Grow British to protect native species

Grow British, that's the message from British Wild Flower Plants (BWFPs) whose 'Grow British' initiative, was launched at Saltex.

Anxious to preserve our indigenous wild flower species, the specialist nursery is extolling landscapers, local authorities, designers and architects of outdoor spaces to examine the source of all so-called native plants to check for authenticity.

"Many wild flower varieties are either imported or developed from cultivated seed stock," says BWFPs marketing manager Ian Forster "and this can put our own native species under threat. I suppose the most obvious example of this is the Spanish Bluebell, which is now cross breeding with our British variety and in danger of wiping it out."

Other, examples include coloured primroses, which can now be seen growing in the countryside and are obviously the result of cross breeding between our native primroses and the cultivated varieties. "What we would like to see is a voluntary planting policy introduced by anyone involved in the design of environmentally friendly open spaces," Forster continues. "Not only will this go a long way to saving our native species, but in the long term it's highly practical. Our indigenous species have been around since the ice age, they're extremely tough and far more likely to adapt and survive climate change than any plant that's imported."

For further information contact British Wild Flower Plants on Tel: 01603 716615 or visit their website at: www.wildflowers.co.uk