A Norfolk Bee Garden

House & Garden

We have a lovely garden at 45 All Saint's Green, the Norwich home of the Norfolk Federation of Women's Institute.

Federation Chairman (Wendy Adams):

"Norfolk Federation of WIs is very fortunate in having a Georgian Town House, with a garden, so near the centre of Norwich as its Headquarters. It lends itself so well to initiatives such the "Bee Tea" where we can engage with the public and raise awareness of both the problem facing pollinators and the WI. The garden is an oasis in a mainly built up area and the house has so much history that we enjoy events where we can open the doors and encourage people to come in and have a look."

Federation Chairman with Simon Wright MP

In the spring of 2014 t had become a bit neglected and severe pruning was required. Large gaps opened up and re-plantingwas required. What could be better than a bee-friendly planting scheme with a Bee Tea to follow?

  

The National Federation of Women's Institute SoS Honeybees campaign materials gave us plenty of inspiration for planting schemes and for promoting the idea to the WI members and the wider public.

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Norfolk WI bee-keeper Meg Dorling
"It is very important that governments throughout Europe and the world and especially here in GB work towards increasing honey bee colonies.

  

Without them our diet and that of our children and grandchildren will be inadequate to keep humans fit and healthy. How will we consume our '5 a day' without fruit and vegetables which rely on insect pollination to grow and increase? Also without beeswax, no good polish, face creams and candles! We may be able to live without beeswax but life will be very boring"

The National Federation of Women's Institute SoS Honeybees campaign materials gave us plenty of inspiration for planting schemes and for promoting the idea to the WI members and the wider public.
Norfolk WI Environment Representative (Dr Rachel Rusholme Pilcher)  "Bees are one of the key insect pollinator species that play a vital role in the successful production of many of our food crops and in maintaining the biodiversity of our plant species. Since the

  

SOS for Honey Bees campaign began in 2009, the NFWI have successfully campaigned for increased funding into honey bee pollinator research, lobbied MPs on the importance of the honey bee to our environment and economy, and also raised public awareness on the plight of the honey bee."

                   
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The challenge was to get a gardening group and the plants all together, in time to have the garden in full flower for the summer. A challenge easily met by WI members who have many bee-friendly plants in their gardens. In fact so many plants arrived that we clearly had surplus plants to sell at our Bee tea, later in the year. A bigger challenge will be keeping the garden flowering all year.

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This is what our Garden Co-ordinator (Jan Kemp) says: "The garden at WI house will continue to be renovated with bees in mind. New bee-friendly perennial planting, including geraniums, hellebores, achillea and sedums, is interspersed with annuals and the wilder section will have bulbs and biennials, such as Eranthis, colchicums and foxgloves and a few 'weeds'.

Later flowering perennials for autumn colour and pollen will be added. Shrubs are being removed or severely pruned to focus on the existing flowering species.The garden has to meet three main criteria, bee friendly, attractive for members and low maintenance. We hope we are on the way to achieving these aims."

The Women's Institute organisation is based on the ideals of fellowship and also aims to educate people in the preservation, conservation and protection of the environment and the prudent use of natural resources.
This project has been full of fun, friends and fellowship and has also allowed us to promote the need for a National Pollinator Strategy to the wider public and our local MPs.

  

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Chairman of Norfolk Federation of Women's Institutes Public Affairs committee: "We know how passionately the public feel about bees and we are delighted that the government has listened and promised safe action to safeguard bees. The National Pollinator Strategy has the potential to go a long way in tackling some of these problems but we believe there is room to make the plan even stronger.

When NFWI members talked to the public at the Royal Norfolk Show about the issues, we found many individuals willing to take action to support the bee population by planting bee-friendly flowers and buying honey to support local bee keepers. They felt that there was less that individuals could do about the bigger issues of habitat loss and the use of pesticides. We have been pleased to talk to our Norfolk MPs about the need clear targets for local authorities & planners to ensure bee friendly communities become the norm, not the exception and the need for independent research and clear thinking about the use of neonicotinoid pesticides."

July Garden

Wendy Adams (Newton Flotman & District WI)
Meg Dorling (Sporle & District, Afternoon WI)
Mary Dorrell (Barford, Wramplingham & District WI
Janette Kemp (Elsing & District WI)
Rachel Rusholme Pilcher (Tibenham WI)