Wildflowers will be planted in Elgin’s Cooper Park as part of a “living lawn” trial.
Studies done by the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh have found that allowing grass to grow longer promotes of diversity of flowers.
Thriving plants have been found to help pollinators including bees, moths, butterflies and beetles while providing shelter for other insects.
Now Moray Council has earmarked a section of grass in Cooper Park surrounding Grant Lodge as part of a trial.
Living lawns trial to respond to ‘environment challenge’
The study means grass in the designated area will only be cut every four to six weeks while being allowed to grow to about six inches.
However, the perimeter of the site and the edges of paths will continue to be maintained as normal.
The trial comes as the council also aims to create up to eight new wildflower areas across the region with communities asked to suggest suitable locations.
James Hunter, Moray Council’s open spaces manager, said: “The introduction of more wildflowers in our landscape helps to improve the diversity of our natural environment, supporting our health and wellbeing, as we use and enjoy outdoor spaces more, and helps wildlife, which have declined in numbers in recent decades.
“Since the council no longer maintains the traditionally more expensive landscape features in our open spaces like flowerbed displays or verges it’s not anticipated that any savings in maintenance costs will be made through this initiative.
“Indeed, it’s likely that sites nominated for consideration will result in a modest increase in costs. However, responding to the challenges our environment faces is of great benefit to us all.”
Anyone interested in maintaining the proposed habitats has been asked to contact their local community council.
