Press releases

Nation asked what makes the ultimate wildlife garden?

Join the Wild About Gardens ‘Discovery Survey 2006’

How good is your garden for wildlife? How effective is a pond if you live in the city? Are your flower borders attracting bumblebees? Is your compost heap good for more than just your plants? What are the ingredients for the ultimate wildlife garden?

Wild About Gardens, a major project between the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and The Wildlife Trusts (TWT) in partnership with Ribena, is calling on Britain’s garden owners to help find the answers to these questions in a nationwide survey, the ‘Wild About Gardens Discovery Survey 2006’, and help investigate the links between garden mini habitats, gardening practices and key garden species.

The survey, which runs from 2-17 September 2006, asks garden owners to complete an inventory of types of plants and features in their garden including the garden’s location, and answer questions relating to gardening practices.  The survey will also ask participants to note observations of key species. Garden owners will be asked whether the following species visit their garden within the two-week survey period: hedgehog, goldfinch, common frog, toad, bumblebee, and specifically the brown bumblebee.

Simon Thornton-Wood, Director of Science & Learning for the RHS, explains, “Gardening for wildlife has gained credibility and popularity amongst gardeners in recent years leading to increased demand for advice in this area. Research into the environmental value of domestic gardens has given us the popular blueprint for wildlife gardening advice, but research is still in its infancy.”

He continued, “The combinations of plants, features, gardening practices and location all have varying degrees of effectiveness in attracting and supporting wildlife. We want Britain’s garden owners to help us uncover a better picture of this complex issue and ultimately help us discover the optimum conditions for the perfect wildlife garden.”

Stephanie Hilborne, Chief Executive of TWT, added, “After the huge response to our survey in 2005 we know there is great enthusiasm for wildlife gardening amongst garden owners. The key species that we want gardeners to observe have been carefully chosen because they are good indicators of the effectiveness of particular conditions and practices. Hedgehogs, goldfinches, frogs and bumblebees are all declining or fluctuating in number and there is no clear indication why. I urge everyone to get involved to help us gain a better understanding of how gardens support wildlife.”

Anne MacCaig of Ribena commented, “Domestic gardens are becoming more important than ever for wildlife as traditional habitats are lost, and it is vital to find out which species are thriving and which need more help. Our 41 Ribena blackcurrant growers are doing all they can to help local wildlife, by implementing wildlife-friendly conservation plans on their farms. However, gaining an up-to-date snapshot of the wildlife in people’s gardens will give a much greater overview of how native species are faring and the conditions they need to thrive, which the Ribena growers will be able to take into account on their farms.”

Anyone with a garden can take part in the survey by completing a questionnaire available on the website at www.wildaboutgardens.org or by visiting an RHS garden or contacting their local Wildlife Trust for a survey form. Website users will also be able to view online the five species to observe in the survey. Survey forms must be returned by 22 September. They can be completed online or sent to: Wild About Gardens Discovery Survey 2006, The Wildlife Trusts, The Kiln, Waterside, Mather Road, Newark NG24 1WT. The results will be published in December 2006 and will inform the advice given to wildlife gardening enthusiasts via the Wild About Gardens website, the RHS and The Wildlife Trusts.

Wild About Gardens aims to bring the worlds of gardening and nature conservation closer together, to increase understanding of the significance of local wildlife character, celebrate what garden owners are already doing to support wildlife, and build on existing research into the wildlife potential of domestic gardens. The project’s website, www.wildaboutgardens.org, hosts an online discussion forum for visitors to share tips, ideas and stories about their experiences of wildlife in the garden on a county or UK-level.

Notes to Editors

For further information or images of garden wildlife please contact;

Kerry Law in the RHS press office on 020 7821 3044, e-mail: kerrylaw@rhs.org.uk

Jules Acton in The Wildlife Trusts press office on 0870 0367711, e-mail: julesacton@wildlifetrusts.org

Carolyn Walker or Sarah Jaconelli for media enquiries relating to Ribena, on 020 7340 0430 or firstname.lastname@bluerubicon.com 

• The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. Its charitable work includes providing expert advice and information, advancing horticulture, training the next generation of gardeners, helping school children learn about plants, and conducting research into plants, pests and environmental issues affecting gardeners. The RHS has a membership of around 370,000. For membership enquiries call 0845 130 4646. Visit www.rhs.org.uk.
• The Wildlife Trusts is a partnership of 47 Wildlife Trusts across the UK, plus the Isle of Man and Alderney. Our vision is ‘an environment richer in wildlife for everyone’ and we are the largest UK charity dedicated exclusively to conserving all our habitats and species, with a membership of more than 600,000 people including 100,000 junior members. We campaign for the protection of wildlife and invest in the future by helping people of all ages to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of wildlife. Collectively, we also manage more than 2,200 nature reserves spanning over 80,000 hectares. For further information about The Wildlife Trusts please phone 0870 0367711 or visit www.wildlifetrusts.org.
• Ribena’s blackcurrant growers have a unique partnership with The Wildlife Trusts. Wildlife-friendly conservation plans have been implemented across all their farms with a range of measures including the erection of bird and bat boxes, the creation of rough grass margins around fields and ponds and the sowing of wild bird seed mixtures ensuring the future of native British wildlife. RIBENA is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies. For further information, please visit www.ribena.co.uk

Did you know?

• A whopping 95% of all Britain’s blackcurrants make Ribena
• Each year around 13,600 tons (more than 13.6 billion blackcurrants) go into making Ribena
• The makers of Ribena have a unique relationship with its growers spanning four generations on some farms
• Most of the Ribena blackcurrants are picked and made into juice within 24 hours
• During the war, the government supplied Ribena as a free supplement due to its high content of Vitamin C

www.rhs.org.uk/pressoffice

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. RHS work includes providing expert advice and information, advancing horticulture, training the next generation of gardeners, helping school children learn about plants, and conducting research into plants, pests and environmental issues affecting gardeners.

An interest in gardening is all you need to enjoy being a member of the RHS. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk or call 0845 130 4646.

Founded in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is Britain's largest gardening charity and is committed to being the leading organisation demonstrating excellence in horticulture and promoting gardening. Renowned for its outstanding gardens and inspirational flower shows, the RHS is a key source of advice and information for all gardeners. It encourages gardening through its publications, trials, lectures, education programmes and scientific research and is home to the Lindley Library, which contains the most comprehensive collection of horticultural books in the world.

Membership of the Royal Horticultural Society offers many exclusive benefits including a monthly copy of The Garden magazine; free entrance to RHS Gardens Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire; free access to a further 88 beautiful gardens across Britain and 20 gardens in Belgium and France; access to seeds collected at RHS gardens; free gardening advice and privileged tickets to 18 RHS flower shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

For further enquiries about membership of the RHS contact: Membership Department, Royal Horticultural Society, PO Box 313, London SW1P 2PE; 0845 130 4646 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm or via the RHS website

For more information e-mail the Press Office or visit the online Press Office