Jordans Cereals issues a challenge to Britain’s gardeners
Cereal company, Jordans, is issuing a challenge to Britain's gardeners to follow the example set by farmers that grow Jordans cereals and make at least 10% of their gardens into homes for wildlife.
Over the next twelve months, Jordans aim to recruit 10,000 gardeners to join in the challenge – in acres that is equivalent to 18 football pitches! The company's long-term ambition is for gardeners to turn 10% of one million acres of garden in the UK – 100,000 acres – into wildlife friendly habitats, in ther words 63,291 football pitches.
One of the first people to respond to the Jordans 10% Challenge is farmer and wildlife expert, Jimmy Doherty, who is presenting a video hosted on www.jordanscereals.co.uk
There will also be top tips, downloadable guides, ideas to get children involved and a blog from Jimmy. The campaign also features top tips from Marney Hall, Gold medal winner at both RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows, and a competition offering a chance to win a garden makeover by Marney and her team.
Jimmy Doherty points out that the farmers that grow cereals for Jordans on around 50,000 acres of arable farmland in the UK are already making a major difference to wildlife conservation in Britain: "By inviting the nation's gardeners to take up Jordans 10% Challenge, we're hoping to create even more homes for wildlife. There's a tremendous amount of space in the UK, just ready and waiting to be a home for birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife, and with recent declines in numbers, they need all the help they can get," he says.
Today, Jordans sources its cereals from 50 farms which operate to Conservation Grade™ standards. The total landholding extends to around 50,000 acres with research showing that the 10% allocation is a definite benefit to wildlife, increasing both the range and numbers of species able to prosper.
To pledge your support for Jordans 10% Challenge, visit their website: www.jordanscereals.co.uk
Jordans have issued a Top Ten Tips fact sheet to help you get going, so check these out below:
JOIN 'JORDANS 10% CHALLENGE'
AND CREATE HOMES FOR WILDLIFE IN YOUR GARDEN
TOP 10 TIPS
"It isn't widely known that Jordans is a force behind the management of 70,000 acres of arable farmland in the UK where wildlife can thrive. By caring for habitats like wildflowers and hedges, Jordans is creating homes for wildlife in the British countryside. Our ambition is to get people to take the Jordans 10% challenge and follow this lead by creating homes for wildlife in their gardens." Celebrity farmer and wildlife expert, Jimmy Doherty.
Taking the Jordans 10% Challenge is easy. From gardens to patios – simply use 10% of your outside space to create a wildlife friendly home. So whether it's designing a dedicated area or making lots of little changes, we’ve got all the information you need to create a habitat for creatures great and small.
Here are our Top Ten Tips on how to create a home for wildlife in your garden:
1. Perennials - plant your 10% with perennials, rather than shorter-lived plants, and you’ll guarantee a happier wildlife habitat for many years to come. You could also create ‘wildlife corridors’ so the creatures in your garden find it easier to move around safely – for instance from water to bushes and plants.
2. Pollen & nectar rich flowers - growing pollen and nectar rich flowers provides an important source of protein and energy for bees and butterflies. Plant them in a sunny spot, water regularly and you’ll see them flourish – along with the wildlife they attract. And if you can, choose British species and support our native flora.
3. Boxes - all wildlife needs a safe place to live and you can help by installing boxes for birds, bees, butterflies, other friendly bugs and even bats. Needless to say, keep them out of reach of the cat, and clear out bird boxes after every nesting ready for another use.
4. Insect-tastic plants - birds prefer tasty insects to stale bread, so plant to promote the beneficial insects which birds can eat. Certain insects can also help keep control aphids and other nasties too.
5. Bird-table/feeder - be it apples, nuts, cake, cooked pasta or specialist seeds, feeding birds all year round is an easy win. And keeping gray squirrels away is always an entertaining challenge!
6. Nectar feeder - it's not just the birds that are easy to feed. Butterflies, bees and other bugs can also be kept satisfied with a little watery sugary treat from a nectar feeder. These are quite easy to make and should keep the kids entertained for ages. Well... at least few minutes.
7. Water, water everywhere - upturned bin lids of water, elaborate sculpted bird baths, rogue buckets, make-shift ponds or fancy water features – whatever your watery preference, they're magnets to all sorts of wildlife.
8. Hanging around - hanging baskets not only look lovely but can also provide a great habitat for birds and bees – helping to make up your 10%. And if you're clever with seasonal planting, they don't just have to be for spring or summer.
9. Untidiness - fight the desire to tidy every last little bit of your garden. Small untidy areas such as a little space behind the shed can be a haven for wildlife. Piles of twigs, leaves and long grass are the perfect habitat for lots of different creatures.
10. Growing up - bare walls don't help anyone. So plant vertically, whether it's ivy up a garage wall or honeysuckle on your house. You’ll find that all sorts of wildlife will then be able to take advantage of this new foliage.
Jordans’ Top Ten Tips will provide some great ideas to help get you started. Plus, our downloadable guides have also been developed with help from award winning wildlife gardener Marney Hall. Enter our competition and you could also enjoy the buzz of winning a £1,500 garden makeover.
To sign up for Jordans 10% Challenge, visit www.jordanscereals.co.uk
