

    With the encouragement and support of the District and Parish Councils, a Millennium Conservation award ** and a grant from YANSEC (from the Landfill Credit Tax), work continues and the site has expanded as much as possible, the potential is almost unlimited. Travellers will be able to enjoy the wonderful stands of flowers on their way to and fro, especially when stationary in a traffic jam [a regular occurrence]. Some may even be encouraged to undertake their own project when they realise that the weeds are in fact wonderful wildflowers.

NOTE

EXCEPTIONS

·          Pearl’s Patch [Opposite the top of Rectory Road and the old Easton school] has indigenous trees funded by Ron Painton in memory of his wife.

·          Non-native American Elm trees, which are totally resistant to Dutch Elm Disease, have been planted near to the junction of St. George’s Hill with the A369 as a memorial to Valerie Price, John Smales and ‘Jock’ Wilson. These trees replace native English Elms that now cannot survive more than a few years.

St Georges Flower Bank depends on donations and grants

We are supported by ;

North Somerset Council, Easton-in-Gordano Parish Council, Portbury Parish Council, Y.A.N.S.E.C,

Rees Jeffreys Road Fund

Bristol Zoo Gardens Millennium Awards for Conservation

With thanks to ;

Agresso Ltd, Bob Ansell, BBC Radio Bristol, Bristol Evening Post, Brackenwood Garden Centre, Camilla Cooke, Dick Jones, Gordano Footpath Group, HSBC, Joan Smale, Lodway Service Station, Nigel Price, Nigel Coombes, North Somerset Mercury, North Somerset Garden Machinery, North Somerset Times, The Squeegee Gang, Pill and District Gardening Club, Pill Paper, Pill Rag, Ron Painton, Rupert Higgins

and the public of Pill and surrounding areas.

PHOTO CREDITS

Botanical survey by Rupert Higgins [Wessex Ecological Consultancy(Sept 2004)]

The survey confirmed the continued importance of the road verges for plants, in particular species of unimproved limestone grassland.  A total of 157 species was recorded** - an outstanding figure for a relatively small site. Outstanding amongst these species are those that are restricted to unimproved grassland, that is, grassland that has not been treated with fertilisers or herbicides. Such grassland has become extremely rare, largely as a result of agricultural intensification. Road verges now provide an important refuge for these plants, particularly where cuttings expose nutrient-poor subsoils.  At St. George’s such species include several identified in the ‘Flora of the Bristol Region’ as being ‘Avon Notable Species’ plants with a very localised distribution locally. The populations of all these species are large and healthy. Other grassland indicator species are also present in high quantities.

An incomplete invertebrate survey revealed the presence of species associated with unimproved grassland such as Common Blue butterfly, Grass Rivulet and Small Yellow Underwing. Marbled White Butterfly and Cinnabar Moth are two species regularly seen at other times. A thorough survey of invertebrates will be undertaking during 2006.

** nearly 240 species of plant have been recorded on the site, though many of these would not be in evidence during September.

About ... Robert Buck - St. George’s Flower Bank, Pill, North Somerset

Rob identified the importance of the roadside verges for wildlife, local people and passing motorists. The verge along the A369 near the M5 and Easton in Gordano has already been enhanced with some planting and clearing. This project enabled more planting, habitat management and the monitoring and recording of species.

Rob developed his skills in habitat management.
Significant improvement was made in the diversity and quality of wildflowers, including bee orchids.
Some members of the local community got involved in helping with the work.
A display in the Pill Community Centre, and with people passing the site, generated a huge number of positive comments on the improvements made.
The equipment used for the habitat management purchased with the award has been made available to the community for other uses, in addition to the continued management of the site.
"This award has really helped us to develop our flower bank, not just to preserve endangered plants but to give great enjoyment to locals and passing traffic alike." Rob Buck

Avon Notable Species	no 1 - 9
Grassland Indicator Species	no 4 - 33

1.	Danish scurvy-grass	Cochlearia danica
2.	Upright pearlwort	Sagina apetala
3.	Smooth tare	Vicia tetrasperma
4.	Pyramidal orchid	Anacamptis pyramidalis
5.	Carline thistle	Carlina vulgaris
6.	Hybrid orchid	Dactylorhiza x grandis
7.	Blue fleabane	Erigeron acer
8.	Common gromwell	Lithospermum officinale
9.	Bee orchid	Ophrys apifera
10.	Agrimony	Agrimonia eupatoria
11.	Upright brome	Bromopsis erecta
12.	Glaucous sedge	Carex flacca
13.	Black knapweed	Centaurea nigra
14.	Greater knapweed	Centaurea scabiosa
15.	Centaury	Centaurium erythraea
16.	Common spotted orchid	Dactylorhiza fuchsii
17.	Wild carrot	Daucus carota
18.	Spring whitlow-grass	Erophila verna
19.	Sheep's fescue	Festuca ovina
20.	Meadow fescue	Festuca pratensis
21.	Ploughman's spikenard	Inula conyzae
22.	Field scabious	Knautia arvensis
23.	Meadow vetchling	Lathyrus pratensis
24.	Lesser hawkbit	Leontodon saxatile
25.	Ox-eye daisy	Leucanthemum vulgare
26.	Purging flax	Linum catharticum
27.	Bird's-foot trefoil	Lotus corniculatus
28.	Field woodrush	Luzula campestris
29.	Creeping restharrow	Ononis repens
30.	Hay rattle	Rhinanthus minor
31.	Hoary ragwort	Seencio erucifolius
32.	Yellow oat-grass	Trisetum flavescens
33.	Cowslip	Primula veris

28 species of fungus have also been identified

brown roll rim	Paxillus involucratus
common inkcap	Coprinus atramentarius
deceiver	Laccaria laccata
Deer Shield	Pluteus cervinus
dryad’s saddle	Polyporus squamosus
Egghead mottlegill	Panaeolus semiovatus
Glistening ink cap	Coprinus micaceus
Ivory funnel cap	Clitocybe dealbata
Lilac bonnet	Mycena pura
multi zoned bracket	Coriolus versicolor
pleated inkcap	Coprinus plicatilis
Poison pie	Hebeloma cristuliniforme
shaggy inkcap	Coprinus comatus
Spring field cap	Agrocybe praecox
stinking dapperling	Lepiota cristata
Sulphur tuft	Hypholoma fasciculare
toothed cup	Tarzetta cupularis
verdigris mushroom	Stropharia aeruginosa
winter polypore	Polyporus brumalis
Wood blewit	Lepista nuda
Yellow stainer	Agarius xanthodermus
{	Conocybe sp.
{	Garoderma sp.
No Common {	Lactaris controversus
English names {	Lepiota leucothites
{	Melanikeuca arcuata
{	Panaeolus rickenii