Lottery backs Powys town's plans for new wildflower garden

Presteigne and Norton Council has bought a piece of land to create the new garden on a site behind Castle Road and the Primary School.

The council said that it hopes that the garden will be a “place for nature on the edge of Presteigne”.

The land has been purchased with a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (on behalf of the Welsh Government) and is part of the national forest project – a Welsh Government programme to work towards net zero by 2030.

In a statement the council said: “The intention is to encourage a mixed habitat and to have ponds, native trees, an area of open grassland and wildflower meadow – as well as maintaining the Historic Park and Garden with more of the specimen arboretum trees planted to replace the ones that have been lost.”

OTHER NEWS:

• Mother of Newtown teen Kaylea Titford admits manslaughter charge
• Firefighters issue warning after children seen playing on frozen Powys lake
• Woman suffering from dementia waits 12 hours for hospital treatment for hip

“The grassland will be mown annually and encouraged over time to become a wildflower meadow. Paths will be cut throughout the growing season for access.”

“A wide native hedge along the field boundary and groups of native tree planting will cover the rest of the field with grassland between.”

The council said that the garden will be managed as a nature reserve and that they intend to put together a team of volunteers to help to install and maintain the site.

Work on the ground is hoped to commence early in the new year. Work on the site will be done with advice and support from The Woodland Trust, Radnor Wildlife Trust, Cadw, Llais y Goedwig and Natural Resources Wales.