Wildlife Gardening - Green Gardening Guide » Eco friendly gardening

RSPB encouraging councils not to cut hedges and grass

Alan — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:14:36 +0000

The RSPB and Conwy County Council stated that choosing not to cut hedgerows and grass until the end of the summer can actually be beneficial to the garden. This is due to the fact that in the few weeks before cutting native birds and mammals will have a protected habitat and food supply from the wild meadow flowers.

The Conwy County Council has allowed some areas of their grounds and park regions to grow wild since 2003 and has experienced great results. For instance, instead of cut lawns in front of the Onrth Wales Police HQ, there are wild orchids.

Biodiversity Project officer, Anne Butler, stated that the key to bringing in pretty flowers is to not mow until the end of August. Butler added that after mowing you need to collect the cuttings because most soil is too fertile for wild flowers, but when the cuttings are taken off once a year the fertility of the soil is reduced so that flowers have a shot at popping up.

For those that want to push the process along, Butler also suggests taking off a layer of top soil from the ground which will help uncover soil that does not have artificial nutrients in it.

Butler also mentioned the headquarters at the Police HQ by stating that the natural slope of the area helped the orchid growth out since it was not as fertile. She added that the orchids are usually best in the end of June and every year it seems a larger variety is coming back.

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Eco friendly garden lighting

Alan — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:53:16 +0000

Summer is heating up and now is the perfect time to sit down and simply relax in your garden area, but instead of heading inside once the sun sets, why not consider purchasing some garden lights for outdoor use so that you can sit under the stars and enjoy the same relaxing sensations.

There are many different garden lighting fixtures that can match every budget or garden location as well as plenty of options such as towers, lanterns, and even solar lights.

Solar powered lights are great for those that do not have a close electrical outlet in their back garden areas or for gardens that are intimately placed in secluded areas. There are also lighting options that are shaped as topiary so that you can blend natural lighting into an attractive piece of your garden.

Also available are lights that spin in a spiral which can help illuminate your garden and serve as a focal point that will impress anyone that stops by for a look. They are also great decorations if you plan on having a party.

Garden lights are useful for more than just decoration however; as they also offer you added security since they will help keep your driveway and paths illuminated making them less tempting for burglars or vandals to venture down. In addition, they can also help to reassure any nervous pets within your home or keep dark corners well lit so that you know what faces you at every turn.

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Recycling plastics in gardening

Alan — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 07:28:06 +0000

Every time someone takes the time to garden they are taking the time to help out the environment, however, at the same time most people also hurt the environment because they are not aware of how much eco-rubbish goes into a garden in the form of garden plastic.

Even worse, this horticultural waste often ends up filling up landfills even though most people have great intentions when they purchase the goods.

With this in mind, it is important to note that eco-friendly gardening is about more than avoiding chemicals, but also taking careful note of what is done with the plastic containers that plants come wrapped in or the pots that are used during new cuttings and transplanting.

Generally speaking, it is best to reuse these containers as much as possible instead of starting fresh, or giving them away to other gardeners or friends. However, if you simply have too many for this to even be practical, it may be interesting to note that many garden centres will collect and recycle plastic pots and horticultural plastic if you simply take them back to the point of purchase.

Programs such as these have helped save 425 tons at a time of plastic waste from landing in landfills. Although many volunteers are needed, included those who purchase plants in plastic being willing to return their flats, cell packs, or trays; the results are astronomical even if only half of all gardeners chipped in to do their part.

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Britain in Bloom competition

Alan — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 01:12:21 +0000

A group of young people living in St. Ouen took some initiative and turned an area of desolate land into an oasis as part of the Britain in Bloom competition.

Two judges went to see the work in St. Ouen as part of the Britain in Bloom committee and have been travelling around the island in order to see which parish will be chosen to represent Jersey in the regional heats.

However, judges are looking for more than just beauty, as they also are taking a close look at how hard the communities are working with each other and the overall focus on eco friendly schemes.

Each parish has seen a large variety of groups get involved in an effort to help with the Parish in Bloom competition.

The garden, which is located at the back of the Parish Hall in St. Ouen’s, was the idea of young people from the parish and sits on land that previously did not have a use.

One of the young youths involved in the project stated that just being entered in the West Show has been a large thrill and the fact that they won and advanced was even more thrilling.

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Save the planet with good garden irrigation

Alan — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:41:22 +0000

Water is the most prevalent items on earth with 71% of the earth covered by the wet substance, and without it life would not be possible. It is a given that water is essential for living organisms to survive, however, by 2025 there are estimates that half of the world’s population may have trouble finding drinking water that is clean.

While it may not seem that gardening may have anything to do with this problem, in truth it can because if you do not irrigate your garden correctly you may be contributing to the problem that is growing. Thus, if you are not sure if you are irrigating correctly you may want to read the following tips first.

First of all, you need to consider what the right type of irrigation is for your garden’s needs, for example some people use a drip irrigation system while others use a sprinkler irrigation system and still others use both. For the most part, sprinkler heads are used on lawns because drip irrigation is not a choice. Spray heads can also be calibrated so that flower beds can be sprayed at the same time that the lawn is sprayed.

However, while this may be the cheapest way to go because one large head will cover a large area of your yard, it is not efficient and a great deal of water is loss due to evaporation.

On the other hand, a drip irrigation system that is installed by a professional will offer each plant the adequate amount of water that it needs to survive at the roots. Since the water is aimed at the base to reduce evaporation much less water is wasted and plants will be protected from mildew and other diseases that can grow on wet leaves.

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Permaculture gardens taking root

Alan — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:08:11 +0000

Permaculture gardens use practices and techniques that combine the best out of a variety of gardening techniques including edible landscaping, wildlife gardening, and native plant cultivation so that gardens can be turned into a system that is self-contained, productive, and low-maintenance.

With the growing awareness of sustainability, it is best to create a garden landscape that mimics nature, so that space is used wisely and material is recycled, which is the basis of the idea that surrounds permaculture.

There are however, many different approaches to permaculture, one of which is known as the Keyhole Garden. The Keyhole Garden is best for those who only have a small space to work with, and want to be able to access their garden from all sides. It is common for these gardens to be shaped in a circular or horseshoe pattern, with raised beds so that you do not have to bend over too much.

Another popular form of permaculture gardening is taking the available space you have and using it at your disposal by creating vertical gardening opportunities out of trellises or a hanging garden. The basic premise is to make full use of all space and keeping the plants that needs the most maintenance closest to you.

The main focus of a healthy permaculture garden is excellent soil that contains insects and worms so that the soil stays healthy for plants. All wastes from the gardens can then be used as fertilizer for other parts of your yard.

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International Year of Biodiversity gardening

Alan — Sat, 29 May 2010 09:12:51 +0000

2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity, and the Royal Horticultural Society is celebrating gardens as one important source of this crucial interaction between man and nature at the Chelsea Flower Show, which is underway at this time.

The RHS’s chief horticultural advisor, Guy Barter, gave warning that gardens themselves are in danger, and offered some suggestions about how to counteract the urban takeover of wildlife habitat.

Mr. Barter said that the quest for profit by development companies looking to maximize the yield from the land they own is a major cause of the decline in the size and diversity of gardens. Individual plots are smaller, with less space available for a garden or even a hedge. The number of ponds, pools and trees has also been drastically reduced, as any open space is being relentlessly squeezed by residential and commercial construction.

One example of what gardeners can do to encourage wildlife and diversity can be found in the Bradstone Biodiversity Garden designed by Paul Hervey-Brookes. The garden features such simple but effective measures as untrimmed hedge tops and rotting logs, which offer roosting and nesting places for birds and insects such as beetles.

Barter also suggests that gardeners might combine their assets so that one may have a pond, another a tree and so on, thereby creating a viable habitat for many species of wildlife. With communal gardens in developments, the planners could be much more imaginative than just planting “green deserts” of manicured grass and shrubbery.

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Bat boxes for student garden project

Alan — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 07:03:52 +0000

The Cardiff Bute Park bats can now relax after a Community Garden project commenced in the city. The new Fairwater Community Garden is managed by the charity organization Vision 21 located in Cardiff, which offers development and vocational training to those who have disabilities.

The students involved in Vision 21 created bat boxes as part of their training in horticultural studies. The garden is set along the side of Sbectrwm Community Centre and is host to a pond, ceramic art, and fruit trees.

The Vision 21 charity was first founded in 1987 in Cardiff and is involved in a number of Cardiff and Newport projects by offering students with disabilities vocational training.

The Cardiff community garden is just one of the projects that the charity runs. It was first created in 1994 out of an old play area, and was transformed by the students into a resource that the entire community enjoys including vegetable and herb garden, wildlife pond, and fruit trees.

Vision 21 is just one of the partners that aids with the Bute Park restoration project, which is valued at around £5.6m.

Barry Shiers, the Director of Vision 21, stated that they have always enjoyed their partnership with Cardiff Council parks and the bat boxes are just another way that they have been able to involve their students in helping out the environment and wildlife.

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David Attenborough’s beer garden green light

Alan — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:32:08 +0000

Sir David Attenborough’s newest plan was given the green light this week which will see a beer garden become converted into a safe haven for plants and animals.

The beer garden is from the now derelict Hole in the Wall pub’s outdoor space located on Park Road, Richmond.

Attenborough purchased the pub last year and submitted plans in December to extend space between his home and the pub to create an outdoor wildlife space that will have a ‘bog garden,’ glasshouse, and orchard.

The proposal was met with four objections but overall the area residents were pleased with the idea of the proposal and wrote into the council pledging their support.

Attenborough’s next door neighbour, David McGrath, stated that the community is happy that with the loss of the green land on the other side of the road the new wildlife green space will help restore balance to the area.

Neighbour Jill Grist of nearby Kings Road said that she would be happy to live nearby the green space.

The council stated that it decided to grant permission for the project after it thought about how the scheme would nicely compliment the conservation status of the area. According to a council spokesman, the plans will not affect the status of the area in a negative manner.

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Eco friendly homeowners need to remember the garden

Alan — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:36:42 +0000

Many homeowners take easy steps to make sure that their homes are environmentally friendly such as replacing light bulbs with fluorescent light bulbs or taking the time to purchase energy efficient appliances.

However, making a few changes inside the home is not the only way that a home can become environmentally friendly, because although most forget about the outside, there are plenty of landscaping choices that can made that will increase the environmentally friendly aspect of a garden..

Outside of the fact that these changes are eco-friendly, small changes can also reduce the amount of water and time that is consumed in order to keep a green yard. Additionally, since a healthy yard requires less work overall, it also means that you can save some money as well.

One great way is to plan out the placement of your plants such as choosing plants that have average growths to match the plot of land you have available and choosing plants that attract wildlife such as butterflies and bees.

You can also choose plants that naturally grow large and take the care to place them where they can grow instead of pruning them so that you can reduce your homes cooling costs and naturally shade your garden area.

You also may want to consider placing more landscape beds in your garden in order to shrink the overall garden space. This is because cutting down the amount of lawn in your yard will help conserve water, time, and energy, while at the same time decreases the amount of fertilizer you need to use.

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