Urban meadow flower seed mixes play key role in ‘Transforming our Spaces’ project

By Alistair March 11, 2020 07:17 Updated

Rigby Taylor’s Euroflor urban meadow flower seed mixes have played a key role in the success of Electricity North West’s ‘Transforming our Spaces’ project by revamping substations throughout the region with spectacular displays of colour from flower mixes that also attract a host of pollinators.

The colourful displays produced by the Euroflor seed mixes (from Top Green, the largest seed producer in Europe) also drew laudatory comments from the local communities as well as council officials and MPs.

For example, commenting on one site, Copeland MP Trudy Harrison said: “Electricity North West has planted what was previously grassland, requiring regular and costly maintenance, into a beautiful and environmentally beneficial wildflower oasis…This is an economic, environmental and social win, win, win project which should be replicated all over the UK.”

Angie Thornton, Electricity North West’s Groundworks Delivery Manager, who is heading up the scheme, said: “We are all absolutely delighted with the results; the sites truly have been transformed from what used to be eyesores into beautifully vibrant areas for the local communities to take pride in and spaces for revitalising insects and wildlife.

“Substations aren’t always aesthetically pleasing but they are a key part of the electricity network. The project has been extremely well received by the communities and residents are keen to get involved and replant flowers in the future.”

Eight substations were initially targeted last year and working closely with Rigby Taylor, an established supplier of amenity supplies to the electricity board (supplying the Icade, Chikara and Gallup Biograde herbicides, for example), various Euroflor urban meadow flower mixes were selected.

Electricity North West show off the revamped substation in Egremont which now has wild flowers, bug hotels, bird feeders and planters with MP Trudy Harrison and Councillor Sam Pollen.

These included Rainbow Perennials and Flora Britannica from Euroflor’s Project Pollin-8 range specifically designed to attract pollinators while also delivering high visual impact. The displays lasted through the summer and into October and November.

Howard Wood, Top Green’s Euroflor consultant, presented classroom and on-site workshops to help guide the grounds staff in the preparation and maintenance of the flower beds, which in some cases also utilised the ‘lay down and plant’ FloraFleece biodegradable matting Euroflor option, which eliminates the need for extensive soil preparation. Bird feeders and bug hotels were also installed in some cases.

Electricity North West’s ‘Transforming our Spaces’ project will return this year with the continued support from Rigby Taylor.