In this "Science Notes" feature, Duncan Short, from Inverkeithing High School in Scotland, describes how his school has created a wildflower meadow that is doubling up as an outdoor research laboratory. With guidance, pupils are using the new meadow to monitor what bumblebees are present, thus taking part in real and useful research. Two of the pupils involved present their own accounts of the project in the article. (Contains 4 figures, 4 boxes, and 7 online resources.) [This article was written with Ben Kurzman and Fiona Wilson, and is preceded by a one-page introduction by Sue Howarth entitled "The Clubbers' Guide: Creating a Buzz around School" (this issue, p22).]