The Patchwork Meadow

Our aim is to brighten up our local neighbourhoods and help to bring back the pollinators. We believe that if we all plant pocket meadows in window-boxes, pots and hanging baskets and in our gardens and streets, together we can create a huge green space, a ‘Patchwork Meadow’ across Birmingham. So, we give out packets of wildflower seeds and sow seeds wherever we can.

We put cards through people’s doors, inviting local residents to get in touch if they would like some wildflower seeds to sow in their gardens. We go along to a wide range of locations such as food-banks, Places of Welcome, libraries, ward meetings and community events to give our seeds to as many people as possible within a neighbourhood. Our seeds have also been given out in kindness bags to key workers during the pandemic, in wellbeing packs on Mental Health Awareness Day and in activity packs for Syrian refugee families (with instructions in Arabic).

Local community groups have asked us to help to sow pocket meadows in their spaces and we have worked with them to sow wildflowers in a wide range of settings including grass verges, places of worship, an extra care service, supported accommodation for vulnerable individuals, a cemetery, the grounds of tower blocks, schools, parks and a youth centre.

Alison from The Patchwork Meadow said “Local children have helped us to plant some of our pocket meadows. When we go along to events, we offer children the chance to sow a mini meadow in an egg-box, make seed-balls or take part in our ‘fun facts about bees’ activity trail. They love learning about nature, seeing things grow and helping the bees”

To date, we have given out and sown 6,690 square metres of wildflowers across Birmingham, almost the size of a football pitch!