Science

Plantwatch: Cities make a surprising refuge for threatened UK wildflowers

The Guardian Australia - Science · 19 August 2026 at 3:00 pm

Plantwatch: Cities make a surprising refuge for threatened UK wildflowers

Nooks and crannies in urban areas provide a welcome alternative to intensive farming and other rural pressures Wildflowers are having a rough time in the countryside, mostly from the onslaught of intensive farming with fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides and less grazing.

On top of that, there are building developments, competition from invasive plant species and the climate crisis to contend with.

The UK has lost 97% of its wildflower meadows over the last century and over half of the country’s native flowers have been in decline for 70 years.

Read the full article on The Guardian Australia - Science ›

5News aggregated this summary from the outlet’s public feed. The full article, with all the context, is on www.theguardian.com — the content belongs to The Guardian Australia - Science.

Plantwatch: Cities make a surprising refuge for threatened UK wildflowers

More from The Guardian Australia - Science

The Guardian view on plague in Russia: what is most worrying is the lack of information | Editorial

Margaret Hamilton obituary

Japan to launch world-first mission to collect samples from Martian moon

Hiding in plane sight: the invisible turbulence that can strike out of a clear blue sky

More in Science

As French protests escalate into riots, they may prove a gift for Marine Le Pen’s right-wing party

Democrats remain clear favourites to gain control of Congress at midterms

NZ’s climate in ‘uncharted territory’, with more extreme weather events ahead

Verbatim theatre uses the real words of real people. But can an edited truth ever be real?

There’s a hidden bias affecting what we know – and don’t know – about nature

Your say: week beginning October 19