Flowers for Free
What?
Not all wildlife value comes from what you plant — much of it arrives by itself. Spontaneous vegetation such as mosses, lichens, ivy, brambles, nettles, and even plants growing through cracks in paving all play a vital role in supporting biodiversity. These “volunteer” plants provide nectar, seed, shelter, and soil health — all for free!
Where?
Everywhere: in weedy corners, along fence lines, at the base of walls, around car parks, or on roofs and pavements. On the Isle of Wight, coastal walls, chalky verges, and sunny tracksides often host valuable plant communities that support insects year-round. For site-specific actions, check out the Isle of Wight Habitat Map, and find out what is particularly special around your garden or space.
How?
Welcome the wild. Resist the urge to spray or scrape — many small plants are part of ancient, resilient ecosystems.
Allow the seedbank to regenerate. Many lawns already hold seeds of native clovers, trefoils, daisies and selfheal waiting to emerge once mowing and fertiliser are reduced. Give them time to reappear before adding seed mixes.
Be patient. Natural regeneration can take several seasons to show its best results; early growth may seem sparse, but a diverse community is establishing beneath the surface.
Leave patches of moss and lichen. These living layers help retain moisture, shelter tiny invertebrates, and create conditions where other plants can begin to grow.
Mix managed and natural areas. Keep some lawn or verge short and others long; the variety of heights attracts different wildlife.
Plan your cutting schedule carefully. Avoid cutting tall grass, brambles, scrub, and hedges from March to September to protect nesting birds, bumblebees, and small mammals.
Encourage ivy on walls and trees where it’s safe — it flowers late, fruits in winter, and provides roosting shelter.
Reduce soil disturbance and avoid unnecessary tidying to allow seed banks and fungi to thrive.
You can combine these natural arrivals with sowing or planting native wildflowers suited to your site — chalk grassland species inland, salt-tolerant plants near the coast, and shade-lovers in wooded areas.
When?
All year round! The self-sown plants in your space evolve with the seasons, offering flowers, seeds and shelter in turn. Tidy only when you must — and wait until late autumn or early winter so wildlife and seedfall get their chance. Leave a few stems and corners untouched for the creatures that depend on winter cover.
Why?
These “free flowers” are the foundation of local ecosystems. They support pollinators, birds, and amphibians, stabilise soil, and hold moisture. Letting nature take the lead reduces costs, improves resilience to drought and flooding, and enhances the natural beauty of your site. Wild flowers from your seedbank or blown from nearby are more suited to your soil, climate and conditions, so more likely to thrive than seeds from a packet.
On the Isle of Wight, where the climate is mild and sunny, these spontaneous plant communities thrive almost everywhere — a gift to both wildlife and people.
Actions for Isle of Wight Species
Red-tailed and buff-tailed bumblebees use bramble and nettle patches for nesting and foraging.
Wall lizards, common along the Island’s southern coast, bask among wall-top plants and ivy.
Speckled Wood butterflies rely on shady, mossy corners to complete their life cycle.
Birds, including dunnocks and wrens, nest in thick ivy and bramble cover — leave these intact through summer.
Hoverflies and solitary bees depend on late-flowering ivy and dandelions for autumn nectar.
Observe and Record
Take photos before and after — even a few months apart shows change.
Note what wildlife visits: bees, birds, butterflies, mosses.
Watching your patch change is part of the recovery story — and your records can feed into the Island’s Local Nature Recovery data.
Resources
Plantlife – Wild Plants and “Weeds” for Wildlife
“Links to LNRS Urban Meadow measure by encouraging spontaneous flowering habitats: LGH4.1 Urban Meadows | UGG1.1 Urban Habitat Enhancement”