Why It Matters: Street Herbs & Rooftop Meadows

We’ve all heard the stats by now: bees – which pollinate one in three mouthfuls of our nosh – are in decline. Over 95% of UK wildlife meadows have been destroyed as a result of intensive modern farming (DEFRA). The UK has lost 44 millions birds since 1966 (equivalent to the current adult population in England and Wales) including 60% of house sparrows – of particular concern as they’re one of the few species that thrive in the city (RSPB). Not forgetting the ongoing deterioration of suitable butterfly habitat. As well as being totally beautiful, they’re a key indicator of the general health of the environment around us.

So the question is, what can we do about all this here in urban Kentish Town?

Of Butterflies and Bees is a new social enterprise set up by a mix of local Transition Kentish Town bods and RHS-trained gardeners, and we are on a mission to green our ‘hood. We think that every garden in London, or every window ledge herb pot or clump of native wildflowers on the doorstep, links into a complex neighbourhood habitat network, providing an important part of the food chain and vital pollinator corridors. Out with the herbaceous border, in with the pollinator border!

It’s easy and inexpensive to create a wildlife area, offering limitless habitat opportunities for everything from the smallest bug upwards, encouraging diversity even into the smallest space.

We are happy to offer all Kentishtowners free advice and resources to help turn your outside space, no matter how large or small, into a mini wildlife habitat, or even come and design/maintain the area for you. Our gardens will be enjoyed by you and your friendly local wildlife, without compromising aesthetics or practicalities.

Here’s another bit of science – it has been shown that as little as three minutes in a wildlife garden delivers measurable stress relief. Convinced? Here are some great tips to get you going:

1. Score some early Spring nectar: to attract solitary bees, plant Winter Aconite, Lesser Celandine and Lungwort. For Summer nectar, how about the beautiful purple Anise Hyssop, Marjoram, Liatris Spicita or Red Campion. In Autumn, bees love Sedums and Verbena Bonariensis.

2. Think about caterpillars: When planning a garden to attract butterflies, think too about food plants for caterpillars and plan a year round food source. By planting Primroses, Sweet Rocket, Thyme or Michaelmas Daisies you are providing chances for butterflies to feed for over half the year.

3. Even grass can have structure: short or long, filled with drifts of beneficial grassland species. How about an aromatic mint lawn? A lawn filled with Clovers and Birds Foot Trefoil? Grasshoppers, meadow butterflies, crickets and skippers do love a bit of long grass.

4. Water is especially important: Even the smallest pond is great for invertebrates and amphibians. For some inspiration, we recently built a wildlife tank in an old wheelbarrow. You can visit it at The Fruitery, one of Transition Belsize’s food growing sites.

5. Don’t forget the value of dead wood in Winter: A perfect nesting site for many species. Leave leaf litter to float above your Snowdrops and Hellebores during Winter, it’s the equivalent of an insect duvet.

6. Try and pull the birds: Birds love Devils Bit Scabious, Buckthorn and Teasels. Hoverflies love Bronze Fennel. Ladybirds love Yarrow. Echinacea and Rudbeckias are loved by early Autumnal pollinators, Sedum’s seedheads are later enjoyed by finches.

Another green Kentish Town project we are working on thanks to sponsorship from a certain new pizza restaurant, is the launch this Spring of several bike stands all along Kentish Town Road, supplied by KT’s very own Front Yard Company. We (alongside Transition Kentish Town’s urban gardening group) will fill them with beautiful pollinator plants and get this hood buzzin.

Come and meet us at our nettle soup and pesto-making workshop at the City Farm this Sunday (March 24th) if you’d like to hear more about this and all our local environmental projects.

Words: Debbie Bourne