Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation is partnering with B&Q to encourage customers to help preserve and protect butterflies and other pollinators.
B&Q customers are being encouraged to plant butterfly and pollinator-friendly plants in their gardens from a special range, and are also being asked to help record the butterflies they see in their gardens throughout the year as part of the Garden Butterfly Survey.

The partnership is part of B&Q's sustainability programme One Planet Home, and the retailer was this year awarded the title of Greenest Garden Centre for its ongoing commitment to sustainability.

As part of this, all of the wood sold by B&Q is responsibly sourced and it has also stopped selling patio heaters, non-native invasive plants and certain neonicotinoid-based pesticides.

Said B&Q's sustainability manager Rachel Bradley: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Butterfly Conservation on this important work to count and support butterflies and other pollinators.

"Our customers' gardens are a vital habitat for butterflies and it's never been easier to increase the amount of pollinator-friendly plants within our green spaces.

"Paired with taking action in B&Q's own operations, One Planet Home is all about helping people celebrate and support the environment. Alongside helping them thrive, butterfly counting is fun and rewarding for adults and children alike and is a great way of getting closer to nature."

Butterfly Conservation chief executive Dr Martin Warren added: "B&Q has a wonderful track record in promoting sustainable gardening and enabling their customers to help wildlife.

"By going peat-free, they are leading the way in protecting vital peatland habitats that are so important to butterflies and many other specialist plants and animals. Through the partnership, we want to make it easy for every B&Q customer to do their bit to conserve butterflies and other pollinators."