Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a strongly aromatic perennial plant that grows in meadows, verges, and on waste ground – like the ones shown here growing on the fenced-off and walled-off patch of land between the cricket pavilion and Redwood House. The photographs are from the summer of last year because this year the area was cut to the ground just as the yarrow and other native wild plants were about to flower. I think this patch of ground would be ideal as a wild flower zone. A wide variety of native wild plants is already established there including evening primrose, great burdock, common teasels, common bindweed, field bindweed, honeysuckle, nettles, ground ivy, honey wort, hedge woundwort, comfrey, black medick, bird’s foot trefoil, buttercups and dandelions of many types, to name a few. It would only need some appropriate management to make it flourish, contribute more seriously to biodiversity in Charlton Down, and provide a beautiful display that also supplies the needs of insects and birds in the area.

Yarrow is an edible plant reputed to have beneficial therapeutic properties, and it can be used as a preventative medicine as well as an anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, diuretic, diaphoretic, astringent, and expectorant – though it is mainly used for the healing of wounds. As with the use of most herbal remedies it is always best seek professional advice before using wild plants as medicines.