Trinity College Dublin is giving away more than 100 birch seedlings that it "accidentally" grew during 'No Mow May' last year.
The seedlings came from two birch trees which have been growing next to Trinity’s iconic Front Arch since the 1950s.
They appeared when the university halted mowing its usually manicured lawns last May.
"The idea was to let the wildflowers that live in the lawns bloom and provide food for pollinators," Professor Jane Stout, Vice President for Biodiversity and Climate Action at TCD said.
"As part of that about 30 species of plant came up including a really interesting orchid and these birch seedlings. Because the lawns weren’t mown, the seedlings managed to establish and grow, and we extended the 'No Mow May' right through until September."
At that point, the seedlings were potted and have been cared for by the university’s gardening team.
"We dug them up and have them around the back in the green house ready to give them away to people," Mark Loughran, grounds person at TCD said.
"It just shows you when you let a lawn go and don’t mow it constantly, life will come into it.
"It could be a nice little legacy to pass on. You actually have a tree from Trinity College Dublin growing in your back garden," he added.
The birch seedling giveaway marks the launch of Trinity’s first ever sustainability strategy.
"The approach we are taking to sustainability is a really holistic one," Professor Stout said.
"We realise we must change what we’re doing across everything that we do at the university - through our education programmes, through our research and through our day-to-day operations.
"We are looking at climate action, biodiversity loss, health and wellbeing and linking our own human health with planetary health," she added.
Trinity College Dublin said people can receive a free birch seedling from 10am this morning on a first come, first served basis.
"The lovely thing about them is they’re really symbolic of this new beginning, this new start and the regeneration of life," Prof Stout said.
"And really, when you give nature a chance, it really takes that chance."
