New Seedball collaboration with Royal Entomological Society creates a buzz at Spring Fair 2024

Disruptive wildflower gardening company, Seedball, launched a set of three seed ball matchboxes created in collaboration with the Royal Entomological Society (RES) at this year’s Spring Fair. Featuring winning photographs from RES’s 2022 Photography Competition on the matchboxes, the collaboration aims to raise awareness of the importance (and awesomeness!) of lesser-talked-about invertebrates. Seedball will make a donation of £0.30 for every set sold on its website to The Royal Entomological Society, to support its work.

The Royal Entomological Society is devoted to furthering our understanding of insects and encouraging the development of insect science around the world. Through its global network of insect scientists and enthusiasts, the RES shows us how remarkable and valuable insects are. The new partnership with Seedball will help extend its reach to gardeners and wildlife enthusiasts across the UK.

The collection features three boxes, each with a striking image of a different insect, and containing a different seed mix aimed at encouraging three invertebrate groups – a Meadow Mix, a Pollinators Mix and a unique Damp Soil Mix.

Meadow Mix

A wildflower and grasses mix to support meadow invertebrates such as grasshoppers (an unusual pink-hued grasshopper is featured on the box), lacewings and beetles. Helping to encourage as wide a range of wildlife as possible is crucial for maintaining healthy meadow ecosystems. The mix contains Oxeye Daisy, Common Knapweed, Yellow Oat-grass, Lady's Bedstraw and Cat Grass.

Pollinators Mix

To encourage all pollinators, including those that are lesser-known such as the striking Hummingbird hawk-moth, featured on the box. This species of hawk-moth is a day-flying moth which feeds on the nectar of tube-shaped flowers using their long proboscis while hovering in the air. The mix contains Viper’s Bugloss, Hedge Bedstraw, Red Campion, Yarrow, Cornflower, Corn Marigold.

Damp Soil Mix

A mix to support invertebrates in wetland habitats or areas of damp soil. These areas are host to an abundance of important invertebrate life, including damselflies (featured on the box) and dragonflies. The mix includes Purple Loosestrife, Hedge Bedstraw, Lesser Knapweed, Meadow Buttercup, Oxeye Daisy, Ragged Robin.

The boxes are the iconic, compact Seedball matchboxes, each measuring  5.8cm x 3.7cm x 1.5cm and contain six seed balls to grow beautiful wildflowers in a window box, balcony pot or garden bed. One box will cover one to two pots.

Dr. Emily Lambert from Seedball, said: “At Seedball we want to encourage as many people as possible to make their gardens a wildlife paradise – and that includes making habitats for the unsung heroes of the garden, like beetles, lacewings, and damselflies. We’re really excited to be working with the Royal Entomological Society to help spread the love of these small wonders of nature, and were thrilled to launch at this year’s Spring Fair” 

Anne Weinhold, Business Development & Fundraising Manager at the RES, said: “Following our hugely popular insect-rich garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2023, which brought the wonder and importance of insects to a global audience, we are thrilled to be working with Seedball. Together we can encourage plants that will specifically attract beneficial insects to gardens, balconies, and patios across the UK. As well as helping garden biodiversity, the range will raise much-needed funds to support our work.”

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Editors notes

Seedball was founded by two conservation scientists wanting to boost biodiversity and help wildlife.

Seedball Ltd is an innovative organisation on a mission to help increase the abundance of British wildflowers and the wildlife that depends upon them.

Owned by Project Maya – a non-profit enterprise - Seedball manufactures wildflower seed balls using a unique innovation of wildflower seeds mixed with clay, peat-free compost and chilli powder to naturally protect seeds from predators. Its products are sold in over 500 stores in the UK, including Kew Gardens, The Woodland Trust and Blue Diamond Garden Centres, as well as online retailers such as Crocus and Marie Curie. Each year, Seedball also donates products to hundreds of schools and community groups to help support their nature projects.