The Pollinator Project is an initiative to provide and enhance the established habitats and nectar sources on our site for pollinating insects like butterflies, moths, hoverflies, bumble bees, solitary bees, and our resident honey bees.
Why support insects?
In recent years, insect populations have dramatically dropped due to climate change, habitat loss and the use of pesticides and chemicals. Insects are essential to all ecosystems on Earth, and so it is very important that we support insect population recovery.
The national charity Buglife has shown that pollinating plants in city gardens provide essential corridors for wildlife and make a positive difference to local biodiversity, and via the Pollinator Project we do our part to support London's pollinators.
In addition to providing food to insects via pollinating plants, we also create habitats for insect shelter and reproduction. Insect populations are a food source for wildlife like birds, bats and amphibians, so by supporting insects we can provide for the whole ecosystem.
Every year our gardener sows both donated and harvested seeds, takes cuttings, and propagates pollinator-friendly plants such as salvias, verbascum and verbena in the greenhouse and cold frame. Volunteer groups help by clearing space in the gardens, weeding, planting and watering. To encourage pollinators in the local area, we also donate plants to schools, old peoples’ homes and other community initiatives, and support several community gardens such as Archbishop’s Park andRosendale Allotments. We also sell our pollinating plants at our shop and on Open Days.
