THE charity Plantlife has said that wild flowers will benefit from the lockdown imposed by coronavirus.

The charity, which works nationally and internationally to save threatened wild flowers, plants and fungi, has found a silver lining in these unprecedented times - fewer people driving to work and reduced numbers of council mowers has resulted in the growth of wild flowers on verges that would normally have been cut back.

Dorset Council has been described as a "trailblazing" since it adopted the less and later mowing approach which has led to an abundance of wild flowers on verges, however, other councils will need to follow the same regime if the increase is to continue.

Dr Trevor Dines, Plantlife's Botanical Specialist, said: “In these incredibly challenging times and as horizons inevitably narrow, the wild flowers appearing on our waysides and road verges are an uplifting sight, contributing significantly to our wellbeing.

"An unintended but understandable consequence of lockdown may be reduced mowing that has the potential to benefit wild plants and the bees, butterflies, birds, bats and bugs that depend on them for survival.

“For too long, scalping verges in the pursuit of neatness has been flattening wild plant communities: when verges are cut early in spring – sometimes as early as April – most flowers just don’t stand a chance.

"Summer has been disappearing from verges as colourful flowers cannot set seed before the mowers strike.

"Electrifying orchids including early purple, bee, and pyramidal orchids, that once used light up many verges, are now hard to spot as early cutting has ripped through their seed pods before they can ripen. Felled before their prime their promise has been left to rot on the verge."

Plantlife has also identified that the reduced cutting regimes will have a positive impact on the UK's carbon emissions and has calculated that the average yearly carbon emissions generated by cutting the UK's rural road verge is over 45000 tonnes of CO2.

Kate Petty, Road Verge Campaign Manager of Plantlife, said: "Verges are the last remaining habitats for some incredibly rare flowers like wood calamint and we must redouble our efforts to save and protect these under-appreciated, yet abundant, strips.

"Thankfully the fix is startlingly straightforward: simply cutting verges less and later will save plants, money AND reduce emissions. We need to rewild ourselves and accept nature's wonderful 'messiness’"

Plantlife has highlighted ten summer-flowering flowers that have declined over the years due to the persistent mowing, including the oxeye daisy, wild carrot and white campion, but they hope that, with the reduced mowing and driving, this year will be the greatest summer for a number of years for the flowers.