THERE was a real buzz in Wisbech last week when a local garden picked up a special award from the “bee kind” campaign for being bee-friendly.

The prize was won by Wisbech wonder Jenny Windsor who works as a gardener for the National Trust at Peckover House.

Her garden was selected from 5,000 entrants and highly commended for bee-friendliness due to the type of flowers planted, which include echinacea, salvias and thyme.

This is the first time that prizes have been awarded to “bee kind” gardens and it is the culmination of a six-month campaign backed by TV’s Kate Humble, who urged the public to take part.

Kate said: “Anyone can get involved and it doesn’t matter where they live. We can all do our bit just by planting a few colourful flowers.

Kate also praised the Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s website which advises gardeners on the type of flowers to plant, including lavender, foxgloves and geraniums.

She said: “The bee kind website tool is brilliant: it makes it really easy for people to find out how good their garden is for bees and suggests simple and affordable changes to cater for the bees’ needs.”

The UK currently has 24 species of bumblebees but since the Second World War two species have become nationally extinct and several others have declined dramatically.

The “bee kind” campaign is funded through a �340,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and is run by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BCT).

Chief Executive of Heritage Lottery Fund, Carole Souter said: “Bumblebees are a crucial part of the UK’s ecosystem and our natural heritage so it’s alarming to see how numbers have been declining in recent years.”

The BCT is a leading conservation charity with a track record in habitat delivery, raising awareness and engaging the public on the issues affecting bees.

You can learn more about bumblebees and support the trust’s vital conservation work by visiting their website at: www.bumblebeeconservation.org.