Wild flower planting on the Weymouth Relief Road

Six hectares of chalk and limestone cuttings are being transformed into a landscape of local grassland and wildflowers on the Weymouth Relief Road.

Grass seeding has started on the Ridgeway, Chapel Lane and Knoll cuttings, with wildflower seeds being sown.

Appropriate local species of grass and wildflower have been selected to ensure they fit in with the surrounding natural landscape. Dorset stock is being used where possible otherwise seeds are coming from Somerset or elsewhere in Southern England.

 Dr Phil Sterling, natural environment manager with Dorset County Council, said: "This is a good time of year to sow wildflower seeds. For the last few months we have created an artificial winter for some seeds such as Devil's-Bit Scabious and Cowslip, by refrigerating them, in order to encourage germination this spring.

"It could take as little as a month for the green shoots to show or we may have to wait until late spring, it really depends on the weather and how mild it is.

"This summer the wildflowers will just be establishing. By summer 2011, they should be flowering well and provide a fantastic display."