REWILDING PROJECT AT ST BARTHOLOMEWS CHURCHYARD ENCOURAGES RETURN OF BUTTERFLIES

Crewkerne In Bloom’s rewilding project at St Bartholomew’s churchyard is encouraging the return of butterflies, ladybirds, bees and other insects to a natural habitat. The area where the rewilding is taking place is marked with blue hearts, painted by CiB committee member, Sue Ayers. Volunteers from the award winning community organisation have recently sown yellow rattle seeds and planted wildflower plugs to enhance the ecology at the site.

The Blue Campaign, which promotes the rewilding of gardens, parks, road verges and community areas, was founded by wildlife conservationist and film maker Fergus Beeley, in response to a State of Nature report highlighting the ‘dramatic decline in biodiversity and biomass’ across the UK. The blue heart symbols, staked in areas that are left to grow through the summer, show that the area is being rewilded and not just that the ‘council or owner is being lazy’.

Multi award winning gardener, Katherine Crouch, gave a talk on Rewilding and Wildflower projects to CiB members and friends on Zoom in July. Katherine said: “Rewilding an area with wildflowers that are knee to hip high provides a good mix and enhances the local environment for wildlife, although you don’t get to pick and choose which type of wildlife will be attracted and I have found that most people seem to want bees and butterflies.” Katherine who has been experimenting with an area of her own lawn, suggested that lawn weeds were a good mixture of ecology and particularly recommended yarrow, white and red clovers, daisies, buttercups and campions.

Crewkerne in Bloom volunteers are also continuing to work on several flower beds in the town, within the Covid-19 guidelines, and hold their monthly committee meetings on Zoom. To volunteer some free time to help with the group’s gardening projects, assist with other skills, become a Friend of Crewkerne in Bloom, or sign up for their monthly newsletter please email hello@crewkerneinbloom.org or visit the website www.crewkerneinbloom.org.

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