Wildlife is flourishing in a corner of a Castle Douglas park.
An orchard and wildflower meadow was created at the east end of Lochside Park last year. It also features a memories garden with trees and benches placed in memory of loved ones.
The result has been a huge increase in the biodiversity of the small area.
The tall grasses protect the wildflowers from the strong winds and help support the taller flower varieties such as cornflowers and poppies.
The grasses provide ground cover and prevent the surrounding soil from drying out which protects the trees.
Grasses provide safe habitat for insects, stems for butterflies eggs, seeds for birds and beautiful grasses for flower arrangements.
Natural grasslands also sequester as much carbon from the atmosphere as some forest trees.
Plant species that can be found in the area include crested dog tail, sweet vernal grass, Timothy grass, Yorkshire fog, tall fescue, meadow foxtail, cocksfoot, lady’s smock, clovers, vetch, knapweed, ox eye daisy, Alpine strawberries and yarrow. There are even gooseberries ready to pick and apples coming on some of the trees.
One of the volunteer caretakers of the area, Jools Cox, has been scything the grasses to create wider paths.
She said: “So many people have been moved by the site of a scythe being used.
“So many men in this town have worked on farms where this was the only way to cut grass, it’s so quiet and great exercise!”
Local wildlife photographer and former countryside ranger Keith Kirk is also a big fan of the area with the different types of grass providing an important habitat and feed for a number of species.
Over the next few months more tulips, daffodils, narcissi and snakeshead fritillaria will be planted in the grassland for spring colour and more shrubs will be added for further protection from the inevitable stronger winds that will occur due to climate change.
This week was the beginning of National Moth Week with National Meadows Day taking place earlier this month.
In the UK, 97 per cent of species rich grassland has vanished since the 1930s – grassland that supports butterflies such as ringlet, meadow brown, clouded yellow, large skipper, green veined white, and also many moth species such as the striking six spot burnet moth.
