Situated in the heart of Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens is a bank which holds something far more valuable than money. Stored at -20°C in a massive underground vault, with steel walls over 15 inches thick, the Millennium Seed Bank holds 2,182,313,697 seeds, collected from 187 different countries around the world… But what are they so worried about?

Since the Second World War, through increased development and agricultural intensification, Britain has lost around 97% of it’s wildflower habitat; an area one and a half times the size of Wales. Since plants are not able to run and seek refuge the way an animal might, when habitats like this are destroyed, the species which depend on them become a lot more vulnerable. In the same time frame we’ve lost around 15 plant species from our landscape; seeds and all; completely gone. With the human population set to rise to around 9.7 billion by the year 2050, more and more of our wildlife is being pushed closer towards the edge of extinction.

Being the foundation of an extremely complex food web, the loss of one flower can lead to the extinction of many other species which are connected to it. And that might include us. As well as being visually attractive, plants provide the materials we need for shelter and clothing, a source of energy, the oxygen we breathe, the food we eat and the medicines which treat our aches and pains. It is vital that we all do what we can to prevent their loss. Apart from these beneficial by-products, the aging hippies amongst us would argue that all living things have as much right to be here as we do.

“Glasgow’s Flower Power” is an exciting new project which aims to reverse the decline of our wildflowers and halt the loss of the species which depend on them the most. Based at Pollok Country Park, this community run wildflower nursery hopes to produce over 10,000 plants each year, while developing the skills of hundreds of volunteers, schools and community groups. Sowing and growing together, we will brighten up parks and greenspaces throughout the city; benefiting both people and wildlife.

By collecting wild seed, there is a chance we can prevent locally rare plants - such as the Burnet Saxifrage, Wood Cranesbill and the Purple Ramping-fumitory - from disappearing. Even our more common flowers will be better off, since saving locally sourced seed will preserve the genetic adaptations our flowers have inherited - helping them cope with the stress of city living. By checking seed quality before collecting, and taking only what we need, we can begin the process of cleaning, drying, storing and cooling like they do at Kew Gardens; meaning a seed which might last a year or two in the wild, could last a hundred years or more. These are the flowers of the future that our children’s children will enjoy.

To learn more about seed collection and join the Flower Power movement, please get in touch with the Countryside Rangers. And remember, it is an offence to pick any plant (or seed) without the landowner’s permission.

Stephen Porch, TCV’s Natural Networks Project Officer based with Glasgow City Council’s Countryside Ranger team.