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Dig the City: Manchester Friends of the Earth creates a bee-friendly urban garden

event report

On Friday 2nd August, volunteers from Manchester Friends of the Earth took up the challenge of creating a bee-friendly urban garden for the Dig the City Urban gardening festival, which runs from Saturday 3rd to Sunday 11th August.

looking a little bare to start with!

looking a little bare to start with!

We started with five bags of compost (donated by Recycling for Greater Manchester) and worked throughout a gloriously sunny Friday to get the bee-garden finished in time for the launch on Saturday.

Thanks to a great team of volunteers we soon (!) had the garden finished and within minutes of the flowers arriving the bees had found them.

Located on New Cathedral Street (between Ted Baker and Marks & Spencers) one of the centrepieces of the garden was described by a passing Twitterati as “the mother of all Bee Hotels”.  Nicknamed the BEEtham Tower this bee hotel was completely made from reclaimed/recycled materials.

Manchester Friends oDescribed on Twitter as the mother of all bee hotels  300x400f the Earth are using the opportunity of having a visually attractive bee-friendly garden in a busy city-centre location to promote the Bee Cause campaign. We also have a series of events throughout the Dig the City festival. (See below).

On Saturday, ceramics artist Jade Alana helped us run a Bee Crafts activities for children to make bees and flowers from plasticene which saw some great creations being made.

Bee craft activities with Jade Alana  350

We will be promoting the Bee Cause campaignas much as possible throughout the festival – so if you have any time to spare and would like to get involved please email Stephanie.

Some of the other activities planned that you may like to get involved with:

Fruit and vegetables donated by Fareshare NW and pollinated by bees!

Fruit and vegetables donated by Fareshare NW and pollinated by bees!

  • Tuesday 6th August (12noon – 4pm). Take away fresh fruit or vegetables pollinated by bees (donated by Fareshare NW) or make a “seed bomb” to create your own wild-flower patch.
  • Friday 9th August (3pm). Help us run a Bee Tea for local Members of Parliament and councillors.
  • Saturday 10th August (1-4pm) Candle-making with Bees-wax
  • Sunday 11th August (11am – 4pm).  Find out how bees pollinate plants. Have a go and find out why we need them in the food chain.

For more details of Manchester Friends of the Earth Bee campaign events during Dig the City please email Stephanie.

Stop using Bee-Killer (Tm) pesticides

Stop using Bee-Killer (Tm) pesticides

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