Movement Ecologies: Wildflower ID

These sessions are a space to share and learn core wildflower ID and elements of urban ecology; encouraging you to collect little pockets of seeds in your local area, including roadsides and verges where the soil seed bank expresses itself.

This event is part of a paired event series at Ruchill Golf course, run in partnership with Glasgow Community Food Network. The first event will focus on Wildflower ID, followed by Seed Collection in September.

Wildflower ID 6-8pm, Wednesday 24 July 2024
Seed collection 11am-1pm, Saturday 7 September 2024

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Glasgow is home to a unique urban ecology, influenced by industry, colonialism and multiple routes of movement. Our urban way of life has influenced plants to adapt to disturbed and contaminated areas.

In Glasgow, derelict land, brownfields and unimproved grasslands can quickly become lost to urban development causing these highly resilient plants to be lost. By collecting and sowing these seeds, you become part of the movement ecology of Glasgow, mimicking seed carriers such as the free wind and the creatures (like squirrels, voles, boars) who no longer thrive or survive due to urbanisation.

“Weeds” or urban flora are often perceived as eyesores, causing minimal human visitation and giving a soil an ideal opportunity to repair by communicating with their own seed bank. Sometimes unique wildflower communities form in overlooked places.

Such spaces can be home to the wild carrot, wild parsnip, and meadow pea. Perhaps by understanding disturbed urban ecologies, we can gain a deeper insight into how the ancestors of our cultivars could have been adapted to reach our plates.

Info:

Free
All Ages Welcome
Beginner friendly! No experience needed.

Wear suitable clothing for weather
Bring a botanical lens if you own one (shared botanical lens will be available to borrow)
Bring a notebook for notes and plant pressings if you wish

Contact: hamshya@cca-glasgow.com for any enquiries

Accessibility

The route is likely to involve uneven and sloping ground. Please get in touch with hamshya@cca-glasgow.com to discuss any access needs.

Meeting Point:

Meet at the gates across from 81 Brassey St, Glasgow G20 9HW

55.890764, -4.278123
Google Maps Location Pin
what3words.com/danger.youth.softly

About the organisers

Glasgow Seed Library is a collection of seeds and a community of growers. The library stocks organic and open-pollinated vegetable, herb and flower seeds for everyone to borrow, grow and save. Throughout the year, Glasgow Seed Library organises free workshops, talks and events around seed skills, community growing and earth care.
Glasgow Community Food Network

Glasgow Community Food Network was established in 2017 to bring together practitioners and organisations in the private, public and third sectors along with other interested individuals to develop a flourishing food system in Glasgow. We aim to work with everyone with an interest in food: chefs and restaurants, farmers and market gardeners, foodbank and soup kitchen volunteers and anyone else who cares about better food for Glasgow. We want to see a city where high quality, fresh, local, organic produce is available and affordable for all and where good food is a celebrated part of our culture.