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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Paul Simons

Plantwatch: Cities make a surprising refuge for threatened UK wildflowers

A train on a bridge over a canal
Cities have a wide variety of specialised habitats and help wildflowers by keeping down competition from other plants such as grasses. Photograph: Nicola Ferrari/Alamy

Wildflowers are having a rough time in the countryside, mostly from the onslaught of intensive farming with fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides and less grazing. On top of that, there are building developments, competition from invasive plant species and the climate crisis to contend with.

The UK has lost 97% of its wildflower meadows over the last century and over half of the country’s native flowers have been in decline for 70 years.

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