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Wildflowers seeds for every primary school class

In the next few weeks, primary schools around the country will be receiving packets of wildflower seeds to mark the coronation of King Charles III.

The government-funded project was inspired by the King’s love of nature and aims to encourage children to learn about and improve the biodiversity of school’s green spaces, while making them nicer places to work and learn.

Improving children’s connection to nature and spending time outdoors will also help to support their mental and physical well-being.

The project is a collaboration between the Department for Education and the Eden Project. In total, over 200,000 seeds packets will be sent to schools, representing 40 hectares of new wildflower areas being planted up across England to support our pollinators. If planted together that would create around 40 rugby pitch sized wildflowers meadows – a small but vital step in boosting biodiversity.

Schools minister Nick Gibb said: “Giving children the opportunity to plant wildflowers will not only make school grounds more attractive, it will also help the next generation understand the importance of improving our biodiversity, while celebrating His Majesty The King’s love of nature.”

Dan James, development director for the Eden Project said: “It is crucial that we replenish our biodiversity across the UK – and even small steps can make a difference.”

The packets of seeds include native annual wildflower species: cornflower, corn poppy, corn chamomile, corncockle, corn marigold and night-flowering catchfly, which if sown this spring, will be in bloom by the summer.

The wildflowers will provide food for a wide range of insects including bees, butterflies and other pollinators in school grounds across England.

Each seed packet covers around two square metres of blue, white, purple, red and yellow flowers that can be planted in pots, beds or borders to boost colour and biodiversity in school grounds across England.

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