Bee in with a chance to win €2,000 garden makeover: Kilkenny people urged to take PolliNation Pledge

One of Ireland’s largest garden centre networks is calling on enthusiasts of all ages and all skill levels to take the Operation PolliNation pledge and be in with a chance to win a €2,000 pollinator-friendly garden renovation.

CountryLife is teaming up with the Irish public to help gardeners make their plots pollinator-friendly environments and show a little love for our native Irish bees – a third of which are threatened with extinction.

The www.Countrylife.ie website and social media channels operated by the 14-branch, community-based garden centre network are buzzing with tips, hints and ideas so that everyone can play their part in saving the bees. In Kilkenny, CountryLife has centres in Ballyhale and Castlecomer.

The ‘Take the Pledge ‘initiative includes free and easy tips from CountryLife’s trained horticulturalists on steps towards creating a pollinator-friendly garden. The expert team is sharing information on which plants thrive in different environments and how best to care for them in order to help attract and support bees in their vital work.

The CountryLife team has a whole host of prizes on offer for those who sign up through https://blog.countrylife.ie/news-events/operation-pollination-take-the-pledge/ to ‘Take the Pledge’ and take part through their social media channels. Among them a €2,000 garden renovation, which also includes a garden consultation from an expert horticulturist.

As part of the pollinator-friendly initiative free wildflower seed packs will be distributed in-store across CountryLife outlets in Munster and Leinster for gardeners.

CountryLife Retail Marketing Manager Grace O’Dwyer says gardens countrywide have been a hive of activity during lockdown and never before have so many people been keen to make small changes to support our all-important pollinator friends and wildlife in general.

“The entire CountryLife team is excited and enthusiastic about the Operation PolliNation ‘Take the Pledge’ initiative and are eager to make a difference. Small steps add up to big gains; together we can make a big difference.

“We’re encouraging everyone to take the Operation Pollination Pledge, and make 2020 and the years to come transformative for our bees.”

As well as urging gardeners to Take the Pledge, the garden centre network, owned by Glanbia Ireland, is highlighting in-store and online pollinator-friendly plants with eye-catching ‘Plant These for the Bees’ branding.  CountryLife’s horticulturalists will also continue to promote natural pest control methods and are providing free information for customers to help them to reduce or eliminate their use of herbicides.

Experienced Horticulturalist with CountryLife, Malachy Doherty, said: “As much as one third of our bee species are threatened with extinction. We’re asking the public to take the Operation PolliNation pledge, and make small changes in their garden like sowing Irish-grown plants that bees prefer.

“You don’t have to have acres to play your part. You can plant pollinator-friendly containers, bulbs, trees or shrubs. We’ve loads of helpful ideas and tips and are only too happy to assist.”