OUGD603 - Brief 5 - Live Brief - Conscious Creatives - Wildflower and Fungi Exhibition - Wildflower research

Wildflower Research 

Wildflowers

- Butterflies and bees attracted to wildflowers
- provide pollen and nectar
- insects fertilise the plants , seed and fruit production would drop without them
- Native species with open structured flowers good for bees and Buddlea is loved by butterflies
- Overbred plants that are often large have few flowers, which are not suitable for attracting lots of insects as they hold little pollen
- e.g. foxgloves, bluebells and crocus's
- the most effective plants are those which provide pollen and nectar for a long season e.g. Crocus, Mahonia, Michaelmas Daisy, Sedum Spectabile and ivy
- long grass area of wildflowers provides butterflies with nectar for feeding
- modern agriculture and the use of herbicides, chemicals and land clearance has meant the loss of habitat of wildflower and grassland areas
- bees and hoverflies use grasslands for nectar and pollen
- grasshoppers and crickets are endangered in some parts because of the decline in this habitat
- common blue, meadow brown and grasshoppers in decline

Wildlife Corridors

- small scale interventions are important for limited space but it needs to be considered on a city scale also
- green infrastructure works best when joined together to form a wider network
- components in cities that provide ecosystem services include, open spaces, natural areas, urban woodland and parks,green streets, squares, sustainable drainage systems, rivers and waterways , cycle paths and paths, greenroofs, walls and facades
- green infrastructure aims to link and create new components 
- small spaces can include both nature and people / cars 
- anyone can plant up an area which will provide for wildlife, increase health and reduce floods 
- pulling up paving stones, having window boxes, planting front gardens and changing grey community areas
- people may have small gardens individually but this adds up to a large green space of approx 25% of land in cities 
- provides habitats for wildlife
- can have a large garden or window box, anyone with outdoor space can make a difference
- plant pockets are made from environmentally friendly material and hold wildflower seeds. They can be moved around to form a green surface on new and existing roofs.
- a strip of natural habitat connecting populations of wildlife otherwise separated by cultivated land, roads, etc.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHZL_enGB734GB734&ei=cmSFXNqdCLCj1fAPwaaxsA0&q=define+wildlife+corridors&oq=define+wildlife+corridors&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i30.20923.21937..22461...0.0..0.82.470.7......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j0i13j0i7i30j0i8i7i30.zKErHIsSPschttps://www.arup.com/publications/research/section/cities-alive-rethinking-green-infrastructure 

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/biodiversity-in-urban-environments

https://www.rhs.org.uk/communities/pdf/Greener-Streets/greening-grey-britain-report.pdf 
https://eden.uktv.co.uk/nature/green/article/attract-wildlife-to-your-garden/
https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/gardening-in-a-changing-world/greening-grey-britain/urban-planting
https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/conservation-biodiversity/wildlife/encourage-wildlife-to-your-garden
https://www.thompson-morgan.com/encouraging-wildlife-in-my-garden
https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/gardening-for-wildlife/creating-a-wildlife-friendly-garden