Grow wildlife-friendly flowers
Flowers are the key to a wildlife-friendly neighbourhood, so pack in as many of them as you can.
This activity can be completed as part of Schools Wild Challenge or Nature on your Doorstep and counts as the Helping Nature activity Planting for wildlife.
Instructions
Wildflower meadow
The sight of delicate wildflowers and tufty grasses wafting in a summer breeze is a real delight, made all the better by the bees and butterflies they attract. To give your wildflower meadow the best chance of thriving, you’ll need to choose a relatively large, open area that basks in sunlight for much of the day. Check out our handy video and step-by-step instructions on how to get started. Our friends at Buglife also have lots of helpful advice on creating a community meadow.
Annual plants
Annual plants provide a glorious burst of colour for a short period during the year, before they set seed (if they’re not sterile) and die. Although the odd few plants might sprout from these seeds the following year, you’ll need to cultivate the soil and sow new seeds to get a good display of flowers. There are lots of wildlife-friendly varieties to choose from and many are suitable for pots and planters.
