Manchester - urban beekeepers + a city working with nature

Manchester - urban beekeepers + a city working with nature

Written by Emma Kajiyama
Photos by Emma Kajiyama

A beautiful tribute to those who lost their lives in the Manchester attack. There are 22 bees to represent each victim. The bee is also the symbol of Manchester.

In 2015 I wrote a blogpost about urban beekeeping, little knowing that two years later my third year honours project would be about urban honeybees (Apis mellifera). This progression however, seems a natural one as it has followed on from the creation of the Urban Nurture Project, my affection for these pollinators and the current health status of our planet.

Bees evolved 100 millions of years ago in comparison to our relatively recent arrival a few hundred thousand years ago. Beekeeping followed, and even the Ancient Egyptians were drawn to the practise as evident from the pots of honey that have been found in the tombs of pharaohs.

Humans are hugely reliant on pollinators (such as the honeybee, solitary bees, bumblebees and butterflies) for crop pollination. Unfortunately global land-use has changed dramatically, resulting in drastic losses of vital natural habitats and reduced overall biodiversity. A major factor has been the changes in farming practises, where the expansion of monocultures and increased use of pesticides have had a negative impact on wildlife.

The role of beekeepers is a fascinating one. They ensure that diseases are kept in check which helps to reduce the risk of them spreading to other pollinators, especially those in the wild. The position also comes with the privilege of learning about these insects who have complex social structures and are capable of forming beautiful patterns in their hives like the honeycomb. It can also help us understand how we can reduce the decline of other species of bees such as the bumblebee or solitary bees.

Having had very little experience with bees, I set off with slight trepidation as I collected my first sample. The destination was Blackley golf course, north of the city centre. It was a case of learning by experience as the poor beekeeper tried valiantly to capture 30 bees in the insufficiently tiny sample tubes I had brought. I also had my first lesson in bee behaviour, where after standing too close to the hives I was rapidly chased around the golf course to the complete astonishment and amusement of the golfers.  The stings did not deter me from my collections and thankfully I have not been stung again!

As a beginner, these books are excellent.

Learning from those lessons I quickly bought larger containers which proved successful in the trips that followed. Each bee collection has been immensely enjoyable, and I have really loved meeting all the beekeepers, each with their own story of why and how they started. I have visited busy allotments dotted around Greater Manchester and beautiful wildlife gardens. One beekeeping couple have transformed their front garden into a lovely flowering haven for wildlife, with their hive and a pond which had recently seen the spawning of frogs.

A lovely beekeeper in Sale gave me some fresh honeycomb as a keepsake. The texture is a bit like gum or it can be melted into cooking.

Another garden in Heaton Moor was transformed from a large field that was once used as a football pitch into a charming garden straight out of a fairy-tale. Vibrant blooming blossoms tumbled over walls and archways. A pond, fruit and veg patches were all obviously carefully tended and an orchard, chatty chickens and beehives completed this magical outlook. It felt like we had stepped into another world, a far cry from the urban sprawl and grey tarmac just minutes away.

Manchester city centre led me to explore the roof of the Printworks – a covered area which had seen a much younger me stumbling out of their nightclubs. But on this particular sunny day, armed with my containers, I was led by the chaplain of Manchester cathedral who was also their beekeeper, to the hives at the top of the Printworks. Volunteers had helped to create a wildlife garden and a comical looking scarecrow stood guard watching over the busy bees flying from flower to flower.

I also took samples from the roofs of Manchester cathedrals 6 hives. Balancing containers full of angry bees in one arm was no mean feat and holding onto a rope with the other, I cautiously descended the steep and narrow stone staircase back down to the chaplain’s office. I made sure I packed the bees away quickly as the chaplain who shared the office was deathly afraid of bees!

On my way to these collections I have noticed pockets of wildlife that have been carefully thought out and planted by people who are trying to make Manchester a greener city. I think they are succeeding because as cities go, this one seems to becoming more environmentally friendly each time I come back. It’s quite apt that the symbol for Manchester is the worker bee, representing the Mancunians hardworking nature but also the evident efforts to work with nature. Manchester has a way to go to become a truly sustainable city but it is definitely going in the right direction and it makes my heart glad to see it.

A wonderful initiative by Incredible Edible Manchester - spotted as I walked along from Fallowfield to Levenshulme.

 

 

For anyone interested in bees, there is currently an exhibition ‘After the bees’ on at Manchester museum (3^rd floor) on urban beekeeping by artist Megan Powell. It is on until the 1^st of July:

http://www.museum.manchester.ac.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/currentexhibitions/afterthebees/

 

I have also found Stewart Spinks of  'The Norfolk Honey Company' to be a great help - his Youtube videos on beekeeping are very helpful and he has very kindly advised me on all sorts of bee-related questions:

http://www.norfolk-honey.co.uk/

https://youtu.be/rbUBswavuoc

 

 

 

Shell Collecting on Southport Sands

Thoughts from a conchologist - the study of shells

Written by Claire Duncan
Photos by Claire Duncan



Fig. 1 Three red whelks. (Photo: Claire Duncan)

In the holidays I tend to spend a lot of time on Southport Beach. Aside from picnicking at me and my fiance’s ‘spot’ on the seawall, using the gym equipment by the lifeboat station and dodging the mass migrations of tourists on Bank Holidays, I’ve also got into conchology. 

Conchology, or the study of shells, taps nicely into both my paddling around in the mud picking up interesting stuff instinct, and my higher, more academic nature, which meticulously researches stuff and jots down the Latin names. When I was small, my dad would take me ‘treasure hunting’, pootling along farm tracks gathering bits of pottery from the hardcore used to mend the potholes. We would then come home, me excited and covered in mud, to piece together our finds and deduce the different types and stories of each piece. Shell collecting’s very like that. It’s amazing what you can find amongst the mud and litter and coal. Although when the tide is out, the sea is famous for needing a half hour walk to see, when it comes in it brings a myriad of things from the surrounding coast, and often further.

One of the main finds at Southport is the edible whelk, Buccinum undatum. This spiral shelled gastropod is found on soft bottomed coasts where it preys on small bivalves. The shells are beautiful- delicately ridged and in a startling array of colours. I’ve lately found out that the colours can come from staining by the various colours of sediment.

Fig. 2 Clockwise from the top: Red whelk, Prickly cockle, Wentletraps, and Auger shells. (Photo: Claire Duncan)

 

In finer sediments (for example, the fringes of the Ribble estuary) lower layers become anoxic, with anaerobic bacteria producing hydrogen sulphide as they feed. Apart from a bit of a pong, this reacts with the iron found in the sand to produce black iron sulphide. So particularly dark shells picked up will have been dead some time, and had prolonged exposure to this iron sulphide rich sediment. On contact with the air, the iron sulphide reverts back to the iron oxide of the original sand, producing gingery orange shells in just a few hours.

Lately, though, the edible whelks seemed smaller, smoother and a more translucent. Odd. What with ocean acidification due to global warming (we’ve already managed to change the pH of the world’s oceans by .1 of a unit.) I was worried that, like many species, these too were struggling to form calcareous shells. With the help of a decent species guide, it turns out they were red whelks, Neptunea antique. These are very similar looking, but a completely different genus. They’re also poisonous. Why they suddenly seem much more common than the edible whelk is anyone’s guess, but it could just be a short term thing with the weather and currents. Or have they supplanted their edible cousins in these waters?

Amongst the smaller shells were periwinkles, cockles, necklace shells and the delightful little wentletraps (Epitoniidae family). From the Dutch for a spiral staircase, wentletraps are characterised by their unusual shells. The whole spiral is covered in ridges which act as protection from other predatory gastropods drilling into them. There are over 600 species worldwide, although I’ve personally only found two or three while out and about. Another personal favourite are the more common auger shells (Terrebridae family), which look like unicorn horns! Or more prosaically augers- spiral drill bits. Although not as common as cockles or the ubiquitous razorshells, they’re always something pleasant to look out for on the sands.

Fig. 3 Beachcombing on Southport beach. (Photo: Claire Duncan)

While most of the shells washed up are fairly easy to identify, I was thrown a bit of a wildcard earlier this week. It was grey, medium sized and was neither a spiral shelled gastropod nor showed any sign of a hinge which would indicate it was a bivalve. The apex was not only to one side, but curled into a little spiral. The closest thing it resembled were the now extinct Devils Toenails (Gryphaea spp.), which haven’t really been a thing since the Jurrasic. But it obviously wasn’t fossilized, and was the wrong shape anyway. I looked at every seashell guide I could find. I went through the Conchological society’s website and googled limpets, gastropods and obscure bivalves. Nothing looked plausible. And absolutely nothing seems to have its apex in a spiral.

The key to this now half solved mystery was the river Ribble. Southport is on the very edge of the Ribble estuary, with saltmarsh giving way to sand just a few hundred yards from the pier. I’m still not sure the exact species, but it seems to be something from the Ancylis genus of freshwater limpets. Apparently they like unpolluted, flowing water where they cling to the rocks to graze. So whatever this odd, lumpy, little grey thing is, it’s a very long way from home. A shellfish out of water, perhaps?

Citizen Science Projects

Citizen Science Projects - How can you help?

Written by Emma Kajiyama
Photos by Emma Kajiyama

Fig. 1 Citizen Science projects allow volunteers to record species such as this
 cushion star and crab found at Anglesey, North Wales.

One way to get involved in conservation, whether you are an expert or someone who is passionate about saving our wildlife and environment, is to join a citizen science project. These are volunteering events which require no prior knowledge of science or conservation practices, just your attendance to training days, lots of enthusiasm coupled with a love and desire to help nature.  The projects are also not age restrictive, so involving your little ones or your plant crazy grandpa helps to make conservation and scientific research accessible to all.

Citizen Science projects are also a great way to immerse yourself in the great outdoors.  Connecting to nature every so often has been proven to combat a number of common ailments which seem to accompany our modern lifestyles such as stress and physical illnesses such as heart disease, and is incredibly beneficial to mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.

Fig. 2 Beautiful Citizen Science Project locations such as this one at Menai Bridge
 can help you to escape the stresses of your busy lifestyle.

 

According to the volunteering charity ‘The Conservation Volunteers’ (TCV), as much as 90% of the records for species and habitats have been facilitated by citizen scientist volunteers.  These are members of the general public who have spent a few hours of their spare time to collect vital data in order to help improve and understand our natural environment so as to better help protect it.

I feel these sorts of schemes are incredibly important opportunities for anyone wanting to become conservationists.  As time goes on we are slowly realising that climate change is not a myth and that we are speeding up the natural progression of the earth far faster than had it been left naturally. We are directly responsible for the extinction of hundreds if not thousands of species and habitats.  Studies have suggested that more than 50% of the natural landscape has been lost due to human influences on the land. It can also be seen that by studying the ever increasing world population and economic growth, these factors are having a devastating effect on the planet, as we slowly remove its natural resources faster than its ability to regenerate. Therefore, communities are imperative to the improvement and sustainability of our planet.  As the Native Americans say, ‘when the last tree is cut down, the last river poisoned, only then will we realise that one cannot eat money’.

So on that sombre note, I urge you, whoever you are reading, to do something positive today. We can play our part in keeping our planet going. It is possible to turn this situation around. We may have a lot of work to do but there are still species and habitats which desperately need our help.

For those wishing to check out Citizen Science Projects and similar events, for starters, there is the Great British beach clean! Get these dates in your diary: 16^th – 19^th September, join others who love beaches and hate litter to also help collect data and stop litter getting there in the first place. Please follow the link below:

http://www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/greatbritishbeachclean

 For those interested in marine conservation, one project I recommend is ‘Capturing our Coast’, who are currently running citizen science training all around the UK. Check out the link below to find a hub near you!

http://capturingourcoast.co.uk/get-involved

 

Fig. 3 The training days teach volunteers how to count and record marine species.

And see the TCV website for more citizen science projects:

http://www.tcv.org.uk/

Thank you for reading!

Appy Birding

Appy Birding - apps to help you help our wildlife!

By Claire Duncan

Fig. 1 Greylag Geese at an urban park

 

The 21^st century is an exciting time of huge growth, and huge ‘greening’.  The internet generation use technology that last century’s Sci-fi writers barely dreamed of, yet are more environmentally aware than almost any before. Ecologists and other scientists not only have greater potential to gather knowledge, but to distribute it through society. Exciting things going on at the moment include drones surveying tree bryophytes, satellite tracking for migrating animals and some nifty software for much of the hideous maths that’s part of our trade. And also apps. Common or garden smartphones can be installed with a myriad of them, with plant ID, stargazing and bushcraft tuition all popular. One of my personal favourites is one created by an old established conservation NGO founded back in 1930s Oxford.

The British Trust for Ornithology, or BTO, is an unusual environmental organisation. It is a scientific body whose impartiality and professionalism earn it respect at all levels. Focused on monitoring and research, it is a source of good, sound science which anyone can access. An absolute godsend in my college days! It doesn’t engage in lobbying, or own any reserves, but the information it collects provide vital information for those who do.  As birdwatching has long been a popular hobby here, the BTO soon realised there were reams of information sat in dog-eared notebooks across the country. If this could be gathered together, a clear picture of the UK’s birdlife would emerge, that would otherwise have cost thousands. So, people would send in their findings, by paper or electronic means. It wasn’t really a huge leap to think of something like BirdTrack.

 

Fig. 2 BirdTrack, A BTO project looks at migration and distribution patterns of birds throughout Britain and Ireland. (BTO, not dated)

 

I first heard of BirdTrack at an event hosted by the Snowdonia Society, a small Welsh conservation NGO. As the BTO’s Welsh headquarters are based at the nearby University of Bangor, regional development officer Kelvin Jones was able to give a presentation. There seemed endless ways to get involved, from claiming a ‘patch’ to regularly survey, to chipping in a few hours birdwatching at peak migration times.  One of the easiest, however, is setting up a BirdTrack account. Similar to schemes such as Hedgelink or The Wildlife Trusts’ Wildlife Watchers, this lets you upload online anything you may have spotted. 

Birds can be entered as ‘List’ or ‘Casual sighting’. List is all number and species of bird seen in a certain time at a certain place. Casual sighting would be more for a one off thing you spotted while dashing for work or out of a car window. Your online account will let you view your details,  how things are going with a set ‘species of the day’, and also shows the top 5 other users for lists and top 5 for species. Since humans are an innately competitive species, the BTO have worked out that this can spur some people on.  Once set up, you can then choose to link your account to the BirdTrack App.

Once on your phone, the BirdTrack app can be treated pretty much as a notebook. The time, date, place and species sighted are entered. There are also options to submit any evidence of breeding or anything else noteworthy, behavioural or otherwise. This bit doesn’t require wifi, which means you can use it anywhere without it devouring your data. Wifi is needed to send the data off later though. The app will first check to see if any bits are missing, before sending your research straight to the number crunchers at the BTO’s Thetford headquarters.

Fig. 3 BirdTrack app is easy to navigate, a vital tool for any birders out there

 

 Species must be selected from those listed, so ‘Owl’ ‘Duck’ or ‘Seagull Mafia boss’ won’t make the grade. Due to the huge amount of data that can be collected this way, downright daft entries won’t skew the final calculations, either. But the whole thing is an incredibly user-friendly bit of software.

Another plus side of spontaneous citizen involvement is that rather than just the exciting species spotted on special birding trips, data can be gathered on the somewhat boring, everyday species. Why are goldfinches getting more common in towns, while swifts are declining? How would the closure of a nearby landfill affect local gull populations? Has there been any difference in sparrow or blackbird numbers in the last few decades? Are things nesting any earlier as the climate changes? If a likely species list for you consists of 8 sparrows and a woodpigeon, then that’s still a useful finding.

Likewise, the fact it can be done anywhere allows great flexibility. I like to sit in bed and count what flies past or lands in the car park outside our window in the morning. There are tales of housebound, elderly or disabled people surveying their back garden at the same time every morning. You don’t even need to put any trousers on! Naturally, surveying the same time and place repeatedly will allow you a better picture of it. Ecologists are ‘Pattern seekers, and pattern explainers’, so working  out  trends or tendencies for something is considered a success.

So get your smartphones, or at least an online account and suitable notebook, and take a stroll! From teenage blackbirds squabbling with would-be stepmums over their overworked dads (I actually spotted this by our Uni halls one time.  Poor fella...) to a few hundred geese arriving at your local lake at once in Autumn. From noisy broods of sparrows growing up in your hedge to the joys of a night-singing robin. There’s so much to be discovered and there’s never been a better time to get involved. Get it down and let people know about it!

 

Urban Regeneration in the UK

Urban Regeneration in the UK

Written by Emma Kajiyama
Photos by Jools Abel

There are many towns and cities in the UK working hard to combine urban living with nature.  Thankfully, some councils deem it a necessity to work with nature, realising that without green pockets in built-up areas, the decline of pollinators and British wildlife in general is inevitable. As always, such decline will have a knock-on effect on our own lifestyle, from the food we eat to the air we breathe.

 

Initiatives such as the regeneration of Burnley, a town in Lancashire, have included the creation of wildflower meadows integrated into the urban landscape.  Burnley Council sought to improve the areas where houses had been demolished leaving behind large swathes of unused land, which had been initially covered over with grass and mowed regularly, a situation that had not been wildlife-friendly.

 

As well as being pleasing to the eye, this wildflower planting has had many benefits.  The natural habitats for the local flora and fauna has been improved by allowing the meadows to grow throughout the spring and summer periods.  This has also helped to attract the ever important pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds.

 

‘Proffitts Investing in Communities’ led the first wildflower planting event in Burnley, inviting the local community to help plant the first batch of seeds from wildflower seed packets.  This was vital in helping to raise awareness to families living in the area about the importance of wildlife.

 

 

 

 

 However, it must be noted that caution should be taken when planting wildflowers from packets. It is important to ensure native seed mixes are used to avoid invasive species taking over or destroying native species. An instance of this can be seen with the Daffodil, where cultivated ones have almost wiped out the truly wild Daffodil.

Projects such as ‘Grow Wild’, led by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, who appeared in Manchester Dig the City 2015, have been helping people and their communities to “transform unloved urban spaces… into wildlife friendly wild flower patches” (Growwilduk.com, 2015).  Their seed kits vary, with different mixes for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

I am limited in my knowledge of identifying plants so I can only hope that projects like the urban regeneration of Burnley, have taken native wildflower planting into careful consideration. These projects are a very positive step towards understanding and learning more about wildlife conservation in our urban areas.

 

 

 

 

If you do wish to start a wildflower initiative in your local area, please visit https://www.growwilduk.com/faqs for further information on planting native plants.

References

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/11125434.Partners_unite_to_create_wildflower_meadow_in_Burnley/

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/11373482.Burnley_street_looking_blooming_marvelous/

http://www.plantlife.org.uk/about_us/faq/planting/

http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/letters/letter-pendle-wild-flowers-meadows-are-great-1-4929383

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

How Big is Your Carbon Footprint?

How Big is Your Carbon Footprint?

By Emma Kajiyama

Every time I post a new link or blog to The Urban Nurture page, I am acutely reminded of the saying “practice what you preach”.  As an advocate for caring for the environment, I am always trying to learn and research on how to be better at living sustainably to help reduce my personal carbon footprint on our planet.  At the present, there is so much more I could be doing.

Everything we do, be it driving a car or something as simple as acquiring more shopping bags, has an adverse effect on the environment.  The only problem is, usually, we don’t immediately see the results of our actions until we hear bad press about the climate, from the plastic waste found in the oceans to the ever-receding habitat of polar bears.  Even then, we sometimes don’t realise that the cause of it is us.  So how radically are we prepared to change our lifestyle? Taking action collaboratively is a progressive move so it is imperative to understand ways in which we can help.

In the UK the modern culture of consumerism has left us in a difficult position. Does an endless variety of clothes, food and technology create laziness and apathy towards caring about our environment? Do we blame a lack of time or money for our readiness to forget the implications of shopping in supermarkets, buying whatever is in front of us, no matter where it may come from? Do our modern lifestyles prevent us from questioning how environmentally sound the items we buy really are?

The answer for many is yes.  I know myself how easy it is to give in to the abundance of shopping. For me, it is the convenience of buying anything I want, as soon as I want.

Furthermore, eating sustainably also becomes an interesting debate, where we have to understand that all food products are interconnected, and that the issue is much more complex than just eating meat or being a vegan.  The use of pesticides and some fertilisers to grow our fruit and vegetables invariably kill insects, worms and pollinators who are incredibly vital to the production of our foods.  And we also find that most of the fruit and vegetables in our supermarkets is not grown in Britain. The carbon footprint of shipping them to the UK is huge.  This in turn has a destructive impact on the habitats of animals the world over, not forgetting the social problems importing from other countries can generate and the excess waste that is thus created.

Eating meat is also an intricate issue, depending on whether consumers are comfortable about eating meat of an unknown source and are content to be unaware of the quality of the welfare practiced.

Buying organic, local, Fairtrade and growing our own food can be seen as ideal. There is an element of trust that we can place in products which claim to be free of pesticides and GMOs. And by growing our own produce we have power over how we do so, and this helps to drastically reduce waste. However this way of living can be more expensive and rarely as convenient.

So, becoming ‘better at living’ as a modern consumer can be a challenge and it is a massive lifestyle change.  To do so, we must reduce our carbon footprint, carefully consider our product options and essentially research every single place we eat or shop. It’s great that more and more of us are starting to make these changes, especially in a world which is fast-paced and where we still compete for that better car or lust after a certain fashion craze. 

I will find it a difficult task but I hope to change my modern consumer-ways as much as I can.  There are certain brands I will not shop at, and re-using shopping bags has now become my norm. But of course I can and will do better.

I think as human beings we owe it to our planet to look after it as it has looked after us. We therefore should try to aim to work collaboratively to understand how to better our ways of living, rather than being complacent about our individual ways of life. We cannot truly know for certain how best to live, but we can encourage and inspire each other to live a little less selfishly and a lot more sustainably.

After note: I have coincidentally written this on ‘Earth Overshoot Day’.  This is the point at which humanity goes into ecological debt.

It has emerged that as of today, “humans have already used up 2015’s supply of Earth’s resources… we have exhausted a year’s supply of natural resources in less than eight months, according to an analysis of the demands the world’s population are placing on the planet.” (TheGuardian.com, 2015).  We have been using up the Earth’s yearly quota, earlier and earlier each year.
Let’s do something to change this, take action today and let’s make a move to become more sustainable together!

Photos and thoughts from a visit to: Dig the City Manchester

Dig the City Manchester

By Emma Kajiyama

This morning I watched a video about how planting trees now can help save the environment of future generations.  This is a positive message in a world which is inundated with dire news about the downward disintegration of species and habitats.  I think that sometimes it is easy to forget that we can be proactive today to help the planet's future.

Positive 'green' initiatives in urban areas take place all the time. Dig the City is one such project, highlighting the benefits of growing wildflowers, enticing our pollinators, encouraging our children to get passionate about nature and understanding that growing plants are not just for those with gardens.

Manchester city centre is, for me personally, the epitome of the grey urban city. A lot of concrete, a lot of buses and whole lot of people. They do, however, continually hold festivals, events and talks such as Dig the City - Manchester's summer garden festival.
I went along this morning to find out more about it. The organisers had transformed the paved streets into a hive of activity, where children made mud pies and people slowly meandered about, admiring the pop-up urban gardens despite the intermittent rain.

Fig. 1 This was beautifully laid out in St Ann's Square, complete with a tea table. (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

 

 

     Fig. 2 I loved the detail and effort that had gone into decorating the sheds and stalls.

(Photo: Emma Kajiyama) 



Fig. 3 Grow Wild is a summer roadshow from Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. They "inspire communities, friends, neighbours and individuals... to transform local spaces by sowing, growing and enjoying native wild flowers." - Grow Wild. I was given a free pack of wildflower seeds to plant. (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

Fig. 4 Grow Wild - their beautifully designed shed. (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

Fig. 5 Spot the bee-man! Friends of the Earth were campaigning today. Mr Bee had been there all day in his bee outfit. They had lots of info packs on helping bees. I did my bit and signed a letter to my local MP against the Government's decision of using bee-killing pesticides. (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

Fig. 6 Beautiful garden designs added a splash of colour to the otherwise concrete shopping street. This was a Gold Medal winner - 'Aurora Arbora' with Dreamscape Gardens. (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

Fig. 7 I was very excited to see this as I had previously attended Reaseheath College to study a land-based Access Course. They won Silver Gilt for this piece of work called Aphid Attack!! Well done! (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

 

Fig. 8 Reaseheath's Aphid Attack! Beautiful creation, planted with lavender. Would love to know who worked on this. (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

 

 

Fig. 9 A wonderful array of natural colours, forms and textures. (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

 

Fig. 10 A garden waterfall with bridge, which cascaded over concrete steps as can be seen on the left. A beautiful idea, made by the Hulme Community Garden Centre. (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

 

Fig. 11 The Hulme Community Garden Centre's natural 'waterfall' and pond. I love the juxtaposition of the concrete and steel background with the temporary plants. Which will stand the test of time? (Photo: Emma Kajiyama, 2015)

I love seeing a green Manchester, and I realise that from the amount of visitors to the festival, many people feel the same. This gives me a sense of hope that all is not lost for urban green spaces. It would be wonderful to see more greenery, like the pop-up gardens today, take a permanent place in our city centres. It also makes me wonder what Manchester looked like before the settlement of people. Did the area on which Dig the City promotes urban gardening use to be covered in wildflower meadows? The return of nature to the city is a positive action. I'll be planting the wildflower seeds on the only space I have, my small balcony, and I'll help to grow Wild. Happy planting everyone :)



For more information about Dig the City, please visit their website.  The festival is on until the 6th August 2015:

http://www.digthecity.co.uk/

 

Find out more about Kew Garden's Grow Wild and enter their summer competition to win a family holiday:

https://www.growwilduk.com/

 

Sign a letter to your local MP to say NO to the previously banned pesticides by visiting Friends of the Earth UK website:

https://www.foe.co.uk/