Have you ever considered organising an open garden event for your village or community? Whether your green fingers are seasoned, or your wildlife friendly garden is a new hobby, we have put together a toolkit and advice to help you showcase your garden, share your passion with others, and raise money to support your local wildlife.
To download the toolkit please fill out the form below:
Your Next Steps:
Spread the word! Get creative and find ways to let everyone know about your Big Wildlife Open Garden Event. Use social media, word-of-mouth, emails and our poster templates to invite or tell as many people as you can!
- Choose a date/time that you would like to open your garden.
- Set a fundraising target (if you have a goal).
- Think about your ticket price - Don't undersell your event and all the hard work that goes into it.
- Decide any extra activities to bring in more donations, such as serving refreshments, selling plants, or a raffle.
- Download your resources - fill in the form to access downloadable a toolkit and promotional materials.
- Promote – tell your friends about it. Remember to tag us in your posts on social media, then we can then repost and share your event. We can also promote your event on our website if you fill in this form here
- Make it easy for people to donate by setting up a Just Giving page - Learn More
As well as the Open Garden resources you can download more general fundraising resources here:
(c) Nick Brown
(c) Nick Brown
(c) Nick Brown
Speak to your visitors!
Gardening for wildlife doesn’t need to be complicated and there are many simple ways of inviting wildlife in. Whilst you've got a captive audience at your event, you can take the opportunity to share your wildlife tips along with the Team Wilder activities to make your garden more wildlife friendly:
How to clean nestboxes and bird feeders
Nestboxes can harbour parasites so it is good practice to take them down at the end of the season and give them a clean. Likewise it is…
How to build a bird box
With natural nesting sites in decline, adding a nestbox to your garden can make all the difference to your local birds.
What to feed hedgehogs and badgers
Putting out a bit of food can help see mammals like hedgehogs through colder spells.
It’s because of people like you that we can continue to fight for nature and protect Derbyshire’s wildlife. The donations raised will help to support our projects across the county.
We are delighted that you will open your garden to raise money for the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.
Below is a checklist of areas to consider in terms of general safety before opening your garden to the public and information on insurance.
Safety checklist
We do not accept any liability for any accidents or claims made against you or your event.
- Are all paths, steps and paved areas in good repair, even and free from obstacles?
- Have you considered disabled access to the main features of your garden?
- Are there any areas that could be adversely affected by bad weather?
- Will there be any temporary structures such as gazebos on the day?
- Ensure these are safely erected and secured to the ground.
- Are there any ponds or areas of open water in your garden? If so, these must be clearly signed – we can provide signs for you.
- Are there any dark areas that will need to be lit on the day?
- Have you discussed with your helpers where you will keep cash collected on the day?
- Will a trained first aider be in attendance or have access to a well-equipped first aid box?
- We will assume that accompanied children are welcome unless you tell us otherwise.
In addition to the checklist above, you may wish to consider: bees, wasps and insect stings, chemicals used in the garden and storage, plant supports and exposed canes, safe storage of tools, water butts and hoses, areas of the garden where children might be tempted to climb, as well as other things specific to your own garden setting.
Health, Safety and Insurance
Your Open Garden event will not be covered by Derbyshire Wildlife Trusts Liability insurance. We recommend that you check your household insurance in the first instance to see whether you’re already covered. You may be asked to pay a small additional charge depending on your insurer.
Have you got first aid covered? Do you have a home first aid kit? It is important to keep essentials such as plasters in the home just in case. If parking is limited please consult your neighbours prior to the event, and if you are expecting a particularly large turnout consider contacting local authorities.
©Chris Gomersall/2020VISION
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