Picking wildflowers could cost you £5,000

Nature lovers have been warned about the costly consequences of picking wildflowers this summer.

Experts from Garden Buildings Direct are advising people to steer clear of picking wildflowers from forbidden areas, else risk a £5,000 fine.

he legislation for picking wildflowers largely falls under two categories – the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 and the Theft Act of 1968.

This means there are legal restrictions from allowing people to pick flowers from council parks and council-maintained displays on roundabouts, verges, nature reserves and protected land.

The 1968 Theft Act also restricts people from picking flowers from private land.

If fruit, foliage, fungi or flowers are growing wild and are to be picked for personal use only, it’s not normally an offence to do so.

Dozens of rare or endangered plants are, however, protected under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. Picking these could see people face arrest, up to six months imprisonment and a maximum £5,000 fine.

Some of the plants protected by the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act include Bearded Stonewort, Ghost Orchids, and Snowdon Lilies.

The Countryside Code was introduced in 2004 to encourage people to enjoy the countryside responsibly and outlines that people should protect the natural environment by taking care not to damage, destroy or remove features such as rocks, trees and plants.

A spokesperson for GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk said: “Wild flowers across the UK are all given some sort of protection, making it completely illegal to pick a large majority of them.

“They are so protected, that picking any rare or endangered plants could land you with a very hefty fine or even six months imprisonment.

“Even if you’re legally permitted to pick certain wildflowers, you should never uproot them to be re-planted unless you have explicit permission to do so.

“You should also only pick one flower for every 20 in the patch. If there are fewer than 20, leave them be.

“Don’t ever pick flowers in public parks, community gardens, or on National Trust property or nature reserves. Also avoid picking flowers from council-maintained areas.’