Once common across southern England, meadow clary, a rare blue wild flower, had almost disappeared from the Gloucestershire countryside.

However, following a rescue attempt by a conservation partnership including site-owners Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Natural England and farmer Bill Powell, the future of meadow clary is more secure and can be enjoyed for generations to come.

Box Farm Meadows, known locally as Stuart Fawkes Nature Reserve, near Nailsworth is one of the most important sites in Britain for meadow clary and is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSI).

Meadow clary was first recorded in Gloucestershire in 1796.

Plantlife expert Tim Wilkins said: "I’ve been working on conserving meadow clary with Plantlife for over ten years and I can truly say this is an unprecedented result'

"Gloucestershire is a vital part of the plant’s distribution which is almost entirely confined to the Cotswolds."

"When we started this project four years ago, meadow clary was facing extinction at the site but, thanks to this conservation partnership, the proportion of young plants at Box Farm Meadows has increased from 2% to 30%.

"With nearly a third of the population now consisting of young plants, the future of the wild flower is much rosier."

Nerve-wracking decision

Previously, cattle had been removed from the nature reserve over summer when meadow clary was in flower.

Unfortunately, over time, this had led to coarse grass dominating and the dense vegetation was preventing the meadow clary from dropping its seed onto the ground and germinating.

In a radically counter-intuitive move, the conservationists asked farmer Bill Powell to keep his livestock on the site over the summer.

This flower is highly adapted to withstand grazing and appears to spread sideways via underground shoots when continuously grazed.

It was a nerve-wracking decision to make as meadow clary had been categorised as in 100% decline at the site, the worst possible condition of assessment, and the wrong decision could have ended its place in the Gloucestershire flora.

Four years later, the coarse grasses have receded, there are many more wild flowers, and pockets of bare ground have allowed meadow clary seed to germinate.

Meadow clary fact file

• Meadow clary has striking violet-blue flowers, aromatic leaves and can grow up to 80cm tall.
• The name ‘clary’ is derived from ‘clear-eye’ and refers to the traditional use of meadow clary seeds to treat sore and inflamed eyes.
• Sometimes known as meadow sage, the plant’s botanical name Salvia pratensis hints at its historical use – salvia comes from the Latin for salvation, and the plant was said to be sown on graves in medieval times.

A few woodland areas in the UK will soon be carpeted in blue from the end of April to Mid May.

Bluebell wood at Muncaster Castle

Our native British Bluebell is considered an endangered species and as such cannot be picked or uprooted from the wild.  Even the seed cannot be gathered without the consent of Natural England.

The Natural History Museum state:

"In recent years there has been growing concern that our native species is under threat by breeding with the cultivated bluebell. Hybridisation can alter a plant species’ genetic makeup and may result in a reduced ability to survive.

Until recently, this popular theory has been supported by little evidence, and the true status of bluebells in the UK and Ireland may be more complex.  Further study is needed to find out if the native bluebell is really under threat."

You can help take part in this study by logging onto to Natural History Museum Website and recording your bluebell findings.

An article in the April issue of Country Living magazine focuses on a couple who have become two of the first people in England to be granted permission to gather bluebell seeds from their farm woodland in Kent.  Barry and Karin of Farnell Farm carefully collect, preserve and sell their bluebell seed so that others can enjoy the beauty of this beautiful flower.

Thanks to their hard work and that of others, it is now easier to raise your own native bluebells from seed.

Places to see Bluebell woods:

• Muncaster Castle, Cumbria.
• High Hall Nurseries, Westward, nr Wigton, Cumbria.
• Arlington Bluebell walk and farm trail. East Sussex.
• Rode Hall. Cheshire
• Bluebell Woods in the Chilterns.

You may also be interested in:

BBC article and video
Offwell Woodland & Wildlife Trust. Feature and picture gallery.
Central Scotland Forest Trust. Atricle about bluebells under threat

To grow your own native British Bluebells, bulbs and seed can be obtained from the following suppliers;

Farnell Farm - Native Bluebell seeds for your garden or woodland. Ideal for cultivating large areas.
The Wild Flower Shop - Specialists in naive British plants.
Nicky's Nursery - Native British Bluebell wild flower seeds.