Leaving a few rough patches is something everyone could do tomorrow, it is less work to do too. Something to think about is what we might take as a model for wildlife gardening. I think a lot of the time wildflower meadows and lake like ponds come to mind. In my own work I find much higher numbers and variety of animals at industrial brownfield sites than I do at managed nature reserves. This inspired me to put old tyres in the garden for reptiles to bask on, make piles of pallets as bug hotels, leave out corrugated tins for things to hide under. All simple, free and highly effective. wildlife did much better before people got obsessed with tidying! No need to worry about finding a ton of old bricks when clearing the garden either. Pile them up and cap with soil dug out to form a pond to make a hibernation bank. Great wildlife habitat is very three dimensional. There is stuff going on below the soil level, there are things piled on top of it. That is the key to habitat creation and the way to get a lot of diverse wildlife to thrive.
Morning Guys I was a bit intrigued by Montys wildlife area o.k.it's a work in progress but I would die for such a nice clear patch. (I still love ya Monty & Nigel) Mine is a"Cottage " garden (uh hum) with wildlife reserves around the edges,and possibly in the heart of it as well (NO!! It's not messy it's all well planned)
Yes Gemma it takes no time at all and not hard work just enjoyment
I'm all for a bit of mess at the back of a border or under shrubs, that's where the little critters tend too hide. The only thing is in most of gardens I tend to on a precessional basis, the clients want everything tidied up, even to the point where every leaf is blown out and raked up and removed! Mine on the other hand has a pile of oak logs that have been sitting for 2 years awaiting the chainsaw and axe, when ever I move one I find either a frog or a mouse nest! Only problem it's sitting on my decking and I'm sure the BBQ will need too come out of hibernation within a month or two
I've got two compost bins with a heap of twigs and split branches dumped down the back. Several piles of stones and a big chunk of lawn that i've let run tussocky. Add into that, the wildlife hedges ad nectar rich plants and I'm fairly happy. Could always be better though.
I have a relatively tidy garden but I do provide habitat for wildlife ie logpiles, housebrick homes for toads etc, I only use bug control in extreme circumstances and plant as many nectar rich varieties as I can. I don't think complete wildlife gardening is for everyone, but I do think that everyone can do something.
Posts
Leaving a few rough patches is something everyone could do tomorrow, it is less work to do too. Something to think about is what we might take as a model for wildlife gardening. I think a lot of the time wildflower meadows and lake like ponds come to mind. In my own work I find much higher numbers and variety of animals at industrial brownfield sites than I do at managed nature reserves. This inspired me to put old tyres in the garden for reptiles to bask on, make piles of pallets as bug hotels, leave out corrugated tins for things to hide under. All simple, free and highly effective.
wildlife did much better before people got obsessed with tidying! No need to worry about finding a ton of old bricks when clearing the garden either. Pile them up and cap with soil dug out to form a pond to make a hibernation bank. Great wildlife habitat is very three dimensional. There is stuff going on below the soil level, there are things piled on top of it. That is the key to habitat creation and the way to get a lot of diverse wildlife to thrive.
Morning Guys
I was a bit intrigued by Montys wildlife area
o.k.it's a work in progress but I would die for such a nice clear patch. (I still love ya Monty & Nigel
) Mine is a"Cottage " garden (uh hum
) with wildlife reserves around the edges,and possibly in the heart of it as well (NO!! It's not messy it's all well planned)
Yes Gemma it takes no time at all and not hard work just enjoyment
As Bill Oddie once said on springwatch...'say yes to mess'
Thank goodness for that Fishy
Mess is something I'll never be short of
In the sticks near Peterborough
I hope Monty was going to pile the tree prunnings in a corner for the wildlife.
I'm all for a bit of mess at the back of a border or under shrubs, that's where the little critters tend too hide. The only thing is in most of gardens I tend to on a precessional basis, the clients want everything tidied up, even to the point where every leaf is blown out and raked up and removed! Mine on the other hand has a pile of oak logs that have been sitting for 2 years awaiting the chainsaw and axe, when ever I move one I find either a frog or a mouse nest! Only problem it's sitting on my decking and I'm sure the BBQ will need too come out of hibernation within a month or two
a mature log pile, I add more occasionally
In the sticks near Peterborough
Not a huge fan of tidy gardens, too much work!
I've got two compost bins with a heap of twigs and split branches dumped down the back. Several piles of stones and a big chunk of lawn that i've let run tussocky. Add into that, the wildlife hedges ad nectar rich plants and I'm fairly happy. Could always be better though.
I have a relatively tidy garden but I do provide habitat for wildlife ie logpiles, housebrick homes for toads etc, I only use bug control in extreme circumstances and plant as many nectar rich varieties as I can. I don't think complete wildlife gardening is for everyone, but I do think that everyone can do something.