Biodiversity is receiving a boost in the city, thanks to Worcester City Council's wild flower planting programme.
"Wildflowers help to make Worcester look beautiful. However they are also important because they support bees and other insects which pollinate plants," explains Cllr Andy Stafford, Vice Chair of Worcester City Council's Environment Committee.
"Many of our favourite fruits, vegetables and nuts rely on insect pollination."
The authority has been planting wildflowers by Croft Road car park and in the city's popular parks for some time. This year councillors suggested a number of additional sites and in the Spring, wildflower seeds were planted at the following locations:
A4440 Broomhall Way orbital: land on north side of the A4440, between the Ketch roundabout and the rear of Hydrangea Close.
Battenhall Park: land between the rear of Ransom Avenue and Battenhall Rise.
Newtown Green: land behind Ronkswood Community Centre and Worcester Woods.
A38 Droitwich Road arterial: land on eastern side of A38 between John Comyn Drive and Bilford Road.
Woodgreen Drive: roundabout main thoroughfare by Plantation Drive.
Hastings Drive: roundabout by Stafford Avenue.
Tallow Hill car park.
A different mix of wildflowers has been planted at each site to create a variety of species and colours.
The island at the end of City Walls Rd near St Martins Gate, which the City Council planted with wildflowers for the second year running, looks particularly stunning this year.
The City Council plans to increase the number of sites where it plants wildflowers in 2020. Soil type, soil fertility, shading, exposure to the sun, driver visibility and accessibility are all issues which are taken in to account when new locations are selected.
The authority is also trialing a reduction in the frequency which some grass areas are mowed, to allow natural meadow to flourish.
"Protecting the environment is a top priority for the City Council," continued Cllr Stafford.
"As well as planting more wildflowers, we recently banned the purchase of single use plastic in our organisation, installed solar panels on the roof of St. Martinsgate car park and joined Severn Trent's water Refill scheme.
"Later in the summer we will also be installing more recycling points and solar powered bins in the city centre."
