“If all UK gardens were turned into nature-friendly places, it would create a wildlife haven of over 430,000 hectares in size, more than four times the surface area of all national nature reserves combined.”
The Wild Bunch is open to anyone who is interested in gardening for wildlife in our private gardens and shared local green spaces. We champion the idea of our gardens and green spaces as interconnected parts of a much larger wild space, owned by our wild neighbours. The group shares ideas, hosts monthly gatherings and holds public events that promote wildlife-friendly approaches in our neighbourhoods. We also write a fortnightly Wild Bunch column for the Frome Times.
Frome Wild bunch – vision statement
Who we are
In 2021, during the annual Great Big Green Week event, a group of Neighbourhood Network members came together driven by their shared love of gardening for wildlife and a growing concern about biodiversity decline. This led to the formation of Frome Wild Bunch – a welcoming group open to anyone in the Frome area interested in gardening in a way that supports local wildlife, whether in back-door flowerpots, gardens large or small, allotments or local green spaces.
Why garden for wildlife?
We humans depend heavily on nature – in 2018 the UN Food and Agriculture Organization stated that, worldwide, 75% of our crops rely on pollinators. Yet, according to the 2023 State of Nature Report, since 1970 the abundance of invertebrates (including pollinators) in the UK has declined by 13% and the distributions of 54% of our flowering plant species have decreased. In addition the abundance of terrestrial and freshwater species has declined by 19% and 16% of species are threatened with extinction.
The main causes of this biodiversity decline are loss of habitat, combined with the impact of climate change. However, according to the 2021 census, 87% of households in the UK have gardens which together cover an area larger than all our National Nature Reserves (https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/habitats/towns-and-gardens). Our outdoor spaces, big or small, if managed well can play an important role in nature recovery. Whilst of importance to wildlife, they are also of great value to our mental and physical wellbeing.
Our vision for the future
The Wild Bunch is working to create a Frome that is full of wildlife, supported by residents who care about nature and are committed to doing all they can to improve biodiversity.
It is also working towards developing and supporting neighbourhood networks across Frome, so that both long term and new residents have a growing sense of community.
Values that inform our work
We aim to work at all times in a way that is inclusive and collaborative. We are mindful of issues relating to equality and diversity and the potential barriers to participation some people in Frome may face (e.g. accessibility, cost).
Our mission – what we are doing now to work towards our vision
- Promoting gardening for wildlife through dissemination of information
- Initiating and supporting projects that encourage gardening for wildlife
- Bringing communities and neighbourhoods together around these issues
- Connecting with other nature-focused groups and organisations for the common cause of addressing the biodiversity crisis.
Read the Wild Bunch strategy document
Gardening for Wildlife guide
There are lots of useful ideas in our Gardening for Wildlife booklet that you can download and share with your neighbours. Take the quiz to see how wildlife friendly your garden is already.
Wild Bunch gatherings 2025
Wild Bunch gatherings take place on the third Thursday of every month, 1.30pm – 3pm, usually at Frome Town Hall (with an option to join online via Zoom) or on location, details below
- Thursday 16th January, 1.30pm to 3pm: Birds
- Thursday 20th February: Ponds, bog gardens and wet habitats
- Thursday 20th March: Community Wildlife Mapping and garden connectivity
- Thursday 17th April: Planting for pollinators
- Thursday 15th May: Supporting bees in your garden
- Thursday 12th June: Nature Afternoon with the Wild Bunch (Great Big Green Week)
- Thursday 17th July: Climate-friendly gardening (talk)
The Wild Bunch support projects that create wildlife-friendly environments in streets, such as bird and bat box building, hedgehog highway routes, shelter boxes, planters. Watch this space for other events that you and your neighbours could get involved in.
Wild about Frome at home
The Wild Bunch are encouraging residents to re-wild parts of their gardens as this will encourage wildlife and boost diversity. They are offering free “Wild about Frome” stickers which can be placed in your window or on a stake in your garden to let neighbours and passers-by know that you’re supporting the campaign. Stickers are available from the Town Hall.
Wildlife mapping in our communities
We are currently working to map the wildlife in the Frome community. Visit our Wild About Frome page for details on how you can get involved.
Frome Hoedown
In addition to the Wild Bunch, Frome Town Council is also supporting Frome Hoedown – a community initiative to hoe and weed our streets without using pesticides.
