25th November 2024

South Devon College is looking forward to a blooming good future, thanks to the planting of hundreds of flowers across the campus, totaling 43 varieties of UK native species. 

Thanks to funding from the Wild About Devon project, students and staff volunteers planted 750 bulbs on South Devon College’s Vantage Point campus, in a bid to enhance the habitat available to insects and wildlife. 

Staff and students, including the Learning Opportunities students, took part in two planting sessions, nestling the bulbs in suitable areas under the trees in the picnic area. 

The bulbs include favourite British wildflower species such as bluebells, snowdrops and winter aconites. These will flower from as early as January and provide a feast of early-spring pollen and nectar for birds and insects. 

Wayne Fox-Grimley, Caretaker in the Estates Team at the College, lead the project and selected the species’ to plant. On planting day, he demonstrated how to dig out a patch with a shovel, sprinkle the bulbs and then replace the tuft of grass. Each volunteer took a shovel and planted a few patches each. 

He said: “It’s great to bring native species back to an industrial area.” 

^{Wayne Fox-Grimley, Caretaker in the Estates Team at the College}

Sean Fredericks, Trainer Facilitator in Learning Opportunities, gave a short tutorial to describe the anatomy of bulbs and how to prepare the turf for planting before the planters got to work. 

Theo, a student volunteer from the NEST programme, enjoyed planting the bulbs in readiness for spring. He said: “Bugs and other species get energy from eating them and this will bring more nature back.”   

^{Bethany Oliver, Job Coach at Bridges into Work, helps with the bulb planting}

Chloe Hart, a student on the Bridges into Work programme, worked alongside Mr Fox-Grimley in delivering the event. She said: “This is similar to what I did at home – I planted lavender in the garden which brings the wasps. 

‘We were having such fun pretending the spades were pogo sticks as we had to jump up and down to get through the earth so we could plant the bulbs!” 

^{Wayne Fox-Grimley; Bethany Oliver, Job Coach at Bridges into Work; students Chloe Hart and Lewis Pike}

As part of the funding, the project also included 2kg of wildflower seeds which the Learning Opportunities students will plant into seedling trays in January, to be germinated in a greenhouse. The seedlings, which contain 18 different native wildflower species, will then be planted out in flower beds outside the Hi-Tech & Digital Centre by the students in the spring to attract birds, bees, butterflies and insects, including the buff-tailed bumblebee and red admiral butterfly. 

The seed package contains nectar and pollen-rich species to sustain the pollinators, and it also includes grain bearing plants, including linseed, sunflower and quinoa, which are an important food source for wild birds through the winter. 

Charlotte Paulden, Senior Administrator and Student Liaison at the College, promoted the planting event to students. She said: “We have so much green space to fill with native plants. It’s good for students to learn why this is important for sustainability.”