The sun returned last Friday, and local parents and some tiny helpers got busy sowing a wildflower patch in Hollingdean park.  After the redevelopment of the park, a fairly large patch of earth was left without turf, and some Growing Hollingdean members spotted an opportunity – getting permission to seed the area to create a wildflower patch. 

The chalky, stony soil in the park (and across this area) is ideal for wild flowers who don’t like a lot of rich soil.  In wild places, and creeping into lawns and verges there are already quite a diversity of wild flowers in Hollingdean, and Growing Hollingdean has some projects to support and diversify this further. 

Join us every Friday from 3 – 5pm in the Hollingdean Park Community Orchard

Sowing wild flowers with preschool kids in March, 2024

Sowing wild flowers isn’t a tricky business – but it does require a bit of labour. The ground needs to be raked or ‘scarified’ first to create nooks and crannies for the seeds to nestle into before the seed is mixed with sand, scattered over the area, and stamped down.  A group of pre-schoolers and their parents who meet every Friday in Hollingdean’s orchard behind the Children Centre agreed to take on the task! 

Having toddlers help with seed distribution might not have resulted in the most even spread of seed, and balancing babies meant we only completed half the job, but we’ll be back to finish, and looking forward to seeing the flowers start growing over the year. 

Apple Picker Parents DIY Forest School Club 2024

If you have preschool children, and enjoy being outside, the Apple Picker Parents DIY forest school club meet every Friday from 3 – 5pm in the Hollingdean Park Community Orchard.  Bring a drink and a snack and warm play clothes and come and join the fun!

Come and join us for our next tree guardian volunteer session. Email us through our contact page here to let us know your coming.

For all the latest news on Growing Hollingdean free events and volunteering please sign up here or in the box below. Thank you to all the Growing Hollingdean volunteers who made this possible.