Ever heard of Grow Wild?
I have to admit I hadn’t, until they contacted me this week to share some exciting plans to transform a Scottish community.
And Grow Wild want to invite you to play a part in deciding which one wins a £100,000 wild flower facelift.
Grow Wild is an exciting four-year campaign to bring people together to sow UK native wild flowers.
They want to turn gardens and windowsills into wildlife-friendly wild flower patches.
Grow Wild is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and led by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – and everyone is invited to join in.
Right now, they have 3 Scottish sites on the shortlist to receive their latest transformation:
Belville in Greenock
The community wants to create a great big garden of native Scottish wild flowers, all looked after by an on-site community garden officer.
The garden will re-establish a lost link with nature and this brownfield site will become a green sanctuary for locals. Young people will learn about biodiversity through training and education, and there’ll be community events and workshops in outdoor pods made from customised shipping containers.
It's a grass roots thing – local people asked for a garden, so that everyone can take part. Community groups who are involved include schools and youth organisations, plus a local mental health group.
Frog Pond, Dedridge, Livingston, West Lothian
This project wants to transform a tired-looking pond into a beautiful wetland and meadow, offering an inspirational focal point in a local park. The idea is to clean up the area, planting wild flowers to fill the park with colour and animals. Young people are designing a special bridge that will also be used as a stage. Plus there'll be planting days for everyone, so the project will spread throughout the community.
The success of a bike track for young people spurred community and church groups, plus environmental and ecology organisations to work with the local council on improving local spaces. Youth groups, design students and local schools are all involved.
The Water Works, Barrhead, East Renfrewshire
This project puts some TLC into the WC. They want to transform a disused sewage works into a quirky garden. Playing on its industrial past, the site will use the huge sewage tanks as giant planters with beautiful displays of Scottish native wild flowers.
Tanks will recreate different environments such as wetland meadows. Young people will work with a retirement club, and there'll be cycling and walking links, so young and old will work and play together.
Barrhead High School nominated this site and will drive the idea forward with the help of 'Still Game', a local retired people's club, along with Green Academy students and support from the local council.
Just click on the voting widget on the bottom right hand side of the screen to vote for your favourite site.
Over the next few weeks, Grow Wild will be offering you the chance to meet the people behind the sites, you can get your photo taken in the customised Grow Wild photobooth and vote for the site you like the most.
Here’s where they’ll be:
· Oak Mall Shopping Centre, Greenock – Friday, October 25
· Silverburn Shopping Centre, Glasgow - Saturday, October 26
· The Centre, Livingston – Saturday, November 2
The Scottish site with the most votes will win the £100,000 Grow Wild transformation.
Voting runs until midnight on November 3 and the winner will be announced in mid-November.
Please place your vote and spread a little wild beauty to a community that needs it.