WORK has started to plant up an empty space with wild flowers in Watchet in a pilot scheme that will be trialled for a year.
Over 200 plants, plugs and seeds of species mostly native to the are, are being put into an empty bank at West Street car park, to provide colour and beauty, and help wildlife.
The scheme followed a campaign by some residents in the town to get the use of a weedkiller banned on the land – but when it failed, the idea took off to grow wildflowers instead.
The trial land is being planted up by Watchet resident Ione Harris and Liz Passmore, of Carhampton, with the support of Watchet Conservation Society and permission from Watchet Town Council.
Now the volunteers have just been awarded a grant of £350 by the Harbour Community Bookshop, to buy even more flowers for planting.
“We’re putting in lots of things such as foxgloves, teasels, grasses, primroses, poppies, knapweed,” said Ione.
“We’re getting a really positive reaction and we want to try and have flowers and plants as the seasons progress.
“We’re trying everything that grows locally, so we have white and purple violets, cowslips, sedge grasses, wild strawberries, and hope to have things like orchids in the autumn.
“As you come down the hill from Blue Anchor into Watchet, we aim for there to be a blaze of wildflowers as a welcome to Watchet. We’ll also plant bulbs for spring, in the autumn. It’s all so exciting,” she said.
The scheme is being undertaken with support from Watchet Conservation Society, including public liability insurance, and will be trialled for a year.