seed collecting 2011

Seed collecting has proved a fascinating new craze and my box of collected seed is bulging!

Each seed is distinctly different and fascinating to look at closely.

Seed of the cowslip (primula veris) looks round and black as it is shaken from the dried seed pods, but magnified it looks more like gravel as you can see. Cowslips have simple flowers that long-tongued bumble bees especially can enjoy. We will sow the seed in drills on the allotment and then transplant the seedlings to their new home in places where the ground is more moist.

We've collected the majority of the seeds, but indulgent friends have also contributed.

Here's my list (in no sort of order) so far.....

Common name	Latin name	Habitat	Notes
Bluebell	Hyacinthoides non-scripta	Woodland	For broadcasting in woodland
Yellow scabious		Garden	For sowing in drills
	Aquilega	Hedgerow/garden	Broadcast along hedgerow
Weld	Reseda lutiola		Broadcast along hedgerow
Foxglove	Gigitalis purpurea	Woodland/hedgerow	Broadcast in woodland and along hedgerow
Red Campion	Silene dioica	Woodland/hedgerow	Broadcast in woodland and along hedgerow Sown in trays and planted out as plugs
White Campion	Silene alba	Woodland/hedgerow	For sowing in drills
Bladder Campion	Silene vulgaris	Woodland/hedgerow	For sowing in drills
Welsh poppies	Mecenopsis cambrica	Garden	For garden
Welsh poppies (orange)	Mecenopsis cambrica	Garden	For garden
Opium poppies	Papaver somniferum	Garden	For sowing in drills
Californian poppies	Eschscholzia californica	Garden	For sowing in drills
	Camassia (white)	Meadow/garden	For sowing in drills
Ox eye daisies	Leucanthemum vulgarae	meadow	For adding to meadow mix
Pot marigold ‘Art shades mixed’	Calendula	Garden	For broadcast in garden and in orchard
	Phacelia	Garden	Broadcast in orchard
Cowslip	Primula veris	Meadow/garden	For sowing in drills
Greater knapweed	Centaurea scabiosa	Meadow edge	For sowing in drills
	Astrantia	garden	For sowing in drills
	Stipa gigantea	garden	Tray sown For sowing in drills
Bee orchid	Ophrys apifera	Meadow/hedgerow	Broadcast in grass along hedge
Yellow (Hay) Rattle	Rhinanthus minor	Meadow/grassland	Broadcast in grass along hedge
Honeysuckle	Lonicera pericyclemenum	Woodland	Tray sown
Parsnip		Vegetable garden
Field beans		Vegetable garden

As I've said before, the ecological assessment of the site disappointingly noted that there was nothing of particular interest.

Our aim is to increase the overall biodiversity by first of all increasing the range of plants in site. None of the above occur on the site at the moment. If we can raise many of them to maturity, and continue to add insect friendly plants, in years to come we should have increased the floral diversity considerably.

Left - ox-eye daisy (leucanthemum vulgarae) is a beautiful 'pioneer' species of grassland occurring early in a  meadow's life. Its simple flowers are typical of the kind that invertebrates find most useful. This year was an exceptional one for ox-eye daisies and they flowered in profusion from May to late July. This seed will be added to a meadow mix and will hopefully be broadcast in the autumn.