Would you like to learn how to garden for pollinators? It doesn’t matter what size your garden is. You can now sign up to a training webinar to learn how to garden for pollinators.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust is looking for both beginner to experienced gardeners in North West Cumbria to garden with pollinators in mind. The wildlife charity is running a series of four online webinars in August and September to teach you pollinator-friendly gardening.

Helen Shipton-Smith, an experienced gardener and speaker from Helen’s Herbs, will lead the events, teaching the basics of pollinator-friendly gardening. No prior knowledge is required and participants will be able to put their pollinator-friendly garden on an online map. You’ll learn how to make planters for pollinators, how to plan your space for pollinators, how to grow edibles which attract pollinators and how to make your plants last over autumn and winter.

The four webinars will be aimed at people living in Carlisle, Maryport, Whitehaven and Workington, as these are the areas that the Get Cumbria Buzzing project is focusing on. Numbers are limited and you are advised to book well in advance

The gardening webinars will take place on the following days from 1.00pm–2.00pm:

• Planters for pollinators – 12 August
• Planning your space for pollinators – 18 August
• Edible plants to attract pollinators – 26 August
• Creating new plants for pollinators – 2 September

For more information, email lucyg@cumbriawildifetrust.org.uk  

Lucy Graham, Project Officer for Get Cumbria Buzzing, explains why pollinators need our help: “Across the UK, bumblebees and other pollinating insects are disappearing at an alarming rate. More than half of our bee, butterfly and moth species have declined in the past 50 years, and 30 species of bees face extinction. Over the last 75 years we’ve lost 97% of our flower rich meadows, 50% of our hedgerows, and 60% of flowering plants are in decline.  

Lucy continues: “Gardens are one of the last refuges for pollinators. Gardening with pollinators in mind could help bring back pollinators from the brink. You don’t need much space to add some flowers for pollinators. With your help we will be able to create a network of pollinator-friendly gardens which stretches across Cumbria”