By means of the Pocket Meadow Project, the Buckland and Jupp are giving away free wildlife friendly seed packets with enough kernels to create a miniature square yard of meadow for gardens or pots. According to the duo, the individual meadows might be small but cumulatively they create a network of vital, nectar rich plants for threatened bees and pollinators.
The meadow project aims to raise awareness of the predicament faced by bees and other insects and to encourage the public to contribute by joining up the landscape and creating more pollinator-friendly forage and nesting habitats. The project contributes to national insect monitoring schemes and looks to create a replicable model of community-based environmental engagement that can be used in other parts of the country.
At Toby’s Garden Festival, Jupp will be hosting sessions about seed sowing, seed bomb making, growing techniques and how attendees can be part of the project.
According to Buckland: “I speak to so many gardeners who, in the face of our changing climate and landscape, feel powerless to make a difference. And that’s where the Pocket Meadow Project come in. Although the individual meadows might be small, together they create a network of much-needed feed stations for our threatened bees – where we can monitor, learn and share our experiences”.
Set on the grounds of the fortified manor house, Powderham Castle Exeter, Toby’s Garden Fest will take place on Friday the 3rd & 4th of May 2024.