The wildflower growing project is an opportunity to give back to the Croal-Irwell Valley and its nature networks, which have been crucial for our mental and physical wellbeing, especially over the past year.

The project is free to join, no experience is necessary and it's suitable for all ages. Growing red campion from seed on your windowsill, balcony or garden will create plug plants to be planted along the Kingfisher Trail in autumn. The project is also part of our long-term plans to restore native woodland habitats and create nature networks along the Trail. 

Participants can pick up a growing pack from The HIVE at Moss Bank Park, which includes:

• Red campion seeds
• Growing trays
• Recycled, peat-free compost
• Kingfisher Trail guide

Each week, each person will receive a weekly newsletter with growing advice and activities. The project will run for eight weeks, and everyone involved will be invited to join planting days organised in the autumn, so they can see their beautiful blooms returned to the Kingfisher Trail.

Everyone should have the opportunity to experience the joy of wildlife in their own lives, but many face barriers to volunteering. This is why we're particularly keen to encourage local people who haven't volunteered before, or who wouldn't usually volunteer outdoors. Growing wildflowers from seed can happen in any household; on your windowsill, balcony or garden; in a flat, a bungalow or terraced house.

The wildflower growing project is part of our long-term plans to restore native woodland habitats and create nature networks along the Kingfisher Trail, complete with a dedicated outdoor wildflower volunteer group.

The Kingfisher Trail is living proof of nature bouncing back and now supports a fantastic array of rare and protected species, despite being in the heart of urban life. A huge effort was put in during the 1970s to plant new woodland throughout the valley, but this lacks much of the understory found in long-established woodland. We hope to restore our woodlands and continue the efforts that started 50 years ago through growing and planting wildflowers.

Red campion is essential for invertebrates and early pollinators as it flowers in spring, before the trees come fully into leaf. We chose this species for our growing pilot as it is a particularly extreme example of early nectar - providing for insects from spring right the way through until the winter frosts. It is found around woodland edges and, once established, will self-seed and spread, meaning that even just a handful of plants grown at home and then planted out have the potential to make a significant difference over time.

The project is part of a programme of projects around Greater Manchester that will establish a network for nature, funded through the Green Recovery Challenge Fund and managed by the Greater Manchester Environment Fund.

To sign up for a free Grow Wildflowers at Home pack, please complete the survey by 12pm on Friday 30 July.

Grow wildflowers at home

Packs will be available to pick up from The Hive at Moss Bank Park from 28 July - 1 August.