Wildlife Gardening - Green Gardening Guide » Wildlife in your garden

Domestic and foreign plants entice wildlife into the garden

Alan — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:49:15 +0000

Seeing our natural wildlife flourish is one of the great wonders of our country, and even domestic gardeners can do their bit to help. All gardens, whatever the size, are vital to encourage UK wildlife, and smaller gardens make up most of the green space that exists in the UK and they play a vital role in helping insects, mammals and insects to survive.

Don’t be put off by thinking that a garden has to be untidy to attract wildlife, even formal gardens can play their part, as it is not the way a garden is designed that is important, but what is planted in it. Having a selection of flowers rich in nectar and shrubs that produce berries will make a huge difference to the amount of wildlife which your garden will attract and thus support.

As with all gardens, the type of soil, the drainage and how much sun it gets all play a part in what you decide to plant. If you are planning to plant a new wildlife garden, have a wander around the green areas in your neighbourhood and see what grows wild, and also check out what look the healthiest plants in other gardens. If you have an established garden there are always tweaks you can make to improve it.

Some people say wildlife gardens should only feature native plants, but wildlife doesn’t discriminate. For example, Buddleia isn’t a plant native to the UK, but is adored by both insects and butterflies. Try and choose plants that flower at different times to make sure both nectar and pollen are available for the longest time possible, and plant shrubs and trees that produce berries for both birds and other animals.

Plants are not just a pretty extra in a garden pond A great way to maintain a healthy water garden is...
Indigenous plants are essential wildlife gardening tools As the world’s landscape becomes more populated the wildlife habitat...
Best plants to attract butterflies Butterflies may come to your garden if they detect the...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Providing shelter for wild animals in your garden

Alan — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:37:59 +0000

We still can do our own share to help get wildlife to come to our gardens even though things seem to be improving with the protection of our wildlife in the countryside. By providing shelter and food for birds as well as other wildlife it becomes possible to lower the use of chemicals and sprays that we use in the garden and in the countryside you will be surprised by the few aphids and other insects pest you see.

Firstly it is important to have a bird table to feed birds in your garden. Besides just feeding them we need to give the bird’s shelter and a place for them to roost. Trees can be planted if the garden is sufficiently large to not make it over crowded. Trees not only provide a roosting spot for the birds but also an area from nesting and an area to hang bird feeders.

A plentiful supply of food for birds can be accomplished by planting shrubs or trees that produce berries giving them a natural food source. One tree you may want to avoid is the Elder. Black birds love the Elder and will then deposit all over your car and washing.

Insects are another food source for birds. You can attract insects by stacking up tree trunks and other branches in a corner of the garden that is shady. These areas will provide shelter for hedgehogs and smaller mammals. Moths and butterflies can be attracted by having shrubs like Lavender or Buddleia.

Get the eco balance right in your garden Get the balance right in your garden and you can...
Wild parakeets seen as a threat in the UK Because of damaging food crops and being a threat to...
Nettles are key to garden wildlife We may not rush to smell their aroma or coo...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Get the eco balance right in your garden

Alan — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 03:33:35 +0000

Get the balance right in your garden and you can have a fully-functioning ecosystem. If you encourage the right kinds of predators to your organic garden, insects such as ladybirds and bees, insect eating birds, spiders, frogs and toads you can effectively control pests.

For insects such as ladybirds and bees, plant plenty of brightly-coloured plants and flowers, then the pollen will spread far and wide, attracting many more

insects and other creatures. With more insects, naturally the spider population will flourish. It is estimated that about 9 in 10 insects are actually beneficial around the garden, contrary to the ‘creepy-crawly’ image they portray.

You can attract birds by planting trees and shrubs and setting up a bird table, although make sure the table is out of the reach of flying cats. Creating a pond and/or other water feature will not only attract frogs and toads but will also provide a source of drink for the huge amount of wildlife you will now have in your garden.

Make sure you build in plenty of shelter for the frogs and toads; little rock piles for instance, and plant vegetation in the pond as they like to shelter and be camouflaged.

Not to forget the soil and grass in your gardens, of course, both of which are home to tens of thousands of the little creatures. Put plenty of organic matter in your soil, manure mulches, bark and so on to encourage a diversity of wildlife. Ensure your grass is lush by re-turfing or aerating the surface and through regular watering and mowing.

A well-looked after garden will attract the wildlife you want to your garden and help to eliminate the wildlife you don’t.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Helping garden wildlife through the winter

Alan — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:57:12 +0000

With the cold of winter coming on, the wildlife in your garden needs all the help they can get. There are a few things that you can do (or not do) in order to help wildlife cope with the change of season. Give tables and bird feeders a thorough cleaning with scrub brushes and plenty of soap and water because wildlife need clean places to eat and loiter.

Birds and other wildlife need to take cover and find shelter in trees and scrub. Plants like hawthorn, honeysuckle, and blackthorn provide food and shelter for wildlife. Don’t bother with making tidy. Leave things like deadwood, seed heads, and spent foliage around to help amphibians, birds, and insects.

Make sure that there are fresh water sources. Water is critical for all living things to survive.

When putting out food for birds avoid chicken fat, uncooked rice, and bread. Instead, feed the birds nuts, berries, and insects to keep them healthy and strong.

Perfumed flowers lead birds to life sustaining nectar. Viburnum, broom, lavender, and hebe are good food-supplying plants. Birdhouses supply shelter and cover for our winged friends while allowing us to enjoy their sustained presence in the garden.

Most of all don’t forget that winter in your garden can be just as enjoyable as any other season. Just because it will be cold, it is no excuse to ignore your wildlife friends or your garden space.

Enjoy an active and rewarding time in your garden, even after the weather becomes chilled.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Shop bought wildlife homes not very effective

Alan — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:42:01 +0000

While there are many means for attracting wildlife into your garden, one of the ways not to achieve this seems to be through the purchase of shop bought “homes” for creatures like birds, bees, hedgehogs, butterflies, lacewings, and toads.

A recent study revealed that after a year of testing, such creature habitats were ineffective and unnecessary. Only one ladybird seemed to be attracted to a Ladybird “Hotel” after testing in approximately 10 gardens in the Sheffield.

The complaint, beyond the fact that the habitats didn’t work, was the expense of these store bought houses. Many of them, especially the ones for hedgehogs, were quite costly. Consumers stand to be disappointed in the results and are really given no value for their money other than to have pretty garden ornaments.

Some of the houses even included suggestions, like trapping a queen bee in the bee house, that one should interfere in nature to force inhabitants into the dwellings. That would suggest that the manufacturers are something other than nature lovers.

The truth of the matter is that wildlife can be attracted to a person’s garden through easier, less expensive, and more natural methods than forcing them into a generic bees nest.

If you leave your compost pile exposed it will attract insects, birds, and hedgehogs. Log piles give hedgehogs and birds a place to hide and bordering your garden with hedges instead of fencing will attract all sorts of nesting wildlife. Plant weeds and nettles off in a corner and grow flowers and plants that yield berries for wildlife food. All of this will work far better than investing in a Hedgehog Hotel.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Garden ponds and garden pests

Alan — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:33:12 +0000

Garden ponds are a great idea, and installing a garden pond has lots of benefits, not the least of which is pest control.

Garden ponds attract animals such as toads and frogs that eat garden pests. Having a natural solution to your garden pest problem far outweighs the use of chemicals and toxins to control them.

Garden ponds are also beneficial to nature as a whole. They can help protect endangered species like the newt. Best of all, adding a water feature like a pond just makes a garden so much more splendid. Sit down today and begin considering ideas for a garden pond, if you haven’t already done so.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Gardeners need to stop obsessing about tidy gardens

Alan — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 01:01:24 +0000

Drat the proverbial British insistence on tidiness in all things, including nature. Gardeners are urged to fight the impulse to trim everything neatly and never allow nature to take her course, even in the corners and around the edges. Here are just a few of the delights you may experience if you let your hedges grow tall and leave the leaves in a sheltered pile instead of sending them away in disgrace.

In summertime you will probably see a host of butterflies enjoying the sun and laying their eggs so little ones can hatch. You may see speckled woods butterflies or blue emperors or silver-washed fritillaries or any of a wonderful array of other colourful beauties.

As for birds, the variety may leave you breathless and your woody canopy may attract warblers and finches and thrushes, singing like a heavenly choir. That hedge or tree-haven may also be a way-station for migratory birds like the leaf warblers getting ready to make their winter trek to Africa, or the blackcap warblers who need all the fattening up they can get to make their flight across the Sahara.

The wildlife that visits your garden is looking for at least temporary safety, something to eat and in some cases a place to live and raise their young. Trees and shrubs that offer berries at various times of the year, “untended” foliage where birds and beasts can take cover, with plenty of insects to round out their diet, are vital to the survival of our dwindling native wildlife. You’ll want to keep the pathways open, but leave room for a little wildness and the rewards can be greater than you imagine.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Getting yourself and your garden involved in wildlife conservation

Alan — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 02:05:30 +0000

From joining campaign groups to increasing the amount of wildlife in your garden, there are many ways to start getting involved personally in the natural world.

First of all, if you need aid figuring out what is in your garden, you can turn to the Open University iSpot website where you can find thousands of photos of birds, trees, and butterflies as well as social network with many users and share observations.

Second, you should start to identify where your passions lie and get involved, whether they are focused on an issue, an animal, or a particular place. Do some research and join a campaign that promotes your cause and you can help change the world that you live in. There are many conservation groups spread across the country that specialize in everything from seals, dragonflies, barn owls, and sharks.

If you need a cause to help, you can help protect bees by working to get neonicotinoid pesticides banned to halt the honeybee decline by signing the Soil Association petition. Those that want more information can find it at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, which has built in a page informing local gardeners on how to attract bumblebees safely to their gardens.

Following this train of thought, you can create a wildlife friendly garden that will increase the amount of bugs, birds, and bees that stop by your garden. There are great articles that can help you increase the amount of wildlife in your garden found at both the Natural England website and the RSPB website.

Across the UK there are also plenty of 47 regional Wildlife Trusts that form one large voluntary organization that are all in need of your help and welcoming members.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.