JORDANS 10% CHALLENGE
For the last 25 years, Jordans have made a commitment to stop the decline of British wildife, working with around 50 British farmers to turn 10% of their farmland into
wildlife habitats.
We’re proud of our countryside commitment, but our native birds, bees and butterflies desperately need more help. So we're asking you to joins us.
We’ve created the 10% Challenge, with the support of farming hero Jimmy Doherty. Watch Jimmy’s video (to the right) or read on to find out more.
For the 10% Challenge we’re asking you to pledge 10% of your outside space as a wildlife-friendly home. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a huge garden, small patio or a few hanging baskets, every little helps. Plus we've got all the advice and information you’ll need to get started, including our Top 10 Tips and handy planting guides.
Join us and you'll be doing your bit so that our birds, bees and butterflies survive for future generations to enjoy. If everyone in the UK could dedicate 10% of their garden wildlife would have an extra 100,000 acres in which to thrive.
"Watch the above video and please join me in Jordans 10% challenge and create homes for wildlife in
your garden."
Watch the video
Read Jimmy's Blog
Plus there's much more to enjoy
You can also enter our prize draw to win a wildlife garden makeover and find out how to get the kids involved.
TOP TEN TIPS
Here are our top ten tips of how to create a home for wildlife in your garden...
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Choose Pollen and Nectar Rich Flowers
Growing pollen and netar rich flowers provides an important source of protein and energy for bees and butterflies. Plant them in a sunny spot, water regularly and you'll see them flourish – along with the wildlife they attract. And if you can, chose British species and support our native flora.
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Use Plants to Create Wildlife Corridors
Wildlife corridors mean that the creatures in your garden can move around safely and meet other populations. So think about this when you're planning – for instance creating cover from bushes and plants to water sources.
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Get Some Boxes
All wildlife needs a safe place to live and you can help by installing boxes for birds, bees, butterflies, other friendly bugs and even bats. Needless to say, keep them out of reach of the cat, and clear out bird boxes after every nesting ready for another use.
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Add Insect-tastic Plants
Birds prefer tasty insects to stale bread, so plant to promote the beneficial insects which birds can eat. Certain insects can also help keep control aphids and other nasties too.
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Plant A Tree or Even A Hedgerow
Trees and hedges will bring more birds to your garden – they provide places to nest and shelter, as well as food from fruit and seeds and of course the insects that live on them.
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Make A Wildflower Meadow
It’ll look beautiful and attract butterflies, plus it needs less maintenance than a normal grass lawn. Choose native wildflowers that you love and plant them in the autumn. An easy option is to buy wildlife turf that you can just roll out.
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Make Sure There's Water
Upturned bin lids of water, elaborate sculpted bird baths, rogue buckets, make-shift ponds or fancy water features – whatever your watery preference, they're magnets to all sorts of wildlife.
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Hang Around
Hanging baskets not only look lovely but can also provide a great habitat for birds and bees – helping to make up your 10%. And if you're clever with seasonal planting, they don't just have to be for spring or summer.
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Leave An Untidy Corner
Fight the desire to tidy every last little bit of your garden. Small untidy areas such as a little space behind the shed can be a haven for wildlife. Piles of twigs, leaves and long grass are the perfect habitat for lots of different creatures.
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Plant Vertically
Bare walls don't help anyone. So plant vertically, whether it's ivy up a garage wall or honeysuckle on your house. You’ll find that all sorts of wildlife will then be able to take advantage of this new foliage.
DOWNLOAD PLANTING GUIDES
And if you want to attract and help birds, bees and butterflies, you need to know what to plant. So download our handy guides.
WIN A WILDLIFE GARDEN MAKEOVER WORTH OVER £1500
Enter our prize draw and you could win a wildlife garden makeover. The prize includes three days of expertise from garden designer Marney Hall and £1500 worth of plants. There are also 15 runners-up prizes of bird houses and homes for bees and butterflies.
JORDANS SPONSOR RIVER COTTAGE
Jordans are delighted to be sponsoring Channel 4's River Cottage Veg Every Day, which starts at 8pm on Channel 4 on 16th October. Supporting our campaign to create more homes for wildlife, we've created some short 'idents' for the show, featuring birds, animals and insects talking about the places where they live click on the video to the left to watch them.
River Cottage, with its ideals of sustainability and minimal impact on the environment, fits in perfectly with our Countryside Commitment, so we're pleased to lend a hand to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the rest of the River Cottage team.