Pickering Wildflower Verges

Pickering’s blossoming wildflower project: the story so far

Pickering Environment Group have been working with Pickering Town Council to take action to manage verges in a way that supports wildflowers and other wildlife, by cutting just twice per year and collecting the clippings.

A trial along Middleton Road has been ongoing for three years now and has proved very successful, with over 30 species of native wildflowers and grasses appearing there last year: an impressive

400% increase in biodiversity, for minimal effort (and expense).

The Town Council have now agreed to expand the areas of verge managed in this way. The wildflower verge along Middleton Road will be doubled in size (to include the whole bank) and a new area of verge along the A170 – the wide part of the verge next to Keld Head Pond – will be managed using a similar approach. Other Town and Parish Councils in Ryedale are starting to take similar action, which is great news.