The Adur & Worthing Wildflower Trail | Category: Community Led Sites

Broadwater and Worthing Cemetery

Posted on 26 June 2023 by Sue Standing

****2024 TOURS****

DATE	TIME	TOUR TITLE
April 6th	11:00	TBA (new tour for 2024)
May 4th	11:00	Alter Egos (retold)
June 8th	10:00-13.00	Extended tour morning
	11:00	TBA (new tour for 2024)

July 6th	11:00	TBA (new tour for 2024)
August 3rd	11:00	TBA (new tour for 2024)
September 7th	11:00	TBA (new tour for 2024)
October 5th	11:00	TBA (new tour for 2024)

PLEASE NOTE: There will be a Sunday tour in August. Details will follow nearer the time

Broadwater and Worthing Cemetery is an active cemetery located off South Farm Road, it comprises of approximately 14.5 acres of land and provides a peaceful haven for wildlife and residents alike. There is a rich selection of plant life throughout the cemetery: various grasses, deciduous and coniferous trees, bushes, and shrubs such as dog rose, holly and buddleia. Throughout the year, from spring to winter there are flowers to spot and enjoy, including snowdrops and primrose in late winter, lesser celandine in early spring and extensive swathes of oxeye daisies in summer.

Since 2008, volunteers with the Friends of Broadwater and Worthing Cemetery Group have been maintaining select areas for the benefit of insects and wildflowers. Throughout the cemetery there are several areas (totalling around 180m²) that have been designated “no mowing” areas, wooden markers have been positioned to indicate this to grass cutting contractors.

The main entrance is located on South Farm Road, between Ardsheal Road and Carnegie Road. On Weekends and Bank Holidays there is an entrance on Carnegie Road. Access is best during daylight hours: Monday to Sunday: 8:00am to 6:00pm from October to March, Monday to Sunday: 8:00am to 8:00pm from April to September. Main paths are wheelchair and pushchair friendly.

There is no parking available on site however there is ample parking on South Farm Road if required.

Volunteers are encouraged to assist with regular clearance days which run the last Saturday of every month between 10.00 am and Midday. This is currently on hold due to Coronavirus restrictions; however, it is hoped that this will return soon.

For more information on the Friends of Broadwater and Worthing Cemetery and volunteering opportunities check out their website: Friends of Broadwater and Worthing Cemetery (fbwc.co.uk) .

For general information visit: Broadwater Cemetery – Adur & Worthing Councils (adur-worthing.gov.uk)

Breathing Spaces Community Flower Farm

Posted on 21 June 2023 by Sue Standing

Breathing Spaces Community Flower Farm is located at the Maybridge Keystone Centre in Worthing. Breathing Spaces is now a Transition Town Worthing project and this is a volunteer-led community garden that provides the opportunity to connect with nature via tending a small urban flower farm There is space for growing wild flowers for the benefit of people and pollinators and this is being expanded in a strip along the back of the playing field.

Breathing Spaces started up a dedicated patch of around 4m² and have already established wildflowers in other growing areas around fruit trees and in long grass areas. Using donated wildflower plants and collected seed, they are creating a vibrant wildflower habitat. The long grass is cut down at the end of the season and cleared away in the traditional hay cut method. Examples of species include Campion ‘ragged robin’, Red Valerian, Dock, Sorrel, Cowslips, Yarrow, Tansy, Knapweed, Cornflower and Wild carrot.

The site is open during Maybridge Keystone Centre opening hours, the hours can vary so it’s best to check first before visiting. The flower farm is not wheelchair accessible at present, (although the Woodland Garden which they also tend is). The site is accessed by walking across part of the playing field. The best time to see the wildflowers is around Early Summer.

Volunteers are welcome on Thursdays between March and December, 10:30-12:30.

For more information visit Breathing Spaces.

Beggars Bush Wildflower Meadow

Posted on 21 June 2023 by Sue Standing

Beggars Bush wildflower meadow is located at Beggars Bush car park, Titch Hill Road, Sompting BN15 0AY.

The site is about 3500 square metres with a plethora of Chalk meadow flowers; eg birds foot trefoil, greater knapweed, restharrow, bladder campion, bristly oxtongue, ladys bedstraw, agrimony, yellow rattle. Only the last of these has been sown in. We cut and remove the grass in autumn, and spread it on the lower meadow extension area.

There are no restrictions, as it is an open access area and can be visited directly from the adjacent free public car park. Flowers are at their best in June-July.

Fly tipping and littering, and traffic speed have historically been concerns. The South Downs National Park Authority has been working with Sompting Estate and Lychpole Farm to fence and restore the flowermeadow areas and clear historic litter from the former lower carpark.

The project is also creating a new off-road path so that walkers heading towards Cissbury can return via Lychpole Hill SSSI chalk grassland, and get back to the carpark without having to walk on the road:

The new track will in the future be maintained mechanically by Sompting Estate’s Titch Hill Farm, and manually (eg litterpicks) by volunteers from Sustainable Sussex’s Community Farm. Where it passes through Beggars Bush Flower meadow, the Community Farm will assist with seasonal sheep grazing.

We can consider saving and sharing seeds for the future, however, for the time being we expect to need all the seed generated on site for the meadow’s southward extension.

For more information visit Sompting Estate and Sustainable Sussex

Breathing Spaces @ The Barnyard, Dankton Lane, Sompting

Posted on 26 April 2023 by Sue Standing

Breathing Spaces host monthly community volunteer sessions at Dankton Barnyard, Dankton Lane in Sompting. Here they have access to a small pre-established wildflower meadow rich in Knapweed, Wild Carrot, Golden rod, Yarrow, Scabious, St John’s Wort, Teasel, Corn Marigold, Toadflax, Hedge Parsley, Hogweed, Eupatorium and many more! The flowers are left to reseed and are not cut back so they are left for the benefit of wildlife.

At Dankton Lane, Breathing Spaces have permission from the landowners Sompting Estate to pick some wildflowers to add to their community supported bouquet scheme, but only a small proportion. As part of the management of the site they have been clearing invasive weeds such as brambles, thistles, nettles and hogweed, to make way for easier access and to allow reseeding with collected seed from the site. They have also improved the pond with the help of Sompting Estate and South Downs National Park Association and established a log hive for wild bees.

Visits to the barnyard are during the monthly Sunday morning volunteer sessions or by appointment only, as the gate is locked. It is also possible to view the site over the gate, which is on a footpath accessible from Herbert road Sompting or Lyons Farm, Worthing. There is no vehicle access. Please contact Breathing Spaces for more details Breathing Spaces Project

Ormonde Way Flower Verge, Shoreham

Posted on 18 June 2021 by Michelle

Local residents at Ormonde Way, Shoreham have planted up 5 areas of wildflowers along the grass verge bordering Brighton Road and Ormonde Way. Now in their 2nd year, the beds are establishing well and have a good mixture of poppies, cornflowers and oxeye daisies among other wildflowers!

What initially was an attempt by local residents to discourage parking on the verges, has now flourished into a little patch of heaven for pollinators and now provides visual interest for residents.

A good time to visit is during the summer when the flowers are in full flow, accessibility is good as it is located in a residential area with paved walkways.

West Worthing Railway Station

Posted on 11 June 2021 by Michelle

The community wildflower patch at West Worthing Station is a relatively new area of planting totalling around 1M². It has been adopted by the Friends of West Worthing Station , with support from South East Communities Rail Partnership. The friends group have recently sown a seed mixture from the Friends of The Earth, plus an assortment of cornflowers and poppies. The group are hoping for a good display of wildflowers soon and are looking forward to develop the patch in the future. The volunteer group is an approved station partner, supported by the Southeast Communities Rail Partnership. Watch this space for more updates in the future!

The community flower patch can be viewed from a public access ramp to the south east side of the main entrance.

Goring Road Community Road Verge

Posted on 10 June 2021 by Michelle

Worthing Climate Action Network (WCAN) in collaboration with XR Worthing began a ‘Wilding Worthing’ petition to mark No Mow May in Spring last year, asking Adur & Worthing Councils and West Sussex County Council to stop mowing road verges so often and instead allow the wildflowers and grasses to grow. When the petition reached 1000 signatures last June it was presented to Worthing Council where it was accepted. Negotiations began with West Sussex Highways with the first trial Community Road Verge in Worthing being established on Goring Road.

The site is comprised of several grassy verges along Goring Road between the Goring Shops and Shaftesbury Avenue, pedestrian accessibility is good due to the adjacent pavement. No seed has been sown at this site as it is hoped that the natural seedbank present in the soil will have the chance to establish with the reduced cutting regime. Already species such as Common Mallow, Birds Foot Trefoil, Ribwort Plantain and Daisies can be seen flourishing.

There will be only one cut a year to be undertaken in September. Volunteers will take away the grass cuttings in order to help keep the ground infertile, providing the best conditions for the wildflowers to thrive. Other verges are now being planned across the area.

For more information please contact WCAN Worthing Climate Action | Facebook .

Lancing Railway Station

Posted on 27 May 2021 by Michelle

Lancing Railway Station on Sompting Road and South Street, is home to two areas of planting maintained by the community group Keep Lancing Lovely. Established in 2014, Keep Lancing Lovely have 100+ volunteers from the local community engaging in many different projects to improve the appearance and environment of their local areas. In 2017 they were able to plant up two areas (totalling approximately 10M²) at the north side of the station with a selection of wildflowers, herbs and green manure plants like Phacelia. This has provided both habitat and forage plants for many different species of butterflies, bees and other insects. The rather rare Long Tailed Blue butterfly has been spotted in recent years. Area One is a brick built deep bed and Area Two is a fenced in area near the level crossing at the station.

A brick built flower bed planted with a variety of wildflowers

The areas are easily accessed by the public as the beds are situated on the outside boundary of the station grounds. There is a colourful display all year so there should be something to see most seasons.

Keep Lancing Lovely are formal “Station Partners” with GTR/Southern Trains at Lancing Railway Station where they promote public and sustainable transport, the local environment and their own projects. To learn more about the work that they do and to explore volunteering opportunities visit their website Keep Lancing Lovely – volunteers boosting the West Sussex village (weebly.com) and their Facebook page (Keep Lancing Lovely | Facebook .

Heene Cemetery

Posted on 16 March 2021 by Michelle

Heene Cemetery is located on Manor Road, Worthing. Within the now closed cemetery (burials no longer occur there) there is an extensive wildflower meadow that is managed by the Friends of Heene Cemetery group. A team of volunteers carry out maintenance of the land by removing invasive species and replacing them with suitable native species, such as Common Bird’s-foot- trefoil, Meadow Crane’s-bill, Primrose, Wild Teasel and Yarrow. A comprehensive list, supplied by the Friends of Heene Cemetery can be found here: Heene Cemetery Flowering Plants List

Volunteers celebrating their 5th anniversary

Access to the site is normally restricted to the public, however voluntary work is carried out on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons between 2pm-4pm during which members of the public are allowed to enter. New volunteers are welcome to visit on these working days and learn what the group does and where help is needed. Throughout the year volunteers run 4 open days and several tours. Visits by arrangement can be organised with the Friends of Heene Cemetery.

Mats are available to place on the paths suitable for wheelchair and impaired access.

The last year has been challenging, but Friends of Heene Cemetery have managed to keep the basic maintenance of the grounds under control with dedicated volunteers attending in pairs throughout lockdown by working in isolation and adhering to social distancing rules.

Even with the restrictions that have continually been changing this year, as a team they have managed to maintain, record, research and begin many different projects:

A new website was launched in July 2020 where the group celebrated 5 years of working together with a picnic.
Green Flag Award judging by Keith Percival
Two publications in the local paper, Worthing Herald.
A visit by Kate Greening WBC Cemetery’s manager and Harriet from Caring for God’s Acre
Rescued slow worms and lizards were introduced
Survey of mosses etc by Sue Rubenstein from Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre
Survey of Fungi by Nick Aplin from Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre
Introduction to identifying headstone materials by West Sussex Geological Society

The best time to see the wildflowers is from February to October.

For more information please visit Heene Cemetery – A closed cemetery in Worthing, West Sussex

St Aubyns Garden, Fishersgate

Posted on 25 January 2021 by Michelle

The St. Aubyns Garden is formed of a 30m² wildflower verge at the corner of St. Aubyns Crescent and St. Aubyns Road, Fishersgate. It is maintained by the Eastbrook Community Gardeners, a small team of residents improving the appearance of their local spaces.

wildflower verge st aubyns — A vibrant selection of Californian poppies and cornflowers

A vibrant selection of Californian poppies and cornflowers

The garden was sown with wildflower seed in May 2020, however after a challenging year, in spring 2021, an elderly resident did a Captain Thomas Moore style sponsored Walk for Wildflowers and raised over £1000 which paid for perennial wildflower turf called ‘Treasure Chest’ by Pictorial Meadows. The turf was laid by local residents replacing a grass verge and has been flowering successfully since 2021. The mix is drought tolerant and the best time of year to see it is around May and June.

This site is easily accessible as it is in a residential area.

Visit the St. Aubyns Garden Facebook page for more information.

thewildflowertrail