The Patchwork Meadow

We are a charity that gives out wildflower seeds so individuals and organisations can plant pocket meadows, together creating 'The Patchwork Meadow'.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

What a great place to give out our 10,000th packet of wildflower seeds. Bosnia House in Sparkhill does such good work supporting people from marginalised communities across Birmingham. Looking forward to seeing these patches on Stratford Rd in the spring.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

We had such a good time at the picnic last month to celebrate the Benjamin Zephaniah Forest in Burbury Park. 65 trees, lots of music and poetry from Bradley Taylor and Zakariye. We even had our very own poem written for us by Bradley.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

Always lovely when someone sends you a photo of the results of sowing our seeds. Just shows you don't need a huge space to brighten up our urban areas and help bring back the bees.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

We’re here at the Gardeners’ Fair in Moseley, from 10-3 today. Lots of crafts, food, flowers and plants. Do come and pick up a packet of wildflower seeds for sowing in the autumn.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

We had great fun at Northfield Beach on Friday, with 69 children visiting our stall to make hoverfly lagoons. Lovely to be sent a photo afterwards of one of these being put in place in the garden.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

So much going on here today (and over the weekend) here at Northfield Beach in Victoria Common Park. Come along and make a hoverfly lagoon with us (a new activity for us!). The weather is going to be great so it should be a lovely day.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

Six years ago today we set up The Patchwork Meadow to brighten up our urban neighbourhoods and bring back the bees. Since then we've given out and sown 9,546 sq.m of wildflowers across Birmingham. Many thanks to everyone who has helped us along the way. Happy #NationalMeadowsDay.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

Two years ago the residents of Friary Rd in Handsworth came together for a community lunch and sowed a pocket meadow. Always good to see who else is coming to visit!

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

Great to see this pocket meadow that we sowed with the Friends' Group last year doing so well.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

Lovely to see this pocket meadow in Bromford doing so well, sown last Autumn by these children, supported by the Community Environmental Trust.

[Give A Shit About Nature @giveashitnature]

13 years ago, Rotherham, England turned 8 miles of mowed roadside grass into a "river of flowers." In 2021, they added even more miles.

The original scheme was commissioned by Rotherham Council in 2013, designed by Professor Nigel Dunnett at the University of Sheffield, and seeded with a 180-species wildflower mix along the central reservations of the town's main ring road. It replaced mowing that had been costing the council around £80,000 a year.

Since then: the wildflower verges have saved roughly £23,000 to £25,000 per two-year mowing cycle, increased pollinator abundance, and inspired similar programs in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Sheffield.

In 2021, Rotherham added 3.5 more miles across 12 new sites including Herringthorpe, Swinton, Harthill, and Maltby. They just keep expanding it.

The UK has lost 97% of its wildflower meadows in the last 100 years. Most of what was lost was paved, plowed, or mowed. The verges nobody was using anyway turned out to be one of the largest untapped habitats in the country.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

Lovely to be part of this, supporting the wonderful @BearwoodHub.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

We had a lovely session at the Early Nurture Pre-School in Lozells, planting sunflowers and making mini-meadows in egg-boxes. Thanks to the generosity of @FESFirefighter the children were all able to learn more about bees, taking home a copy of 'My Busy Bee'. @BiShabnum81594

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

Lovely to see this pocket meadow in Spark Green Park, sown by the Friends' group, doing so well.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

It is always such a pleasure working with Sadia and the Friends of Spark Green Park.

[Friends of Spark Green Park @sparkgreenpark]

A wonderful sunny day spent outdoors at our #Wildflower #gardening session and #picnic with our #volunteers @sparkgreenpark Alison Thompson from @MeadowPatchwork and @DesireHub41463 Hasina, Hava and the 'Flourish Together' ladies group enjoying their day in #sparkgreenpark

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

We did it! 1,000 metres of wildflowers have been sown across Birmingham thanks to a @BupaFoundation Green Community Grant. 12 organisations have run 18 activity sessions with the support of 39 volunteers and 314 individuals have sown our seeds. Huge thanks to everyone.

[The Patchwork Meadow @MeadowPatchwork]

Really looking forward to being part of this on Thursday.