GlasGowGreener May update

In April we introduced GlasGowGreener – our sustainability campaign which aims to help us all play our part in supporting Glasgow Life’s climate actions.

Each month, our campaign has a different theme, and our May challenge is all about supporting our natural environment and ecosystem. We’re asking you to get your hands dirty with a little manual labour – but don’t worry, it couldn’t be easier and it’s fun too!

To encourage everyone to get involved, our Sustainability Workstream is sending all Glasgow Life venues and service teams something to help spread the seeds of greener growth. It’s a pack of native wildflower seeds to plant so that you can make a positive difference to our local ecosystem and our city’s communities.

You can plant the wildflower seeds outside your venue, but if you don’t have a suitable space near your workspace, chat to your colleagues to decide who can take them home to cultivate them in a garden, window boxes, outdoor planters or other appropriate places. And if you haven’t received your seeds pack or need more packs to be sent to you, just contact sustainability@glasgowlife.org.uk and we’ll get a delivery to you.

Competition time! Plant your wildflowers in May, then show us your results in September

For our May challenge, just plant your seeds following the guidance below, then complete the details in the table and forward these to sustainability@glasgowlife.org.uk by Wednesday 31 May.  We want as many teams as possible across Glasgow Life to take part in our GlasGowGreener challenges. Remember that taking part every month means you’ll have more chances of winning a prize, as we’ll be selecting the best contributions and celebrating all the work achieved throughout the year at a special conference and awards ceremony next summer.

Wildflowers are more than just a pretty splash of colour for us all to enjoy; they are essential to our ecosystem, supporting pollinators such as bees and butterflies which play a crucial role in the food chain. Even when they are not in flower, they provide lots of benefits, as their root systems store water and nutrients while holding on to carbon that would otherwise be released into the air.

Spreading wildflower seeds and nurturing wild growth – a wellbeing activity in itself – also increases biodiversity in our environment. To promote this, conservation charity Plantlife is urging people to let their gardens grow wild during May. You can read more about the campaign in this BBC article.

How to plant your wildflower seeds

While we’d love to say there are no rules to planting your seeds, we’d ask that you respect existing wild growth. Don’t plant the seeds in the open countryside, and if appropriate, make sure you ask any landowner’s permission. And as this is a sustainability-focused project, please don’t transport the seeds unnecessary miles by car, as it could take a long time to offset the carbon used. 

The basic things your seeds need to grow are soil, water, and sunlight. As this is a competition, try to boost their chances of surviving and thriving. Your choice of location can help, as can protecting them from damage by footfall, lawnmowers and slugs. Normal gardening advice applies: clear the ground so the new plants get space and sunlight. The seed packs contain 4g of mixed seeds which should be enough for about 1 square meter. Mix the seeds well to allow them to be distributed evenly. Loosen compacted earth and plant the seeds just below the surface, then firm-up the soil and water them to start germination. You don’t need fertiliser; the seeds will grow better without it.

Tend your seedlings lovingly until they are established. They should be tough enough to survive on their own but being part of a food chain is a natural part of the ecosystem; there are things that eat seeds, and things that eat things that eat seeds!

Remember to document the progress of your wildflower plants as they grow, taking photos and making notes about them. Can you identify what type of plants they are? What characteristics do they have? In September we’ll be asking you to tell and show us how they have grown. We’ll ask you to give us your thoughts too on what your plants are, and what role they play in our ecosystem.

Thank you for taking part in our May GlasGowGreener challenge – and good luck!