| Over 100 gardening and wildlife enthusiasts gathered at Wimborne’s Allendale Centre on Saturday 3 December to find out how to grow beautiful wildlife friendly gardens.
In the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress of Wimborne, Cllrs. Robin and Sue Cook, and Deputy Mayor of Ferndown, Cllr. Terry Cordery, Neil Lucas introduced the first public event organised on behalf of the Knoll Gardens Foundation, a charity set up to preserve Knoll Gardens in perpetuity and promote its style of beautiful, low-maintenance and wildlife friendly gardening across the country.
Garden wildlife can benefit greatly
The UK’s leading ornamental grass specialist, 10 times winner of a Chelsea Gold Medal and owner of Knoll Gardens, Neil spoke passionately about his naturalistic style and the many benefits it can offer our garden wildlife. Clive Farrell, founder of Butterfly World and an acknowledged international expert on butterflies then followed through with examples of how he had developed his own garden in Sherborne to attract a huge variety of butterflies, before handing out cuttings of a rather special late-flowering buddleja, a great boon to late nectar feeders.
A lively question and answer session followed the talks, with Neil and Clive joining Sarah Jane Buckle from the RSPB, and Jane Adams from the Dorset Wildlife Trust to field a variety of questions ranging from bees in bird boxes to composting queries and bird feeding tips.
First time success
“The afternoon was a first for the Knoll Gardens Foundation,” said Neil Lucas, “and I am delighted it has been such a success. It is marvellous to have been able to bring together such a knowledgeable and interesting group of people, and from the comments I have picked up in the hall I’m sure our audience now appreciates the amazing range of hugely talented experts we have on our doorstep here in Dorset.
“I’m sure the event will be the first of many for the Foundation and look forward to developing these relationships further and working together to encourage and help gardeners to have their own wildlife friendly and truly beautiful gardens”.
MORE INFORMATION:
The Knoll Gardens Foundation: Is a charity dedicated to ensuring the long-term future of the Gardens for the enjoyment of the local community and other visitors. Through its research and education programmes, it will also promote the practices used at Knoll, to help everyone create sustainable, wildlife friendly and truly beautiful gardens.
To find out more about the Knoll Gardens Foundation, or for details of volunteering or further events please email foundation@knollgardens.co.uk.
For more information about Wildlife Gardening and information on how to apply for your own free, Dorset Wildlife Trust wildlife friendly gardening plaque, please click on the following link: Wildlife Gardening
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Question Time! From left to right:
Jane Adams (DWT), Sarah Jane Buckle (RSPB), Clive Farrell (Butterfly World
and Neil Lucas (Knoll Gardens)
Jane shows the Mayor & Mayoress of Wimborne, and Neil Lucas the DWT stand
Discussing bees!
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