Create a Pollinators Rain Garden at Iver Environment Centre

Pollinators’ Rain Garden

Help Iver Environment Centre to build our new outdoor teaching garden, which will inspire pupils through being surrounded by nature as they learn about pollinators and how to protect them and the plants they rely on in a changing world.

Water use in a changing climate.

Our old leaking pond will be given a lease of new life as planting shelves, coir rolls, ramps and pebbles improves the habitat quality for native amphibians and allows them to easily access the pond even with a fluctuating water level due to modern weather patterns. The planting also showcases techniques visitors can use at home to ensure they have attractive wildlife ponds in times of drought or flooding. We will refurbish our water wheel to aerate the water and provide a feature of interest - drawing attention to how we are reusing rainwater/runoff.

Our shelter roof will be sedum, planted up with wildflowers to help pollinators. Growing plants on our roof demonstrates how water is soaked up in times of heavy rain. Excess then slowly runs off, preventing flash flooding.

We are modelling techniques that can be replicated at home. On a larger scale sedum roofs on buildings will act as insulators and reduce energy use as well as improving air quality and cooling cities. On a local scale watching newts in our wildlife pond may inspire someone to build a small one where they live.

Discovering pollinators

We will replant the garden with a variety of flowers that flower at different times and attract different pollinators. These will improve the health of the planet by providing a complex habitat and range of food sources for a wide variety of native wildlife. Along one side of the garden (under the sedum rooved shelter) we will build benches where a class of 30 can sit, immersed in nature, as they participate in an open air teaching session about pollinators. They will dress up as bees to crawl inside a giant flower and get covered in pollen. Protected by a safety screen they will observe our honey bees in their hives before acting out the waggle dance. We will plant flowers of different colours and scents so that they can investigate which pollinators are found on which plants, learning about insects using our ID sheets. After learning about the parts of the flower, students will be equipped with paint brushes to hand pollinate the flowers in the rain garden.

Visitors not taking part in an educational activity in the pollinators’ rain garden will be able to use the interpretation boards to learn about the bees, and enjoy watching bumble bees, butterflies, beetles and more enjoying the flowers planted as part of the project. The new colourful, dense flowerbeds will create a feeling of wellbeing for visitors whilst enhancing biodiversity.

Community involvement

People will be able to get involved in the renovation of the garden through our volunteering programme. Our lead volunteer worked with our landscape architect contractor and the centre manager to design the garden, and will guide our volunteers through the weeding, planting and general shifting things necessary to renovate the garden alongside the contractor. The Pollinators’ Rain Garden will be a place where skills are developed and giggles shared. Regular volunteers will be able to see the garden change through the seasons whilst our ad hoc “All hands on deck” days will enable access to members of the community who cannot volunteer during the week. Volunteers who show an interest will be encouraged to take more responsibility for an area and supported to give creative input. It will be a peaceful place to spend time gardening and enjoying being outdoors.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2024

We have been lucky enough to win Sam Proctor's Water Saving Garden, sponsored by Affinity Water, from this years RHS Chelsea Flower Show. With rainwater harvesting and re-use systems, displays of drought tolerant plants and use of sustainable materials such as bamboo decking, it perfectly complements the plans for the Pollinators Rain Garden. This beautiful water saving garden sets the high standard for the rest of the project and we look forward to restoring the rest of the area.

More information about THE GROUNDWORK SOUTH TRUST LIMITED: We work towards a future of sustainable communities which are vibrant, healthy and safe, which respect the local and global environment and where individuals and enterprise can prosper.

We have a proven track record in environmental and social regeneration providing high quality sustainable projects across the South of England.