Where we collect seed from

The first collection we made came from:
- the small fragments of dry grassland left on Abbey Farm
- damp grassland on Abbey Farm
- the verges of roads, footpaths and old railway lines
- the village churchyard
This first mix was used to establish our first new grassland. 3-4 years later this grassland became an important collecting site
We avoid any sites that may have been sown (such as beside new roads) as the seed used there is probably not of local origin
Although our list of target species is mainly restricted to plants already known within 5km of the site to be sown, we often collect further afield (up to 25km away if necessary). This is because some species only have very small populations in the sites we have permission to collect from
We get permission prior to collecting from nature reserves or private land. Nature reserves may often be relatively reliable sources of local origin seed (compared to, for example, an embankment beside a new road). Please note, if considering collecting from a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), permission needs to be given by both the landowner AND Natural England. Getting these permissions can be time-consuming so needs to be done before the collecting season begins