Open Gardens wildlife success!
Are you looking for a new way to engage your local community in taking action for wildlife and raise money for your group? Take a leaf out of Chudleigh Wilds’ book and plan your Open Gardens 2022 with wildlife in mind. Plus lots of cake!
This year Chudleigh Wild and Chudfest joined forces to run the 2021 Chudleigh Charity Open Gardens event. Twelve gardens across Chudleigh opened their gates to visitors during the weekend of 26th/27th June, selling plants and serving refreshments including wood fired pizza, cakes, cream teas, and drinks. There was a wonderful mix of formal and informal gardens taking part in the event with an emphasis on wildlife gardening for everyone. Many of the gardens, including some belonging to local wildlife experts, demonstrated how people can easily accommodate bees, butterflies, hedgehogs and other wildlife in their gardens. The event sold 180 tickets which included a description of each garden, an easy-to-follow map, details of refreshments provided and charities supported.
The Open Gardens event involved over 200 people and was a huge success encouraging everyone to help our local wildlife and raising a massive £2,495! Charities and good causes supported include Chudleigh Wild, Chudfest, Prostate Cancer Research, Cystic Fibrosis, Kidney Development Fund, British Lung Foundation, Friends of Chudleigh School and Rowcroft.
Following on from the success of the ‘Open Gardens’ weekend, a volunteer has offered to set up a Wild About Gardening Group to help keen gardeners meet others and share ideas on how to encourage and support wildlife, swapping ideas, plants and seeds.
You can find out more about Chudleigh Wild on their website and Facebook pages.
Thanks to our CAG Devon group Chudfix for this inspiring article. Could you do something similar where you live?
