Euroflor Meadow Makers – Solihull CC, West Midlands

The visual and financial success of a Euroflor urban meadow flower planting scheme at a public park in the West Midlands is spurring the local council to consider the further widespread use of the flowers for other open spaces and highway verges in the borough.

In Solihull, West Midland, Amey’s regional groundscare contracts operation undertook a sowing of the Euroflor Sarah Bouquet urban meadow flower seed mixture. ““By sowing the urban flower mix in an area that is traditionally grass and cut by Amey 18 times a year, stated Tom Gibbon, we’ve created a visually impressive display that has transformed an area of usually dull grassland that attracted many complimentary comments. It has reduced the cutting frequency down to just once a year and the scheme has generated significant reductions in the carbon footprint of the park’s maintenance regime.

He adds: “This change to open space management practice makes sound economic sense but also makes Solihull’s parks a pleasanter place to visit.”

Councilor Ken Hawkins, Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Housing & Regeneration, said: “The flowers have transformed an area which was previously short grass and has provided an excellent bed of colour on which park users have complimented us. Thanks to Amey’s idea, we now hope to sow more seeds next year to make our parks even more attractive for people and wildlife – to support of our aim of managing all of our open spaces to Green Flag Award standard.”

Tom Gibbon
Amey Regional Contracts Manager
Solihull
West Midlands