II. Nature in Harmony
Nature in Harmony
Noticing the natural world, and finding our place in it
Through the world of bees, insects, birds and plant life, we want to create interest, focus and attention, and a strong sense of belonging that comes from connecting with the land around us. When people notice what is happening outside their door, they start to care for it.
In step with the year
Nature moves with the seasons, and so do we. Our monthly What's all the Buzz about? letters follow the bees through the year: queens going to ground in autumn, the winter cluster, the first flights of spring, and the busy heart of summer. The photographs and the This Month panel on our homepage change with the seasons too, so there is always something new to look out for.
It is a gentle invitation to look up from our screens and see what is happening in the hedgerow, the garden and the field.
Simple things anyone can do
- Grow flowers that bloom at different times of the year, from early spring to late autumn.
- Leave flowering ivy uncut. It is a vital late food source for bees.
- Mow less often and let a corner grow wild.
- Put out a shallow dish of water with stones for bees to land on.
- Leave log piles, hollow stems and bare patches of soil for nesting insects.
- Choose local, seasonal food from farms that look after their hedgerows and field margins.
Bringing nature into new places
Manydown. As the new Manydown community and its 250 acre parkland take shape on the edge of Basingstoke, we are exploring how the nature and bee story, and Charles Butler's links to nearby Wootton St Lawrence, could become part of the place, including nature events for the new community.
Community gardens. We support local projects that want to make space for bees, helping with bee-friendly planting and drawing on our links with local beekeeping associations for advice on keeping hives.
Where to find us
Look out for our bee display at nature days and green events across Hampshire, including the Gilbert White House and Gardens Nature Day in May 2027 and Basingstoke's Climate Emergency Green Week in June 2027.