Grow Greener Co-operative

13/06/2026

One of the things we love most about looking after roses like this is that they are far more than stunning scented flowers.

This sea anemone like growth is known as a Robin's Pincushion (Bedeguar Gall) – a gall created by a tiny wasp that uses (usually) wild roses as part of its life cycle.

The female wasp lays her eggs inside a developing rose bud. Then something extraordinary happens. Chemicals released by the eggs send signals to the rose, instructing it to grow a completely new structure around them. These galls will join together and the result is a beautiful moss like ball, which provides dozens of tiny chambers where the developing larvae can live safely together in a little maze until they are ready to emerge the following spring.

It's amazing how a creature only a few millimetres long is somehow able to influence the growth of a plant, creating a home perfectly suited to its needs.

The gall causes very little harm to the rose and is generally considered a harmless curiosity of the natural world. Once the adult wasps have emerged, the gall gradually breaks down and disappears.

We also captured the swollen thighed beetle (Oedemera nobilis) with a gorgeous metallic body. Adult beetles feed on pollen and visit a range of open faced flowers, making them fantastic pollinators!

We feel privileged to witness these relationships between plants and the biodiversity they support whilst we go about our day taking care of gardens.

🌹🐝✨

31/05/2026

A few memories from a brilliant day at Dawlish Turn the Tide Festival last weekend! We loved chatting about increasing biodiversity in gardens, tree health and wildlife ponds.

It was so encouraging to see so many fantastic organisations, businesses, community groups, and local people all working in different ways to create positive change. Thanks to everyone who helped make the day such a success. Together we're making a difference and turning the tide! 🌳🌊🌿

22/05/2026

Tomorrow we're at Turn The Tide festival in Dawlish! Drop in and chat to us about trees & tree health, pollinators & biodiversity, wildlife friendly gardening, & creating habitats for wildlife. Kids and adults welcome !

That's not all there's music, crafts, kids activities, wellbeing and more! Turn the Tide Teignbridge

10/05/2026

09/05/2026

Dawlish pollinator trail launches today! Head on down to the Strand Centre to meet others passionate about wildlife and how you can get involved

We’re delighted to share that Roxy Honey will be joining us at the Wild Pollinator Trail Launch Event today at The Strand Community Centre, Dawlish. 🌿

At 11am, Roxy will be giving a short talk sharing her knowledge and experience around wildlife, pollinators, regenerative growing, forest gardens and nature-friendly land use.

Roxy is Co-Director of Grow Greener Co-operative, which delivers horticulture and arboriculture with care, respect and ecological responsibility. She is also the owner of Wyrd Botanica- Devon, a regenerative market garden and forest garden plant nursery based on a wildlife-rich farm overlooking Dawlish.

Roxy will also be joined by her Grow Greener colleagues Jasper and Tom, who will be available for informal chats throughout the morning. Between them, they bring experience in forestry conservation, arboriculture, permaculture, sustainable horticulture and conservation volunteering.

📍 The Strand Centre, Dawlish
📆 9 May 2026
🎤 Talk starts at 11am
🎟️ Free to attend

You’ll also be able to pick up your Pollinator Trail maps, make seed bombs, enjoy a floristry demonstration (12:15pm), children’s colouring, free wildflower seeds, a raffle and more. Looking forward to seeing you there!

20/04/2026

We currently have space for regular garden maintenance and would love to take on a few more gardens.

We can help with:
• Lawn cutting
• Weeding
• Hedge trimming
• General garden tidying

We can take care of your garden throughout the year.

📅 Fortnightly or 4-weekly visits available

If you'd like a hand keeping your garden manageable, feel free to get in touch 🌱

11/04/2026

As gardeners, we’re seeing first hand how things are changing- from soil health and drought stress to biodiversity loss across even small gardens. If you’re interested in what we can do about it locally, this looks like a worthwhile event to explore what we can do moving forward 👇

People's Climate and Nature Assembly being held at the Courtenay Centre in Newton Abbot on Saturday 25th April from 2pm to 4pm. Doors open at 1.30pm for refreshments and chat. It's a free event run by the Newton Abbot Constituency Climate and Nature Bill Supporters Group, which is non-political. Everyone is welcome.

Exploring how we, alongside our community leaders, can build stronger support for the changes needed to deal with climate change and nature loss. You can find more details and book your free place on eventbrite:

Newton Abbot Climate and Nature Assembly https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/newton-abbot-climate-and-nature-assembly-tickets-1984582781523?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile

10/04/2026

New guidance on feeding birds is now out 🐦. We love creating spaces for wildlife in gardens. This baby greenfinches parents chose this habitat in our customers garden as the perfect habitat for foraging. These habitats attract and grow natural food for birds: insects 🐛, wildflower 🌼, w**d, ☘️, and tree 🌳seeds.

In this country we're famous for our love of birds! It's incredible the lengths we go to to make sure they have the food they need which is extra important with huge habitat loss globally. "Today, only one in seven (14%) of the UK’s important habitats for wildlife were found to be in good condition" (State of Nature report, 2023)

Please read the simple new RSPB guidance on how you can feed birds safely and reduce the spread of trichomonosis, a highly contagious disease that can spread where birds gather in large numbers such as at bird feeders. https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/how-to-help-garden-birds

Dates for your diary
1 May to 31 October

Pause filling your bird feeders with seeds or peanuts.

You can continue to offer small amounts of mealworms, fatballs or suet.

1 November to 30 April

You can feed your birds a full range of bird foods, including seeds and peanuts.

09/04/2026

Roxy's happy place under some shrubs with her favourite tool the ho mi. She loves w**ding a border and pruning roses. And in the new garms!

**ding