Helping to restore nature with 5 more wildflower areas

We’ve expanded our Wilder Verges project to include 5 more wildflower areas that will support wildlife and increase biodiversity in the city.

They can be found on the Bristol Estate, Queensway, Finsbury Road/Southover Street junction, Marine Drive near Roedean Cafe and Greenfield Crescent.

Wilder Verges involves managing carefully selected grass verges for wildflowers to provide habitats for wildlife, particularly pollinating insects, which are in decline. There are now 29 Wilder Verges across the city and we aim to increase this number each year.

Involving residents to create wildflower areas

Where appropriate, paths are mown in and around the wildlife verges to create space for walking and enable people to get up close to the flowers and insects they support.

Residents help to identify sites, which are then evaluated for their suitability as a wilder verge – taking into consideration their current status, potential for nature benefits and location in relation to other wildlife areas.

These new sites are part of a strategy to connect wildflower areas to create the greatest impact for biodiversity.  

Improving management to increase biodiversity

Councillor Tim Rowkins, Cabinet member for Net Zero and Environmental Services, said: “I’m thrilled to announce the expansion of this scheme with 5 new wildflower areas, together with management to improve the diversity of species and a plan for future years. This will bring native Sussex species into our neighbourhoods, including a few surprises - we’ve already had orchids springing up in some areas.

“This summer, our wildflower verges and banks have been teeming with bees, butterflies and beetles, but if they’re not managed correctly, they can become dominated by grass and other plants such as nettles. We’re taking a strategic approach to these areas so they can be managed in the best way for wildflowers, and ensure new ones are put into places that have the biggest impact for nature as part of a wildflower network.”

The council’s City Parks teams have been working with community volunteers from the Brighton & Hove Wildlife Forum and local residents’ groups to manage some of the verges. As a result, we have different mowing regimes in these areas to maximise the opportunities for wildflowers.

As the project develops, we are exploring further improved management of existing and new sites through the removal of grass cuttings and other plant material. These materials nourish the soil as they decompose, which favours dominant species like nettle and bramble, leading in turn to lower biodiversity. Reducing the nutrients in the soil creates ideal conditions for a wider range of wildflowers to flourish as they can get established and spread more easily without competition from faster-growing plants like grasses.

New sites being explored

Surveys carried out following a pilot 4 years ago showed an increase in pollinator or downland species on almost half of the sites, with 70% of the verges recording a pollinator or downland species not seen in the pre-project survey.

Volunteers from Brighton & Hove Wildlife Forum are carrying out surveys this year on potential new sites. These will be assessed in the autumn with a view to adding another 5 sites next summer.

From 2026 we will be looking for more potential sites for nature, including a public call for suggestions and an online map showcasing the range of wildlife and nature areas across the city.

More information

Wilder Verges is a partnership project initiated by The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere. Find out more about The Living Coast.

Discover Wilder Verges - The Living Coast.