Blooming wildflowers for new parents in 2022

A new wildflower seed scheme from Rochdale Borough Council has begun, providing new parents with a blooming gift.

4000 packets of wildflower seeds, donated by Bowlee Garden Nursery will go out to all parents in celebration of their new arrival to help boost the local biodiversity and healthy eco-system as part of the council’s ongoing climate change commitments.

The seeds are part of the council’s climate change target of becoming carbon neutral by 2038 to coincide with when each child will reach their 16th birthday.

The aim is that by planting the flowers they will provide more places to attract butterflies and bees, which are vital to increasing pollination and aid air quality. They can also help to create sustainable drainage systems, particularly in urban areas to help manage the drainage of surface water in a built-up environment.

Councillor Sara Rowbotham, deputy leader of Rochdale Borough Council and cabinet member for climate change and sustainability, said: “I’m delighted to have instigated the wildflower scheme and is another initiative I am extremely proud of.

"Parents can celebrate the birth of their child by planting these seeds and watching them grow. It’s a great way to help our butterflies and bees; increase biodiversity across the borough and improve the air we breathe for our children’s future, plus adds a splash of colour to mark each child’s birthday.

“We are doing everything we can to help make a difference to our climate and we want to educate around sustainability and promote environmental responsibility to improve local neighbourhoods, with the help of our residents.”

Every child born in 2022 will be gifted with the seeds, which have been distributed to Rochdale Care Organisation’s health visiting teams to take out on their new birth visits, which take place in the first few weeks after birth.

Alison Kelly, Director of Nursing at Rochdale Care Organisation, who leads the nursing & therapy teams across the Rochdale Infirmary and community setting, said: “We are proud to support the wildflower scheme and provide new parents with a packet of wild seeds after their baby has been born. Not only will this be a huge benefit to the environment, but it is also something that families will remember as their children grow up.”

The seeds come with a handy guide on how to plant, to help increase the chances of creating up to 16,000 metres squared of wildflowers by 2038, which will complement the council’s ongoing tree-planting schemes.

More on the council’s climate change plans can be found: rochdale.gov.uk/climatechange