Wholesale seed company, Seedtech has branched out creating a new division to sell wildflower seeds directly to the consumer.
Blooming Native was launched with the aim of providing people / landowners / farmers with wildflower seeds as a habitat for pollinators; seeds for wild birds; to support biodiversity; and promote wellbeing.
Seedtech is part of the Arvum Group Company and this new division is part of the company’s focus on sustainability and biodiversity.
Seed expertise
Wildflower seeds have been at the heart of the Power family history since 1859 when William Power opened his first nursery, florist, and seed merchant’s business in Co. Waterford.
In this new venture, Julie Power wants to share how wildflower seeds can play their part in biodiversity: “I am grateful to be able to harness my family expertise in seed and continue this tradition as the sixth generation of the Power family.
“Sowing wildflower seeds will provide a habitat for pollinators, seeds for wild birds, support biodiversity, promote our wellbeing and bring us joy.
“I looked to where the support was and that was seed expertise from Seedtech. I have a long history of seed in my family,” Julie Power told AgriLand.
Need for pollinators
With biodiversity being a key focus of national and European policy now, Julie Power felt that setting up a company such as Blooming Native would help towards the aim of protecting biodiversity.
Image: Blooming Native
“Staying with what Seedtech look at with agriculture – the role that pollinators play for agriculture – as everybody is aware, pollinators are in decline and they do pollinate most of our agricultural crops and of course our food crops as well,” Julie said.
Without them, people might not realise but a lot of our favourite foods wouldn’t be on the table, so we’d be without a lot of fruit and vegetables.
“Farmers have always been great supporters of the environment and alongside the government schemes such as GLAS [Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme], more and more farmers are looking for opportunities to increase biodiversity on their farm.”
Effective use of wildflowers
With the requirement to put more of a focus on biodiversity on farm land, Julie Power added that using wildflowers and hedgerows is a very effective and “simple” measure.
“Even using the little piece of land that most farmers have beside their house, that’s unused and not really grazeable – that’s a perfect opportunity to sow some wildflowers. It doesn’t have to be a huge space but farmers in particular really do have a great opportunity to increase biodiversity,” Julie added.
Julie also points out that the Blooming Native venture is specifically for wildflowers and that it will not be an online shopping tool for Seedtech. She said:
We don’t want people thinking that we’re taking the seed business online. We’re not going to be selling oats or barley or anything like that. This is completely separate.
“We’re seeing a trend towards flowering meadow lawns for people to provide a habitat for pollinators and we’re encouraging everyone to #raisetheblade,” she concluded.