Group brightens up park with flowers

Volunteers from the group - which hosts walks in the Peak District every weekend, along with several monthly social events - sowed the seeds on a grassy area at the top of The Steel Steps, behind Sheffield railway station.

In spring, corn poppies, corn cockles, meadow buttercups, oxeye daisies and many other wild flowers will come into bloom.

The walking group sowed the seeds as part of a Grow Wild UK scheme, which is run by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and supported by the Big Lottery Fund.

It is the second time the group has taken part in the annual initiative and this year’s sowing should ‘top up’ the flowers there that proved popular with the public this summer.

The group have been working with the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust and Amey - who are responsible for managing the site - and it forms part of the wider city-wide ‘Living Highways’ project.

Grow Wild UK encourages people to sow wild flowers and hands out seed kits for free to those who sign up. The scheme aims to bring people together and brighten up communities with native pollinator-friendly wild flowers and plants.

Grow Wild UK says that, while the UK is lucky to have some beautiful wild flowers, they are now in danger as 97% of wild flower meadows have been lost since the 1930s.

Vice chair of Sheffield 20s and 30s Walking Group, Jenny Naranjo, said: “By sowing these seeds, our walking group hopes to bring vibrant and inspiring colour which welcomes people at the top of the Steel Steps. We also hope to create a place which has a positive impact on butterflies, bees, pollinating bugs and birds in the city.”

Sheffield 20s and 30s Walking Group is part of the Ramblers Association - Britain’s Walking Charity. To find out more about the group and how to join, search for them on Facebook or visit www.sheffieldwalkinggroup.org.uk