Two Dozen Leap Frogs

 

An English town replaced miles of frequently mown roadside grass with wildflowers, and the result was cheaper, more colorful and far better for wildlife. Rotherham Council (South Yorkshire) created an eight-mile “River of Flowers” along roadsides and traffic circles across the town. Instead of repeatedly cutting ordinary grass, the council planted large areas with wildflower mixes designed to provide nectar, seeds and shelter for insects and birds. The change reduced the amount of mowing and maintenance required, saving the council around £23,000 (roughly $30,700) every two years. It also transformed ordinary roadsides into long corridors of blooming color to support bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The project demonstrated helping nature doesn’t always require huge new parks or expensive technology. Sometimes it can be as simple as mowing less and allowing life to return. Eight miles of wildflowers, lower maintenance costs and healthier habitats, all created from land that was previously just cut grass.