Wildflowers for pollinators: How we're helping at Pierrepont Farm and how you can help too To help our pollinators, we need your help! We need to raise £5,000 for our Wildflowers for pollinators appeal at Pierrepont Farm in Frensham, Surrey. Donate Our volunteers are going to plant a wide mix of wildflowers, perfect for pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, hoverflies and a host of other essential insects. Devils-bit scabious. Bird’s-foot-trefoil Common centaury Pierrepont Farm has sandy and acidic soil, so a seed mix which can tolerate these conditions and provide food for both adult and caterpillar stages of many pollinating species will be sown. This includes: Sheep’s fescue - This grass is a food plant for several butterflies, such as the gatekeeper and meadow brown. Sheep's sorrel - Food plant of the small copper butterfly. Lady’s bedstraw - A nectar provider for bees and butterflies, and a food source for several moth caterpillars. Devils-bit scabious - Rich in pollen and nectar, it attracts a variety of pollinating insects. Tormentil - A low-growing plant that is a food source for several butterflies and moths. Common centaury - Produces small pink flowers and is loved by bees, butterflies, moths and hoverflies. Bird’s-foot-trefoil - An important food plant for the caterpillars of common blue and silver-studded butterflies. It also provides nectar for bees. Betony - Loved by many pollinators, but particularly the wool carder bee. And, thanks to ongoing management, we expect biodiversity to flourish as seeds from nearby habitats take root and wildflowers already in the soil begin to thrive. What can you do at home to help wildflowers? You don’t need acres of land to make a difference. Here’s how you can create a pollinator-friendly patch in your own garden or outdoor space: 1. Create bare ground Use a rake, strimmer, or garden scarifier to expose bare soil. Aim for 50–70 per cent bare ground, as wildflowers struggle to compete with vigorous grass. 2. Sow the right seeds Choose a wildflower seed mix suited to your soil type - sandy, clay, chalky, or loamy. Sow in autumn or early spring for best results. Mix the seeds with sand and sprinkle them on the soil, then lightly press them down. You don’t need to bury them. 3. Keep invasive weeds at bay Keep an eye out for creeping thistles and dock and remove them before they set seed. These fast-spreading plants can quickly outcompete wildflowers. 4. Protect your seeds Birds love wildflower seeds. Protect your newly sown area using fleece, bird-proof netting, or a simple DIY deterrent like hanging CDs or wind chimes. 5. Be Patient A wildflower meadow does not bloom overnight. It may take a couple of years to fully establish, but once it does, you will have a thriving, colourful haven for pollinators that lasts for years to come. Help Us Bring Wildflowers to Life If you love wildflowers and want to help pollinators, please consider donating to our Wildflowers for pollinators appeal. Donate How to support us If you want to help us protect local wildlife and habitats, you can join as a CRT Friend, attend our in-person and online events and volunteer on one of our farms. You can also sign-up to our monthly newsletter 'CRT News' for regular updates from our farms, straight to your inbox. Join Events Volunteer News Published: July 2025 Manage Cookie Preferences