CountryLife Garden Centres launch sustainability initiatives to help bees and wildlife
CountryLife, one of Ireland’s biggest garden centre chains, is on a mission to promote pollinator and biodiversity awareness.
Operation PolliNation creates a buzz in the countryside
Bee-friendly flowerbeds has popped up in local communities with CountryLife donating free flowering perennials and wild flower seeds to 24 Tidy Towns groups and communities to help protect species at risk of extinction.
The campaign was also brought into customers’ gardens with CountryLife giving free wildflower seeds to customers at its network of 14 award-winning garden centres and highlighting in-store which plants are particularly pollinator-friendly.
CountryLife’s in-store horticulturalists are promoting natural pest-control methods and providing free information for customers to help them reduce or eliminate their use of herbicides. Glanbia Ireland has also distributed pollinator-friendly garden guidelines to all its 2,000 staff.
“We also want to give back to our local communities in a visible way and support the tireless voluntary work done by our local Tidy Towns groups. The feedback from our own staff has been very encouraging and we’re keen that this spreads across the wider communities we work and live in,” said Grace O’Dwyer, Retail Marketing Manager.
Horticulturalist at CountryLife’s Castlecomer centre, Teresa Walsh, said even gardeners with a tiny piece of ground can do their bit to help our bees. She highlighted that it is critically important to choose the right site and proper terrain to get maximum results.
“Wildflower gardens thrive in sunny, flat terrain. But there are also shaded mixtures on the market as well as others that give you even more colour. Once the flowers bloom, sit back, relax and enjoy and know you’re doing your bit to help pollinators do their work,” she suggested.
Operation WildNation aims to protect some of our under-threat wild bird species
CountryLife want to educate school children and their families about wild bird conservation through its exciting and engaging new Operation WildNation initiative. Ultimately they’re helping to protect some of our under-threat wild bird species – among these thrushes and finches – during the tough autumn and winter months.
CountryLife teamed up with renowned environmentalist, author and broadcaster, Éanna Ni Lamhna. The fun initiative, which is already gathering momentum, aims to engage thousands of primary school children countrywide on the importance of looking after nature’s wildlife.
The campaign included an exciting Operation WildNation colouring competition focusing on children from first to third class.
The winner was Sophie, aged 9, from St. Senan’s National School in Kilmacow, Co Kilkenny won an interactive talk with Éanna and CountryLife’s expert horticulturalist Fergal Joy. The prize also included a fun 'peanut butter and seed roll-making' session, as well as vouchers, a wild bird survival kit for the school and more.
Éanna Ni Lamhna said young people are the best possible candidates to educate their parents and the wider community about the importance of wildlife and wild bird conservation.
“Children are the ones leading the charge on climate change and protecting our environment. Anyone with a garden can get great enjoyment and fun out of watching out for wild birds. If there are berries in your garden, if there’s ivy on your walls, if you’ve prickly hedges or if you introduce bird boxes, some bird seed and invest in a good wild bird book and a pair of binoculars, there’s endless pleasure to be had.
“It’s fun, it's where lifelong memories are made and it requires focus – you can’t press pause or rewind if you miss that robin or goldfinch. But it’s so worthwhile. I’m delighted to be championing Operation WildNation and getting out and meeting children and visiting schools,” she said.
CountryLife offers more advice for consumers on how to be more wildlife and pollinator aware on the CountryLife Blog at https://blog.countrylife.ie/