Rebecca Chesney
I'm blue, you're yellow Everton Park, Liverpool 2012 (ongoing)
Living sculpture 8093 m2 (2 acres)
The idea came as a result of my research during a residency at Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 2010/11 where I proposed the creation of habitat to help encourage and support local populations of bees and other insects. My proposal was to plant two meadows, each square in shape and 4046m2 in size (each an acre), one meadow made entirely of yellow flowering species, the other entirely of blue flowering species.
Although the meadows couldn't be planted on the YSP Bretton Estate, the Everton Park site was identified as being suitable for the development of the meadow intervention. The creation of the meadows was commissioned by Landlife, with support from the National Wildflower Centre, Liverpool City Council, Friends of Everton Park, the Liverpool Biennial and were funded by Arts Council England.
Creating a striking visual impact on the landscape, the meadows provide a rich source of food for many different species: bees, butterflies, moths, ants, beetles and hoverflies etc… which in turn attracts birds and bats to the site.
Situated in Everton Park on Netherfield Road North, the meadows are in bloom during the summer months, free to visit and open all day.
The meadows have continually changed since being planted in 2012: annual plants slowly declining, the perennial plants establishing and thriving, some species disappearing and other wildflower species coming in. The meadows are never static: they change colour with the weather, move and sway in the breeze and are alive with foraging insect life. Events held on the meadows include seeding, weeding and bee ID workshops, and they provide a resource for nature studies to local primary schools and a site for research into colour preference in pollinators by Liverpool John Moores University conservation students.
In 2015 the meadows were extended to cover more areas of the park with Grow Wild England Flagship award funding and further investment was secured from Eden Projects in 2018 and Liverpool City Council in 2019 - 2020 to help maintain the meadows and associated engagement projects.
Above: Specimen sheets collected to document the species of flowers found on the site. Left: Corn Marigold Chrysanthemum segetum. Above right: Common toadflax Linaria vulgaris
Above left: Bee ID workshop held on the meadows. Above middle: The meadows provide a resource for nature studies to local primary schools. Above right: A place to play, explore and experience close contact with nature within the city.
The meadows have become a rich source of forage for numerous insects: bumblebees, honey bees, solitary bees, butterflies, ladybirds, moths, hoverflies, ants, beetles, spiders etc…
Above: The meadows have constantly changed since they were planted in 2012. They are now a patchwork of species and colours continuing to attract many different pollinators (three images above taken in 2018 and 2019).
Below: These three images were taken in summer 2021 (because of the Covid19 pandemic I wasn't able to visit the meadows in 2020).
Below left and middle: The meadows remain a place of learning for local children. Shown here - artworks created during a sketching workshop with 60 x Year 6 students from 5 different local schools in 2023.
Below right: The meadows have become an attractive backdrop for photoshoots! (Photo by Richard Scott 2022).
Below: The meadows in 2023. In their 12th season of flowering the meadows have continued to change and thrive and attract many species of insects. This is due to the hard work and support of many people: Richard Scott, Polly Moseley, Scouse Flowerhouse, the Friends of Everton Park, Liverpool City Council and Eden Projects.
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