The Sully Village Group (SVG) has been working hard to get their community butterfly garden set up over the lockdown period which will be a space for their volunteers, residents and visitors to enjoy over the remainder of the summer months.

As lots of locals spend more time outside, and walking has become ingrained in our daily routines, now seems like the perfect opportunity for this project to root itself in the area.

Hannah Bevan Mohaffel, the Sully Village Group Co-Chair, spoke to Nub News about what inspired their Butterfly Garden and the progress they've made so far.

Who came up with the project?

I spotted that Keep Wales Tidy was offering garden starter packages to local communities as part of their Local Places for Nature Scheme, and thought it would be an ideal initiative for Sully to take part in. After getting the go-ahead from Sully and Lavernock Community Council (SLCC), I applied for the butterfly garden package and the application was successful.

And, how will it be run?

Sully Village Group is leading the project with the help of the community. Local gardener Jack Jones has volunteered to be project leader, working alongside Richard Noye, SLCC head groundsman. Brian Griffiths, a Sully resident, has also kindly assisted in the preparation work.

When will the garden be ready for visitors and who will be able to take advantage of the new space?

We are hoping to plant the full butterfly garden on 30th June. It will obviously take time for the seeds and shrubs to grow, but we will add to it later in the year with seasonal plants and bulbs.

The garden sits at the back of Jubilee Park, off Smithies Avenue and can be enjoyed by everyone visiting the park. Once current restrictions are lifted, our aim is that it becomes a wider community project that local residents and activity groups can take a more active role in developing.

How is the project being funded?

Keep Wales Tidy provided the full garden package which includes wildflower seed mix, bulbs, plug plants, shrubs, raised bed made from recycled plastic, peat-free compost and topsoil, trellis and hand tools. Additional materials to enhance the garden setting, and equipment hire to prepare the ground, have been financed by funds SVG raised during our community events in 2019.

What do you think it will bring to the community of Sully?

I hope it will bring the community together, with individuals and groups working on it and enjoying it throughout the year. It is a garden for everyone and is especially beneficial for the environment with plants and items to encourage birds, butterflies, bees and various bugs.

We also have information packs (you can see them in the photo gallery above) which show how to search for and identify the insects and visitors the garden will attract – we're hoping that members of the community will make use of these and share their experiences with SVG through our social networks.

I'm really excited about completing this project and hope it will be enjoyed by all.