20th June 2025
Yorkshire’s leading wildflower supplier and charity, Mires Beck Nursery, based in North Cave, is set to transform Queens Gardens with the donation of more than 1,250 native wildflowers. The new wildflower area will create a vibrant habitat for local wildlife right in the heart of the city.
Mires Beck Nursery is well known for growing over 50,000 wildflowers and 420,000 trees annually, supplying plants to prestigious sites including Chatsworth House, Harewood House, Fountains Abbey, and Beningbrough Hall and Gardens. But beyond horticulture, the nursery provides an invaluable service: a welcoming and supportive environment for adults with learning and physical disabilities to develop new skills and enjoy nature.
Some of the nursery’s service users, aged between 18 and 60, have been actively involved in sowing, growing, and preparing the wildflowers destined for Queens Gardens. Plants suited to shaded areas - such as foxgloves, primroses, bluebells, and wood avens - are now being planted by the staff, volunteers and service users.
Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “We’re proud to be working with Mires Beck Nursery on this fantastic initiative. Not only will the new wildflower area bring colour and life to Queens Gardens, but it will also play an important role in supporting local biodiversity.
"This project reflects our commitment to creating a greener, more sustainable city, while also highlighting the incredible work being done by Mires Beck to support adults with learning and physical disabilities. It’s a win for both the environment and our community.”
Steve Meays, Head of Habitat at Mires Beck Nursery, said: "We’re incredibly proud that our service users have been at the heart of this project from seed to soil. Their hard work, care, and dedication have directly contributed to a meaningful initiative that will increase biodiversity in an urban environment and support local wildlife.
“At Mires Beck, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to make a difference, and this project is a shining example of how our service users, through therapeutic horticulture, can create something lasting and beautiful for the wider community. This partnership with Hull City Council not only celebrates native wildflowers but also the incredible abilities and contributions of the adults we support every day."
This collaboration highlights how community engagement and conservation can work hand in hand to enrich urban green spaces, supporting wildlife and empowering people alike.
