About

#BulbsForBees 

To celebrate 35 years of Gaisce – The President’s Award and to protect one of the most important players in the climate change battle, we have a special Gaisce challenge for you. We’re asking everyone in Ireland to plant pollinator-friendly bulbs to help safeguard the future of our vital bee population. It’s that simple.

📲 Tag us @GaisceAward and use #BulbsForBees

Why #BulbsForBees is important 🐝

While small and often overlooked, bees play a significant role in the pollination of vital food crops. It’s estimated that one third of the food we consume each and every day, relies on pollination by bees. Pollinator friendly bulbs provide these hard little workers with a world of sweet, sugary, carbohydrate-rich nectar, which they depend on for energy.  

One third of our bee species is threatened with extinction in Ireland. This is because we have drastically reduced the amount of flowers they eat and places where they can safely nest.   

Get involved in Gaisce’s special challenge today: #BulbsForBees  

An tábhacht atá le #BulbsForBees  🐝

Cé go bhfuil siad beag agus go ndéanaimid dearmad orthu go minic, tá ról suntasach ag beacha i bpailniú na gcineálacha bia is tábhachtaí. Meastar go mbraitheann aon trian den bhia a ithimid gach lá ar phailniú beach. Soláthraíonn bleibeanna a thaitníonn le pailneoirí flúirse neachtair atá milis, siúcraithe agus saibhir i gcarbaihiodráití, agus braitheann na beacha air chun fuinneamh a fháil.

Tá an baol ann anois in Éirinn go gcaillfimid trian dár speiceas beiche. An chúis leis sin ná go bhfuil líon na mbláthanna a thaitníonn leo agus na háiteanna inar féidir leo nead a dhéanamh go sábháilte laghdaithe go mór againn.

Glac páirt inniu i ndúshlán speisialta Gaisce: #BulbsForBees

How can I take part today? 🐝

Taking part in #BulbsForBees is easy! Gaisce – The President’s Award is asking people across Ireland to plant a pollinator friendly bulb in whatever patch they have (garden, pot, planter or field!)  Simply plant a pollinator friendly bulb in a pot, a container or directly into the soil in your garden.  

If you are a community or youth group, you can call into your local development office to collect bulbs free of charge which have been made available with support from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth. A full list of participating Irish Local Development Network pick-up points are available here.

Get the best from your bulbs! 🌱 

  • Bulbs can be planted in a pot, a window box or container or directly into the soil.  
  • Ensure that bulbs have good drainage and access to sunlight to ensure a full bloom in the Spring.  
  • Prepare and loosen the soil and place the bulb with its pointy end up and roots down.  
  • As a general rule, bulbs should be planted 2 to 3 times as deep as the bulb is tall.  
  • Newly planted bulbs will be thirsty so give them a good watering! 
  • These hardy bulbs will return year after year meaning you will get lots of enjoyment from one season of planting. 
Conas is féidir liom a bheith páirteach inniu?  🐝

Is furasta a bheith páirteach in  #BulbsForBees! Iarrann Gaisce – Gradam an Uachtaráin ar dhaoine ar fud na hÉireann bleib a thaitníonn le pailneoirí a chur i cibé píosa talún atá acu (gairdín, pota, soitheach plandaí nó páirc!)

Más ball de ghrúpa pobail nó óige thú, is féidir leat glaoch isteach i d’oifig forbartha áitiúil chun bleibeanna a bhailiú saor in aisce. Cuireadh na bleibeanna seo ar fáil le tacaíocht ón Roinn Leanaí, Comhionannais, Míchumais, Lánpháirtíochta agus Óige. Gheofar liosta iomlán de na pointí bailithe i  Líonra Forbartha Áitiúíl na hÉireann anseo.

Bain gach taitneamh as do bhleibeanna!  🌱

  • Is féidir bleibeanna a chur i bpota, i mbosca fuinneoige nó i gcoimeádán nó go díreach isteach san ithir.
  • Déan cinnte go bhfuil draenáil mhaith agus solas na gréine le fáil ag na bleibeanna chun go mbláthóidh siad san earrach.
  • Ullmhaigh agus bris suas an ithir. Cuir an bhleib agus a ceann ag gobadh aníos agus na fréamhacha i dtreo na talún.
  • Mar riail ghinearálta, ba chóir bleibeanna a chur a dhá nó a trí huaire níos doimhne ná airde na bleibe.
  • Beidh tart ar bhleibeanna nua-churtha agus mar sin uiscigh go maith iad!
  • Fásfaidh na bleibeanna crua seo bliain i ndiaidh bliana, ionas go mbeidh bláthanna agat arís agus arís eile as bleib a chuirtear uair amháin.
Know your pollinator friendly bulbs

#BulbsForBees is a nationwide pollination project being run by Gaisce – The President’s Award and is approved by the All Ireland Pollinator Plan! The All Ireland Pollinator plan is run through the National Biodiversity Data Centre, and is all about coming together to try to create an island where pollinators can survive and thrive.

The All Ireland Pollinator plan have approved the following pollinator bulbs as appropriate for planting September-October 2021:

📚 Interested in learning more about biodiversity in Ireland? From the birds and bees to our boglands and the ice caps, Ireland’s favourite force of nature and ‘Bulbs For Bees’ ambassador, Éanna Ní Lamhna, is on a mission to open our hearts and minds to our wonderful, wild world – to help us find the balance between our needs and the future of our precious planet. Check out Our Wild World at the link below ⬇️

You can also be in with a chance to WIN an exclusive signed copy of Our Wild World if you post about planting your bulb and where using #BulbsForBees and tagging @GaisceAward before October 21st. Scroll down for competition details below too!

Our Wild World

Crocus Tommasinianus Barr’s Purple

Barr’s Purple’ has rich purple-lilac flowers, silvery outside, with orange stigmas and stamens. It has tufted green leaves with a central silvery-white stripe. They grow well in a sunny spot, or under deciduous shrubs. They grow well in most soil types, once they are not too wet for too long. This variety of crocus is a good source of pollen for honeybees early in the season.

Flowers in February – Approx. 10 cm in height

Allium Moly

Otherwise known as “Yellow Garlic”, this is a popular ornamental onion, and certainly one of the easiest to grow. It bears bright yellow, star-shaped flowers which are attractive to bees and other pollinators. Grow Allium moly in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. It’s well suited to growing in a mixed herbaceous border and also beneath trees and shrubs.

Flowers June – July – approx. 25 cm in height

Muscari Armeniacum

Otherwise known as Grape Hyacinth – a good supply of nectar which attracts the butterflies and bees. M. Armeniacum is a strong-growing bulbous perennial, with narrow, arching green leaves and erect stems bearing dense spikes of deep violet-blue, egg-shaped flowers. They grow well in a sun or semi shade area and are a super at naturalising!

Flowers in March/April – approx. 15 cm in height

I’m in a Youth or Community Group 🐝

📲 If you are a community or youth group, you can call into your local development office to collect bulbs free of charge which have been made available with support from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth. A full list of participating Irish Local Development Network pick-up points are available by clicking below ⬇️

Youth or Community Group
📸 ‘Bulbs For Bees’ Photography Competition 🐝

Submit your photograph to be in with a chance to win a #BulbsForBees prize pack with Gaisce – The President’s Award 📸 

Celebrating Gaisce – The President’s Award’s 35th anniversary and nationwide #BulbsForBees campaign, we are calling on all budding photographers across the country to snap their best bulb selfie to be in with a chance of winning a special #BulbsForBees prize pack!  

The theme of the competition is “Safeguarding the Future of our Bee Population” and we will be picking 3 winners to be announced on the 21st of October who have impressed us with their planting, eco-activist and photography skills!  

We want to see our pollinators at work – so whether that’s a photo of you in the mud planting your bulbs or a snap to highlight the work you’ve already done in your back yard or balcony to promote pollination – we want to hear about it! 

To enter simply email your best photo to competitions@gaisce.ie by Monday 18th October at midnight and don’t forget to include your name, location, contact number and a title for your photograph! 

Winning photographs will also be displayed at the Gaisce – The President’s Award offices in Phoenix Park, Dublin as well as on our website and social media channels. 

‘Bulbs For Bees’ Weekly Prize Packs up for grabs! 

Use #BulbsForBees on Instagram or Twitter to be in with a chance to win a #BulbsForBees prize pack each week from now until the end of October with Gaisce – The President’s Award 📸 

Celebrating Gaisce – The President’s Award’s 35th anniversary and nationwide #BulbsForBees campaign, we are calling on everyone to show us your bulbs!  

Every week we’ll enter all those who have tweeted/instagrammed using #BulbsForBees into a randomised generator, and you could bee in with a chance to win a signed copy of Éanna Ní Lamhna’s new book Our Wild World, additional bulbs, and lots more Gaisce swag! 

Share where you’ve planted your bulb or tell us a little bit about why you care about saving Ireland’s bees population or why pollination is important. All entries will be considered whether there is a photograph you have taken attached or not. 

To enter: Tag @GaisceAward in your social media, use #BulbsForBees  

Winners: Winners will be chosen each Thursday from a randomised generator. Winners will be contacted directly by direct message or underneath the photo/post in question and informed. They don’t have to accept the prize! 

Earn a special Gaisce Certificate 🐝

📲 You can register for your certificate of participation for our #BulbsForBees campaign below. Everyone who takes part is eligible to apply for this commemorative Gaisce certificate. Certificates will be sent out to all participants once the campaign has ended. 

Register for your certificate
Frequently Asked Questions 🐝

Everyone! It doesn’t matter what age you are, your location or what size garden you have –  #BulbsForBees is open to everyone in Ireland. Whether you have a spacious garden, a windowsill or a pot that holds one bulb you can take part and get involved. (You just need a little soil!) 

You should plant your bulbs as soon as possible once you have them. It’s really important that there is no waste in this campaign – we want the bulbs in the ground, so that they can provide food for the bees by Spring 2022! 

  • Packets of bulbs have been made available to all post-primary schools in Ireland.  
  • 300,000 bulbs have been made available through the Irish Local Development Network so that groups in the youth and community sector can access bulbs for free as part of their local activities. Bulbs for local community and youth groups have been supported by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. 
  • As a member of the public, you can purchase pollinator friendly bulbs at any local garden centre, just make sure they are suitable to plant this season. You can check out our list of All-Ireland Pollinator approved bulbs on our website.  
  • As part of our #BulbsForBees campaign, Lidl have also sold over 250,000 pollinator friendly bulbs in their stores nationwide. 
  • If you require a large volume of bulbs, you can purchase them via Bulbs.ie.

The #BulbsForBees campaign has been approved by the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan. Check them out here for loads more ideas and information about the importance of pollination year-round.  

If you are a community or voluntary youth group, you can call into your local development office to collect bulbs. If you are a post-primary school, you will have received a packet of bulbs in the post. This campaign is for everyone regardless of whether they are directly involved in delivering Gaisce – The President’s Award. However, we would love for you to get involved in Gaisce. Please contact us on mail@gaisce.ie.

No – there is no registration required to take part in the #BulbsForBees campaign. Planting a bulb is all you need to do! You can register for a certificate of participation after planting your bulb and all details are available on our website.  

There is no requirement to register to receive bulbs.  

  • If you are a post primary school, the bulbs will arrive to your School Principal or President’s Award Leader. 
  • If you are a group in the youth and community sector, you can collect yours locally at your nearest development office. 
  • If you are a member of the public, you can source pollinator-friendly bulbs at your nearest garden centre!  

No – this campaign is open to everyone. From 6 months to 100 plus, you can be part of this great campaign! 

Congratulations!! Now here comes the easy part. Take a picture of yourself in the garden, holding your newly potted bulbs or of your windowsill and then tag us on social media using the hashtag #BulbsForBees. Get creative – dress up as a bee even! Just let us know you’ve taken part. Don’t forget to register for a certificate of participation on our website.  

Get the best from your bulbs:  

  • Bulbs can be planted in a pot, a window box or container or directly into the soil.  
  • Ensure that bulbs have good drainage and access to sunlight to ensure a full bloom in the Spring.  
  • Prepare and loosen the soil and place the bulb with its pointy end up and roots down.  
  • As a general rule, bulbs should be planted 2 to 3 times as deep as the bulb is tall.  
  • Newly planted bulbs will be thirsty so give them a good watering! 
  • These hardy bulbs will return year after year meaning you will get lots of enjoyment from one season of planting. 

 

Register for a certificate on our website by filling in your details and telling us where you planted your bulbs. Certificate sign up will be live from Tuesday, 21st September. Certificates will be sent out to all participants once the campaign has ended.  

No! You can sign up for your special Gaisce cert of participation once you have taken part in the campaign in any way. 

The All-Ireland pollinator plan, a key strategic partner in this campaign, recommended 3 types of bulbs which were:  

  • Pollinator friendly (aka food for the bees) 
  • Can be planted this season 

Many other bulbs/types of flowers are pretty but not actually pollinator friendly.  

Did you know? Bees actually can’t see the colour red so you will never see a wild bee land on a red flower for pollination! 

Ceisteanna Coitianta 🐝

Gach duine! Is cuma cén aois thú, cá háit a bhfuil tú nó cén saghas gairdín atá agat – tá #BulbsForBees ar oscailt do gach duine in Éirinn. Cibé an bhfuil gairdín fairsing agat, leac fuinneoige nó pota a bhfuil bleib amháin ann is féidir leat a bheith páirteach. (Níl uait ach beagán ithreach!) 

Ba chóir duit do bhleibeanna a chur a luaithe a fhaigheann tú iad. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach nach gcuirtear aon rud amú san fheachtas seo – caithfidh na bleibeanna dul isteach sa talamh, ionas go mbeidh bia ag na beacha in earrach 2022!

• Tá pacáistí bleibeanna curtha ar fáil do gach iar-bhunscoil in Éirinn.
• Cuireadh 300,000 bleib ar fáil trí Líonra Forbartha Áitiúil na hÉireann ionas gur féidir le grúpaí san earnáil óige agus pobail bleibeanna a fháil saor in aisce mar chuid dá ngníomhaíochtaí áitiúla. Thacaigh an Roinn Leanaí, Comhionannais, Míchumais, Lánpháirtíochta agus Óige le bleibeanna do ghrúpaí pobail agus óige áitiúla.
• Mar bhall den phobal, is féidir leat bleibeanna a thaitníonn le pailneoirí a cheannach ag aon ionad garraíodóireachta áitiúil, ach cuir ceist cibé an bhfuil siad oiriúnach le cur an séasúr seo. Is féidir leat féachaint ar ár láithreán gréasáin go bhfeice tú liosta na mbleibeanna atá ceadaithe don Phlean Uile-Éireann um Pailneoirí.
• Mar chuid dár bhfeachtas #BulbsForBees, dhíol Lidl os cionn 250,000 bleib a thaitníonn le pailneoirí ina gcuid siopaí ar fud na tíre.
• Má theastaíonn líon mór bleibeanna uait, is féidir leat iad a cheannach trí Bulbs.ie.

Tá an feachtas #BulbsForBees ceadaithe ag an bPlean Uile-Éireann um Pailneoirí. Féach anseo mar a bhfaighidh tú tuilleadh eolais faoina thábhachtaí atá an pailniú ó cheann ceann na bliana.

Más grúpa óige pobail nó deonach thú, is féidir leat glaoch isteach i d’oifig forbartha áitiúil chun bleibeanna a bhailiú. Más iar-bhunscoil tú, beidh paicéad bleibeanna faighte agat sa phost. Tá an feachtas seo ar oscailt do chách, is cuma an bhfuil siad páirteach i nGaisce – Gradam an Uachtaráin nó nach bhfuil. Mar sin féin, ba bhreá linn duit a bheith bainteach le Gaisce. Déan teagmháil linn ag mail@gaisce.ie.

Ní gá. Níl aon chlárú ag teastáil chun páirt a ghlacadh san fheachtas #BulbsForBees. Bleib a chur – sin an méid! Féadfaidh tú clárú le haghaidh teastas rannpháirtíochta tar éis do bhleib a chur agus tá na sonraí go léir ar fáil ar ár suíomh Gréasáin.

Ní gá clárú chun bleibeanna a fháil.

• Más iar-bhunscoil tú, tiocfaidh na bleibeanna chuig do Phríomhoide Scoile nó chuig Ceannaire Ghradam an Uachtaráin.
• Más grúpa tú san earnáil óige agus pobail, is féidir leat do bhleibeanna a bhailiú ag an oifig forbartha is gaire duit
• Más ball den phobal tú, is féidir leat bleibeanna a thaitníonn le pailneoirí a fháil ag an ionad garraíodóireachta is gaire duit!

Níl – tá an feachtas seo ar oscailt do chách. Ó 6 mhí go 100 céad bliain d’aois agus os a chionn, is féidir leat a bheith páirteach san fheachtas iontach seo!

Comhghairdeas !! Anois an chuid is éasca. Tóg pictiúr díot féin sa ghairdín, do bhleib ina phota nua nó i do bhosca fuinneoige i do lámh agat, agus clibeáil muid ar na meáin shóisialta leis an haischlib #BulbsForBees. Bí cruthaitheach – gléas suas mar bheach fiú! Ní gá ach a thaispeáint gur ghlac tú páirt. Ná déan dearmad clárú le haghaidh teastas rannpháirtíochta ar ár suíomh Gréasáin.

Faigh an chuid is fearr as do bhleibeanna:

• Is féidir bleibeanna a chur i bpota, i mbosca fuinneoige nó i gcoimeádán nó go díreach isteach san ithir.
• Déan cinnte go bhfuil draenáil mhaith agus solas na gréine le fáil ag na bleibeanna chun go mbláthóidh siad san earrach.
• Ullmhaigh agus bris suas an ithir. Cuir an bhleib agus a ceann ag gobadh aníos agus na fréamhacha i dtreo na talún.
• Mar riail ghinearálta, ba chóir bleibeanna a chur dhá uair nó trí huaire níos doimhne ná airde na bleibe.
• Beidh tart ar bhleibeanna nua-churtha agus mar sin uiscigh go maith iad!
• Fásfaidh na bleibeanna crua seo bliain i ndiaidh bliana, ionas go mbeidh bláthanna áille agat bliain i ndiaidh bliana as bleib amháin a chur.

Cláraigh do theastas ar an láithreán gréasáin againn trí do shonraí a líonadh isteach agus insint dúinn cár chuir tú do bhleibeanna. Beidh clárú do theastas ar fáil beo ón Máirt, 21 Meán Fómhair. Seolfar teastas chuig gach rannpháirtí nuair a bheidh deireadh leis an bhfeachtas.

Ní gá! Is féidir leat clárú do do theastas speisialta rannpháirtíochta i nGaisce a luaithe a bhíonn tú páirteach san fheachtas ar shlí ar bith.

Is é an Plean Uile-Éireann um Pailneoirí, atá ag obair linn ar an bhfeachtas seo, a mholann na trí bhleib seo de bhrí:

• Go bhfuil siad go maith mar bhia do phailneoirí (do bheacha)
• Gur féidir iad a chur an séasúr seo
Tá go leor bleibeanna eile do bhláthanna deasa ann ach is fearr leis na beacha na bleibeanna seo.

An raibh a fhios agat? Ní fheiceann beacha an dath dearg mar sin ní fheicfidh tú beach ag dul isteach i mbláth dearg riamh ag lorg neachtair!

This is the biggest public pollination project in Ireland, and we would like to thank the following organisations for supporting us in making it happen!

Have questions or a query about #BulbsForBees? Firstly, check out our FAQ section above! If it’s not answered there, we are happy to help. Email our team today 💌 comms@gaisce.ie.

For all press/ media enquiries please contact Niamh Dillon, Communications and Digital Media Officer Gaisce – The President’s Award

Email: niamh@gaisce.ie 💌

Phone: 087 7142495

© 2023 Gaisce – Gradam an Uachtaráin, The President’s Award is a company limited by guarantee (CRO 251020) and with a CHY and CRA number (8482 and 20020903 respectively)