Hampshire Forest Partnership
Location: Seafield Park, Fareham, Hampshire
Product Used: Bespoke MeadowSow™ Seed Mix
Project Size: 250m²
Project Overview
Wildflower Turf Ltd are proud to contribute to the transformative Seafield Park Mini Forest Project, a flagship initiative under the Hampshire Forest Partnership’s ‘Linking Leaves’ programme. The Hampshire Forest Partnership, established by Hampshire County Council in 2022, is dedicated to bringing people and communities together to plant trees and help local nature recovery, with a broader aim to boost biodiversity, fight climate change, and connect communities with nature across Hampshire.
The Seafield Park project itself was a significant undertaking, funded by the King’s Coronation Living Heritage Fund and the Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LATF). It involved the planting of two innovative mini forests, each spanning 200m² and densely populated with 800 native trees selected across four forest layers. As part of their commitment to boosting biodiversity and climate resilience, six large disease-resistant elm were also planted to support species like the white-letter hairstreak butterfly and aid in the restoration of a declining native tree.
Wildflower Turf Ltd sponsored 250m² of MeadowSow ™ wildflower seeds, creating two stunning blocks at the main entrance of the park. Sown in Spring 2025, the wildflower meadow allows visitors to immerse themselves in a vibrant display, making an immediate and lasting visual impact.
The Results
What was once an amenity grass space is now a rich biodiverse haven of trees and wildflowers. The bespoke wildflower seed mix that was supplied was crafted by our research and development team. This mix was designed to deliver an immediate, striking visual impact in its first year to create the spectacular entrance. The mix was also formulated to establish robust, long lasting perennial blooms to ensure sustained ecological benefit and biodiversity enhancement for years to come. The wildflowers were chosen to not only look stunning but also contribute meaningfully to the site overall ecological recovery, complementing the newly planted mini forests and elm trees.
A key highlight of the entire project was the exceptional community engagement. Collaborative planting day were filled with energy and a genuine sense of ownership, seeing the active participation of 38 pupils from two local schools, numerous local residents and volunteers, staff from Sarto Thomas, and members of two local community groups (Stubbington Weeders and Locks Heath U3A). This collective effort was instrumental in bringing the site to life and fostering a deeper connection between the community and nature.
The wildflower meadow has created a stunning floral display that now forms a truly spectacular display and welcoming entrance to the mini forest. The success of this project at Seafield Park powerfully illustrate how innovative practice, strong local partnership, and dedicated community involvement can converge to create lasting environmental change and make nature more accessible and connected for communities.
Testimonial
“Working with Wildflower Turf Ltd has been an absolute pleasure. Their sponsorship of our ‘Linking Leaves’ project was more than just a generous gesture – it was a powerful commitment to real, lasting change for biodiversity in our landscapes. The quality of their seeds and the knowledge and passion behind the team made a huge difference to our project. With their support, we were able to create vibrant, living mosaics of biodiversity across multiple sites – connecting people, places and pollinators through beautiful, flower-rich habitats. Thank you to everyone at Wildflower Turf for believing in our vision. Your partnership has helped us make a big step forward in making nature more accessible and connected for communities across Hampshire” – Emily Roberts (Senior Project Manager, Hampshire Forest Partnership).
Visit www.wildflowertruf.co.uk to find out more.
To get involved with the Hampshire Forest Partnership visit, Hampshire Forest Partnership | Environment | Hampshire County Council
Photo Credits: Kathryn Dale