Wonders of wildlife

Nature-lovers are in for a treat now that a wildlife garden that was many months in the making has sprung into life.

The concept of creating a safe haven for children to play and learn about their natural surroundings was first proposed by The Byes Pre-school late last year and The Sidford Wildlife Project was born.

Now, after a successful fundraising campaign, planning application and hours of work from volunteers, young and old, the fruits of the community’s labours are paying off as the area is a riot of colourful flora and fauna.

Project manager Helen Harms said: “We are all really thrilled to see the wildlife garden coming to life - the wild flower area seemed to lay worryingly dormant for a couple of months but is now a mass of thick wild flowers with bees, butterflies and various insects buzzing happily about.”

“All of the saplings planted around the perimeter are thriving and its so exciting to see the beautiful array of colours and species in the garden.

“The Byes Pre-school has been enjoying the digging area and the children have planted peas and runner beans in their new growing area and labelled them so that everyone can enjoy following their growth.”

She added that the next phase of the project will be the creation of a pond to attract an even wider array of creatures.