Clearing the long abandoned beds at Hornchurch Station was a challenge. But if you visit the station today, you will find beds abundant with plants and pollinators; quite the transformation.
Author archives: beefriendlytrust
Your Bee Friendly lavender pruning 101
If you’ve been growing lavender for bees and pollinators, chances are you’ve been enjoying a colourful display of flowers for the past few months. However, to ensure these floral displays for many more years to come, you’ll now need to start thinking about the ongoing maintenance of your lavender plants. This means lavender pruning. Pruning …
Oxford Graffiti Crew
We worked with GWR to commission this 12m-long mural to brighten up a shipping container positioned in the long-stay car park at Oxford Railway Station. The Oxford Graffiti Crew celebrated the university city and its many wildlife habitat projects, including the installation of bee-friendly planters across the railway station.
One Degree Academy
At Gordon Hill Railway Station, we ran a project to engage both school children and the travelling public in looking for and identifying the fauna and flora that can be seen at the station, by encouraging observation, and recording what it seen. We worked with Key Stage 2 students at One Degree Academy who got to …
Newbury Railway Station, Berkshire
GWR commissioned four self-watering planters for its busy railway station in Newbury. They are planted with bee-friendly hebe, lavender, rosemary, salvia, thyme and lemon balm.
Pewsey Railway Station, Wiltshire
We were asked by GWR to update two forgotten planters, either side of the waiting room at Pewsey Station. Once looked after by the local Women’s Institute, but now tended by the station team and local volunteers, it was felt raised beds would be easier for all to manage. And make more of an impact.
Neasden Railway Station, London
There are a couple of old abandoned platforms at Neasden Station, dating back to 1880. The trains no longer stop at them, and the giant planters made from old railway sleepers, had been abandoned for decades. With a clearing of rubbish and a coat of paint, and with some new planting, they now cheer up the …
Rayners Lane Railway Station, London
Charles Holden’s classic station at Rayners Lane was opened in 1938. It included two ornamental flower beds. Abandoned for decades and the homes of brambles and rats, they have been brought back to their pre-war splendour by the BFT gardening team. We think that one or two of the plants might date back to the …
The Bee Friendly Skep Project
Where heritage craft meets modern art as a launchpad for new conversations around the importance of creating habitats for bees, pollinators and all wildlife. What is a skep? A skep is a basket. A bee skep is a basket for bees – so a traditional form of beehive. They are typically made from wicker or …
The Bee Friendly Skep Project launches!
We are super excited to reveal a new bee-friendly collaboration that we’ve been working on. The Bee Friendly Skep Project is a celebration of bees, British art and craftsmanship, and team spirit. Its purpose: To highlight the need to create new habitats where bees and other pollinators can thrive. We invited five female artists (Sarah …