We Need Our Wildflowers
It's a well-documented fact that our habitats are disappearing - hay meadows, woodlands and wetlands. The reasons are simple but the knock on effects may be devastating. Flowers need insects for pollination - insects need flowers for food. Some birds feed on insects as well as flower seed and we need insects to pollinate the flowers of our food - peas, broad beans, and apples as some examples.

Why Native Wildflowers?
Using native wildflowers in planting schemes helps slow the trend of habitat destruction and creates a food and home base for insects, birds, and mammals. It can also be beneficial to us because it helps to increase awareness of our natural heritage and its importance to us. Wildflowers can create a sense of well being within the local community.

Projects
A few of our recent consultancy projects are outlined below:g;cx;cvkkncklndl.l.c

Ormeau Park, Belfast
Toomebridge, Co. Antrim: re-seeding verges and swales
Over a period of three years a new bridge and by-pass were built around the town of Toomebridge, Co. Antrim. Prior to the extensive construction work we used our brush harvester to collect wildflower seed from Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) in the locality. This seed was used as a resource for re-sowing the new road verges and banks. We also collected reeds to grow for cuttings to be planted in to the new swales. This is the first time in Northern Ireland that local provenance material was used for creating a wildlife connector in a major civil engineering scheme. The project has been successful - yellow rattle and other main indicator species have established.

Toomebridge bypass - before re-seeding
Fofanny, Mourne Mountains: 'living' roof on water treatment plant
Construiction of a new water treatment plant in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) meant that the Water Service had to skilfully design it to blend in with the surrounding countryside. Ecoseeds was engaged as consultant and provider of seed and plant material. Seed collection was carried out by hand and using our brush harvester. We created 21 trial panels and worked in partnership with Greenmount Agricultural College using a range of variables in the test plots. We devised and recommended a planting solution from the results of these tests. We used hydroseeding to ensure successful establishment. We grew and planted 5,000 heather plants from cuttings taken from a nearby ASSI. We also grew and planted 4,000 other plug plants originating from seed collected from ASSIs in Northern Ireland. The project has been successful - heather and other wildflower species have established on the site.

Fofanny water treatment plant - during construction
Kilroot Power Station, Co. Antrim: stabilising pulverised fuel ash
A large storage facility that required stabilisation against wind and water erosion. We surveyed the area noting plants that had begun to naturally colonise around the site and selected a custom seed mixture based on these. By introducing mycorrhizal Glomusintraradices isolated from a PFA spoil bank we helped to kick start the growth process. Hydroseeding was used because of the sloping site. We also developed a specialised liquid feeding programme for the site. This was a pilot project.

Pulverised fuel ash heap - before stabilising

Pulverised fuel ash heap - after stabilising
Ecoseeds
Tel: 028 4488 1227
Email: info@ecoseeds.co.uk