MAYOR of Barnsley Coun Mick Stowe opened a ‘mini beast garden’ at a Wombwell beauty spot last week.
What was once an overgrown corner of RSPB Old Moor has been transformed into a new ‘mini beast’ garden with wildflowers, compost heaps, fruit trees, bee banks, bug hotels and even a wormery.
Mini beasts are small animals, such as invertebrates, including beetles, butterflies and bees, which are hugely important for nature and biodiversity.
Abi Gibbons, RSPB learning officer, said: “The aim of the garden is to teach children how important insects are to us and inspire visitors to create their very own homes for mini beasts.
“The children who visit us on school trips are really going to benefit from this garden as they will be able to study and observe different mini beasts throughout the year.”
The new garden, which is found alongside the existing Sensory Garden, has been created by RSPB staff and a team of dedicated volunteers.
Volunteer gardener, Geoff Higgs, said: “We felt it was important to offer a wide range of different habitats, so we have created a mix of shady, boggy and drought resistant borders. With our planting, we have also built in some resilience against climate change”
