Green-fingered families can plant, sow and grow for wildlife with the Wild Weekender and help create thriving habitats right on your doorstep.

When: April 28 to May 1

Where: Any suitable outdoor area

Ticket price: Free

Find out more and book here

More information from organisers:

Everyone is encouraged to choose one of three actions that can be done in any space:  

1.       Plant a wildlife-friendly plant – from native flowers such as foxglove, greater knapweed, and nettle-leaved bellflower to showy ornamentals such as alliums, catmint, and lavender, there’s an option for any outdoor space that can help your local pollinators.  

2.       Sow some seeds – there’s still time to sow sunflowers, marigolds, nasturtiums, cornflowers and many other pollinator-friendly annual flowers. All are great for pollinators, can be sown in a pot or border, and are easy on the wallet. Plus, once you’ve got them growing you can save seeds to grow them year-on-year. 

3.     Create a mini-meadow – wildflowers will grow in pots, lawns, or even on the verge outside your home (with “No Mow May” around the corner, you could chat to your local council about leaving the grass uncut). Let a patch of your lawn grow long and see what happens or plant some wildflowers in amongst it: ox-eye daisies, scabious, knapweed, wild carrot and cowslips can all be bought as small plug plants quite cheaply. You can try sowing them from seed too, but they’ll take a little longer to get going. 

There will also be a Wild Weekender livestream on the morning of Saturday 29 April from the National Trust’s Castlefield Viaduct in Manchester. Watch live on the RSPB’s YouTube channel, the event will include special guests, live demonstrations, and Q&As.

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