Arable Weeds

Another photo from our local nature reserve 'Natural Surroundings.  This is their arable weed bed which just looks so beautiful this time of the year.

Arable Weeds, which include cornflower, corn marigold, poppy and corn chamomile are annuals, unlike the flowers in most wildflower meadows which are perennials.  As annuals live short, fast lives, once their seeds are germinated, they grow quickly, flower and set seed and then die.  As annuals, many arable weeds spend much of time underground forming a seed-bank in the soil.  In some species the seeds remain viable for just a few years but in other species seed may live for decades, even centuries, ready to germinate again when the soil is disturbed.  The battles of the first world war resulted in massive soil disturbance, bringing millions of buried poppy seeds to the surface.  The common poppy is now indelibly associated with Remembrance Day.
 
The arable beds at ‘Natural Surroundings’ are cleared and dug over each spring, then sown with a wide variety of different species to prevent them from being dominated by just one (Corn Chamomile).  Once they’ve finished flowering in the autumn, the dead seed heads are left over winter to provide food and cover for birds, mice and voles.

Isn't that just great!