'Throw and sow!' Community group in Northampton launches new campaign to bring wildflower to churchyard

St Giles’ residents and businesses in Northampton will be gifted wildflower seeds to plant in St Giles Churchyard – as part of a #WildGiles project that will also see the planting of 12 new trees.

St Giles Community Group is calling on the community to “throw and sow” in April, to create a strip meadow of wildflowers beside the 100m long path of headstones on the east side of the churchyard, in Northampton’s town centre.

Some 25 native species will be in the seed mix, from Common Cat's Ear and Hoary Plantain to Ragged Robin and Common Toadflax. St Giles Community Group has also partnered with Tree Charter branch Save Our Street Trees for a tree planting in the autumn.

All the projects, supported by Idverde, St Giles Church and Northampton Borough Council, are aimed at rewilding the historic churchyard, encouraging biodiversity and community engagement.

With the help of Save Our Street Trees, the project has already received a donation of £1,000 towards the tree planting from High Sheriff Paul Parsons.

“This is valuable green space used by many in the town centre, so we want to make it a nicer place to be for everyone including the wildlife,” says Kardi Somerfield, from St Giles Community Group.

“It is great to be partnering with Save Our Street Trees for the tree part of the project and we are hugely grateful to Paul for his donation. We’re very excited to see what this year brings!” People are being encouraged to share photos of their seed sowing via #WildGiles on social media. To find out more about the project go to