Residents want wildflowers across the town

SUGGESTIONS for wildflower havens have been brought to Wiltshire Council’s attention, with many residents wanting them planted all over the town. 

In the last issue of White Horse News issue 701, Wiltshire Council asked residents to identify areas which would be suitable to plant wildflowers, to create diversity for bees and insects. 

The suggestions White Horse News received included: • Raised flower beds in the centre of courtyards behind the mill flats next to the swimming pool. • Adjacent courtyard just behind the dentist surgery – it is covered in pigeon poo and dirty bricks. Maybe involve local schools in the planting; plenty of children use it as a thoroughfare on their way to swimming. • Also, will Linden Homes replant the side of the lake?  • Along the new estates at the lake for the geese and ducks and along the A350. • In pots around the Market Place, in the church yard (the church in Corsham near Corsham Court has a wild garden as a very lovely example). • On the top of bus stops. • Mane Way into Leigh Park has an area of poppies and wild daisy, these should be left! • Everywhere! 

Cllr Janet Parker, who is actively campaigning for wildflowers in the town said, “I think the suggestions sent in are fabulous!  I am currently working on a proposal to put forward to the town council and then Wiltshire Council, who I know are also considering wildflower planting, and I want to make sure Westbury is included in any plans.    

“I will include these suggestions and if people have any more, then I would love to know. They can contact me directly on my council email address at janet.parker@ westburytowncouncil.gov.uk.”

Cllr Ian Cunningham, who recently had a motion accepted at Westbury Town Council for the provision of bee and insect-friendly planting in town council-owned planters and beds said, “They all sound like great ideas, but of course we don’t own or manage any of these sites, so we could only ‘support’ or hint to others that they could do this.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesperson said, “We have received a large response from the public with various suggestions on creating environments suitable for wild flowers. We are currently assessing these suggestions to identify locations that are possibly feasible. Generally, these are likely to be rural verges in the first instance but as we move forward, we will look at possibilities in urban environments.”