Guildford in Bloom competition returns with butterfly theme
A gardening competition in Surrey has returned this year centred around the theme of butterflies and moths.Guildford in Bloom will see green-fingered residents and businesses competing to showcase their talents.The show's theme aims to highlight severely declining numbers of butterflies reported in the UK in 2024, organisers said.Entries for the event are open and will close on 22 June.
The event will see Guildford in Bloom team up with Butterfly Conversation Surrey and encourage gardeners to create habitats that will attract butterflies and moths.Paul Spooner, chairman of Guildford in Bloom, said: "This competition offers a unique opportunity for residents to showcase their gardening skills and contribute to the conservation of these vital pollinators."The charity Butterfly Conservation said in September that there had been a "hugely concerning" decline in butterfly numbers of almost 50% - the lowest figures in the 14-year history of its survey.The 2025 competition will also feature a new balcony category to promote residents living in blocks of flats to get involved.Additional categories include themed gardens, pubs and businesses in bloom and young gardeners aged between 11 and 21.Guildford's Schools in Bloom competition will also return with the same butterflies and moths theme.Residents and businesses can enter via the Guildford in Bloom website with a deadline for most categories of 22 June.Guildford Schools in Bloom entries close on 25 May.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
18-05-2025
- BBC News
New butterfly habitats created across Midlands
More than 60 hectares (148 acres) of new butterfly habitat have been created in the Midlands in a bid to help rare four-year project at nature reserves in Worcestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire has been led by the Butterfly Conservation of volunteers have given up their time for the Butterfly Mosaics scheme, funded by Severn Trent Water, which has seen grasslands given a Shropshire, brambles were cleared to create space for caterpillar-friendly plants and the county's wildlife trust then brought in goats to maintain the area. Butterfly Conservation said the Prees Heath Common nature reserve, near Whitchurch, was the last sanctuary in the Midlands for the Silver-studded Blue, which had declined 44% since the in the county, people worked on the slopes of Earl's Hill to create habitat for the Grayling - a spotted brown-and-orange butterfly that had decreased 72% since the 1970s. Butterfly Conservation said it was grateful to Forestry Commission, Forestry England, Sustrans, wildlife trusts, councils and private landowners for their support on the overall project, which ended in conservation manager at Butterfly Conservation Rhona Goddard said trees had been planted for butterflies to breed on and stones put down for them to sunbathe on. Ms Goddard said last year was one of the worst on record for "common and rare butterflies in the UK, and one of the biggest problems is destruction of habitat over the past century". But she added this kind of partnership working was a "beacon of hope". In Worcestershire, Grafton Wood nature reserve was also a robotic mower and other machines, woodland areas were opened for the Wood White, which had declined 82% since the where Brown Hairstreak butterflies lay their eggs were cut back, "creating fresh growth which they prefer", the charity said. In Nottinghamshire, habitat was created for the Grizzled Skipper at several private sites using bags of expanded woodland areas for Wood Whites at Forestry England's Hay Wood in Warwickshire and planted disease-resistant elm trees at other Forestry England Staffordshire, bracken was cleared at Cannock Chase Country Park to create more habitat for the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary - an orange-and-black butterfly which had declined 66% since the 1970s. Ms Goddard said the charity would love people to visit its reserves, but added: "We just ask people to remember that these are sensitive sites, so please be courteous and careful." Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners urged to plant 5 flowers to deter rats 'find them repulsive'
If rats are overrunning your garden then experts suggest growing these five plants in your garden which will send any nasty rodents sprinting in the opposite direction There's nothing worse than discovering a rat in your garden – these nasty rodents chew through your plants and spread disease. Luckily, there's an easy way to deter them. Rats are pernicious pests and are known to eat everything from vegetables, meat scraps to rubbish. They can also spread nasty illnesses, like leptospirosis, which can cause potentially life-threatening complications like Weil's Disease. Fortunately, gardening experts recommend growing specific plants known to ward off vermin. It might sound weird, but rats hate the scent of certain flowers and bushes, even though they might smell lovely to us. Pure Pests say these are the five best rat-banishing plants to grow, as reported by Yahoo News. Lavender Most of us adore lavender for its gentle floral smell. However, for rats, it creates a sensory nightmare, due to the plant's high concentration of essential oils. It has the added benefit of attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies to your garden. This is especially important, given that butterfly numbers have dropped in the UK, according to Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count. Mint Humans love mint so much that we use it as a breath freshener. Well, not rats. Vermin hate the stringent freshness of mint so much that they go out of their way to avoid it. This is because mint contains menthol and other compounds which they find unpleasant. Even better, the scent of the plant is quite strong, so it creates a wide smell-barrier which repels rats. Marigold These cheerful yellow flowers are known to have a heavy, musky smell, somewhat similar to overripe animals. While humans enjoy it, rats find their overpowering odour unpleasant. An added bonus is that they also find the Marigold's bright colours off putting too. Rats prefer dimmer lighting and find bright lights and colours uncomfortable. Catnip This is a tip for cat-lovers. Catnip serves the dual purpose of attracting more felines to your yard, while also keeping nasty buck-toothed rodents at bay. Catnip has a sharp, minty smell and contains the oil nepetalactone, which triggers a euphoric response in cats' brains. However, it does the opposite for rats, who are completely repelled by it. Camphor plant Camphor plants (not to be confused with the camphor tree) are gentle, leafy plants with dark fruits. Fortunately, their innocent appearance belies a rat-thwarting machine. They have a sharp earthy scent that is often compared to Vick's Vaporub. It is also a deterrent to rats, who despise the plant. Research shows it can even be an effective rodenticide as it causes symptoms like irritability and blurred vision in rats.
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Gardeners urged to make urgent change to lawnmower to keep grass green
If you want to keep your garden looking as green and lush as possible then a gardening expert advises making this one simple change to your lawn mower settings If your garden is starting to look lacklustre after the recent spew of hot weather, the problem may lie in your lawn mower settings. A garden expert has recommended one small change that can help your grass stay a deep green. With summer fast approaching, more of us are getting out into our gardens. In fact, the beginning of May was the hottest on record, with millions of Brits basking in temperatures more commonly experienced in the Med. The one downside is that the sunny weather can mean that your lawn needs a little extra TLC to stay a vibrant green. It may sound surprising, but one of the biggest factors in your grass health lies in how you mow your lawn. This can affect everything from its colour to how long it lasts. According to Ceri Thomas, a garden expert from Which? magazine, mowing your lawn too often can ruin its colour. Instead, it's best to let your grass stems grow longer. Ceri explains: 'Longer grass stays greener and lets flowering plants like daisies bloom, which helps pollinators. I'd just recommend putting your mower on the highest setting.' The reason why longer grass stays greener is that it absorbs more water, making it more drought resistant. Their longer roots also help them avoid turning brown. Putting your mower on a higher setting will raise the grass blades, meaning that you're taking less grass off each trim. This keeps your lawn looking neat without shortening it too much. Most lawn mowers will have a knob or lever on the side that allows you to adjust the height of the blades. Other lawn mowers will have spacers that you can add and remove to change the height. Keeping your grass longer also lets free-growing flowers like daisies flourish. Not only do these add a whimsical charm to your garden, they also attract pollinating insects which benefit the environment. Plus, butterflies also flourish in less manicured gardens. This is especially important now, given that butterfly numbers in the UK are reportedly declining. According to the Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count, last year was one of the worst years on record for butterflies. In fact, it was the fifth-worst year since records began. Perhaps counterintuitively, keeping your grass longer can also help reduce weeds. This is because the stems create natural shade, blocking light from unwanted plants.
