Wildflower Seed Sowing Event

This is a picture which shows the clay landscape at beginning of the day The Sensory Trust team worked in partnership with Landlife and English Nature to organise this community event.

The Wildflower Seed Sowing was held on September 13th 2003. We were there to ensure there was access for everyone, regardless of age or ability. This ranged from on site access to information about the event.

It was open for people who live in the vicinity of the site, an old clay mining works, to come and plant wildflower seeds. The area is popular with local walkers. Thanks to all who turned up on the day the amazing 'surface of the moon-like' site (above) will in the future be covered in the likes of bluebells, cowslips, and heather.

This picture shows Richard Scott from Landlife explaining the day to the participants This picture shows people getting the seeds to sow

This picture shows Steve Bradburn, community artist, working on a cairn with a helper! Steve Bradburn, a community artist, came along to work on a permanent piece of artwork with the participants. This was very successful and the picture opposite shows Steve with a willing helper building a permanent Cairn. This was done with stone found on the site.

Steve also created various methods for sowing the seeds, including ingenius seed wangers. These were long poles with small wooden cups at the end. Into the cups went the seeds, while the other end was put into the ground. The cup end was then pulled back and let go. A very exciting way to spread seeds!!

Our very own Sarah Williams set up seed tiara making for everyone, and also got some of the kids involved in mud sculpting.

Some of the seeds which were sown This picture shows a boy with a seed wanger - an instrument made by Steve, the community artist on site This picture shows Sarah Williams, fromthe Sensory Trust, making tiaras with the children. Plant materials and bamboo were used.

Future plans are to link in with further china clay regeneration events throughout the region, to ensure that access to is open to all, from the word go.

This work is being done as part of the English Nature Initiative 'Putting back the wild heart of Cornwall' in partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund and Imerys, restoring heathland over a 30 square mile area of land that has been heavily influenced by the China Clay industry.

This picture shows people making mud sculptures This picture shows seeds being sown. The shot shows seeds sailing through the air, and wheelchair user sowing from a large bucket.

Line up of people on the top of the hill, about to start the community sowing. This picture shows people filling their seed wangers

Other sites of interest:

For further information on the Cornish Heathlands and other projects please go to the English Nature website at http://www.english-nature.org.uk/ or email Ian Davies ian.davies@english-nature.org.uk
For more on Steve Bradburn and his company Indigo Arts email stevebradburn@indigo53.freeserve.co.uk
For info on seed sowing and the work of Landlife go to their website at http://www.landlife.org.uk/ or email Jacky Ford jford@landlife.org.uk

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