Posted on 15th Oct
Following the success of its Green Gateways pilot scheme, Newark and Sherwood District Council is launching an annual programme to bring wildflower planting to the entrances and exits of towns and villages across the district.
A Green Gateway is a planted area, typically located at the entrance or exit of a town or village, designed to enhance biodiversity, improve visual appeal, and create a more welcoming environment for residents and visitors.
These spaces are transformed using native wildflowers and bulbs, turning ordinary roadside verges into colourful, nature-rich corridors that support pollinators.
The Green Gateways initiative, part of the council’s Community Plan, was launched to improve health and wellbeing while supporting environmental sustainability. The pilot, delivered in Bilsthorpe, Blidworth, and Boughton, saw previously overlooked verges come to life with wildflowers, attracting bees, butterflies, and positive feedback from local communities.
The council will now deliver up to five new Green Gateway sites each year, with several parishes already expressing interest. Areas in Balderton, Coddington, and Edwinstowe are among those being considered for the next phase.
The initiative involves sowing native wildflowers and planting bulbs such as daffodils, snowdrops, and bluebells. These not only enhance the landscape but also support pollinators and biodiversity. The council will continue to cover labour costs, while parish and town councils will contribute to the cost of seeds and bulbs, ensuring the programme remains collaborative, sustainable, and community-led.
Coun Simon Forde, portfolio holder for Climate and the Environment, said: “This initiative is a fantastic example of how we can take practical, visible steps to brighten up and improve our local environments. It was clever in retrospect to have done a pilot scheme since we have learnt a lot before we roll out our Green Gateways further.
“To help roll this out widely we now want to be working with parish and town councils. It’s brilliant that we’ve already had such strong interest from local communities. By introducing wildflowers and native planting, we’re supporting biodiversity, improving the character of our towns and villages, and helping nature thrive in everyday spaces.”
