This half day workshop is run in association with Moor Meadows, the community initiative that supports the creation, restoration, and protection of endangered wildflower meadows in Devon and beyond.

Charlotte Parton, founder of The Sustainable Garden hosts the workshop, which includes a guided tour of the nature pond and a perennial native wildflower meadow, explaining how she created them from scratch to help boost biodiversity, and demonstrating what abundant habitats they have become today.

Co-hosting is John Walters the Dartmoor-based ecologist, a regular speaker for the Wildlife Trusts and Natural History Society, who has published books on The Wildlife of Dartmoor and The Minibeast Guide and has featured on the BBC programmes Life in the Undergrowth and Bill Oddie Goes Wild.

John helps the group find, and learn about, the large number of native species these different habitats support and in his “Minibeast Hunt” he not only tracks down and identifies some of the rich diversity of birds, bees, butterflies, insects and amphibians that thrive in the garden, but explains why biodiverse habitats such as these are so important for supporting them, as well as which plants are particularly important for certain species.

As Charlotte and John explain, even making a small flower meadow and a pond creates environments which provides food, water and shelter for bees and thousands of other insects and pollinators, habitats for endangered species such as butterflies (whose numbers have declined 76% in just four decades), birds, and many other types of wildlife. Charlotte created the meadow in 2017, and it has been flourishing year-after- year, with British native species, including ragged-robin, knapweed, birds-foot trefoil, ox-eye daises, lady’s bedstraw and wild carrot.

She will also show the group other areas of the seven-acre smallholding, including the old cider orchard, an ancient hay meadow, hedgerows and a long grass meadow, describing how she manages these for ecology and sustainability.
Refreshments including teas, coffees and cool drinks will be served on arrival. 

Bookings can be made via Moor Meadows Eventbrite page

Information on Wildflower Meadows at www.moormeadows.org.uk.

Please note the site is fairly steep and there are no formal footpaths, our paths are mown grass so please wear suitable study footwear and be prepared for a wee bit of exertion!