The beauty of wildflowers

Our Grounds Team are a highly valued department within Harrogate Integrated Facilities (HIF) and their work is often celebrated. Our wildflower gardens are no exception, with photographs being frequent features on social media over the last few weeks.

Over the last few decades, wildflower meadows and dedicated wildflower areas have become one of the rarest habitats in the country. As a nation, we have lost over 97% of our wildflower meadows since the 1930s, which has had a huge impact on nature and wildlife and, subsequently, on the food that we produce and eat.

Wildflower meadows provide shelter and food for important pollinators, the most recognisable being the humble bee. We have over 250 species of bees in the UK and they play a vital part in supporting our ecosystem. When our wildflower meadows disappear, so do our pollinators, as well as other creatures, such as hedgehogs, bats and birds.

Bees, in particular, are in decline in the UK and they have devolved into only eating a limited number of pollens, reducing their numbers significantly. This impacts upon other grains and food sources, which ultimately impacts upon our general health.

With this in mind, as part of our sustainability work here at HIF and with a view to improving the general health of our community as a whole, our Grounds Team work closely with the Volunteer gardeners and have looked at ways that we could have an impact upon the social welfare of our area.

Over recent years, we have worked to improve the environment around our Hospital site, from a beauty point of view, bearing in mind that a trip to a hospital can be a less than happy event and so a nicer environment can have an effect. We have previously been successful in receiving NHS Forest trees, as well as having received donations from the winners of BBC Gardeners World Live.

Our Grounds Team, together with their dedicated team of volunteers, are extremely innovative, having extensive experience in landscaping and decorative joinery work and you will find examples of their work throughout the grounds, including wooden planters at the front entrance to the site, a beautiful gazebo outside of the Sir Robert Ogden MacMillan Centre and our fabulous Pod Garden, on the first floor of the site, which is overflowing with beautiful flowers and seating areas for patients, visitors and staff alike.

Their hard work installing our beautiful wildflower areas means that we are able to bring both a splash of colour to our site and to do our small part in boosting our environment as a nation. We hope that you enjoy them as much as we do!

If you would like more information about HIF or the work that we do, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].