Nature in the Garden

It is delightful to see that so many gardeners are considering nature and welcoming them into their gardens these days, as it wasn’t so long ago that anything that wandered into a garden which was non pet form, had to be removed by any means, as soon as it arrived.

This attitude has thankfully changed and now gardeners are more welcoming to wildlife and nature in their prized garden space.

The loss of flower-rich habitat since the second world war has taken its toll on our pollinators, but thoughtful planting of a plot even the area of the page that you are reading, can make a world of difference to a bee. That may seem a drop in the ocean, but every centimetre planted with the right flowers counts. Window boxes, planters and pots can collectively contribute to a flower-rich environment.

Small plants have a massive part to play in this, even in the most inhospitable environment. It transforms small spaces into oasis for bees and butterflies and can brighten up the darkest of corners.

Furthermore, small plants in containers are portable, making them an excellent choice for those of us who live in rented accommodation. Containers of pocket-sized pollinator-magnets brighten doorsteps and concrete plots and offer tenants the chance to experience the sense of uplifting mood associated with gardening. At the end of a tenancy, planters can be moved to a new property to become the neighbourhood’s latest must-visit pollinator cafe.

When selecting plants for butterflies, bees and hoverflies, avoid double flowers and cultivars with little, or no pollen or nectar.

You can have floral displays throughout the year and not just for those Spring/Summer months which we just associate bees and butterflies with.                                                                            

The increasingly appetising buffet provided for garden birds, from sunflower hearts to suet cakes, is supporting a rising number and greater diversity of species in Britain’s urban areas.

When I was growing up in the late 70s and 80s, almost half of all birds using garden feeders belonged to just two species, the sparrow and starling, with the odd blackbird hopping about, and the ever antics of blue tits if they weren’t robbing milk bottles, but by the 2010s the number of species making up the same proportion had tripled, with goldfinches, woodpigeons and long-tailed tits soaring in number because of the food on offer.

At least half of British homeowners feed garden birds and many more bird’s species mob bird feeders in the garden and have developed more of a relationship with gardeners in particular.  I think you will find – more than half of the country’s species – and are reshaping urban bird populations.

While many typical garden birds, such as, robins, blackbirds, chaffinches and great tits, have maintained a steady presence at urban feeders, others, once rarely seen in gardens, have been lured in by treats, such as, fat balls and high-energy insectivorous mixes.

Many ground feeders get left out, so for those that don’t get attracted to bird tables and hanging feeders, a simple bowl on the ground, will give them a well starter breakfast for the day.

The majority of Britain’s mammals come out at dusk and in the darker hours, but the grey squirrel is more of an exception. It has the marmite effect at birds’ feeders and bird tables, you either like them there, or not. I myself have no ill will with them, I find their antics quite comical and although very greedy at bird tables, as they tend to gorge, rather than have a small appetite, it is this trait that tends to get the back up with some gardeners.

Hedgehogs are often more than welcomed into gardens, with the help of hedgehog holes, or runs, which can be such as a simple gap at the bottom of the fencing, allows access for hedgehogs to your garden.

Hedgehogs like dusk and darkness and it’s the best time to view them, if attracted to your garden. What does attract hedgehogs to your garden is plenty of insect matter, such as, the gardeners menace, the snail, or slugs, but also worms and crawlies in the borders and under shrubs. Shrubs low to the ground are ideal places for hedgehogs to make a nest under and sleep out the colder months, but you can also place a hog house in your garden for added protection to your spikey visitor.

Having worked in a garden this year, the abundance this one garden produced in the way of frogs and tadpoles, was something else. Having two ponds, one of which was tail to tail with tadpoles, provided such a safe haven for frogs of all ages. We did however rebuild another smaller pond to help with any frogs that would start to want to venture away from the main ponds and seek new territories. Small ponds are ideal for attracting frogs, toads and newts, but also give vital drinking water to birds and mammals, and you can build ponds on low budgets.

Broken clay flower pots and any unwanted rockery fodder, makes good hidden homes for frogs and toads around your garden, just a few piled together make good housing safe havens for such friendly visitors.

Grass snakes are often attracted to compost heaps as they reap warmth in the cold winter months, so it is always advisable to take care when prodding the fork into your compost heap to spread around the garden, as you may do harm to any grass snake staking out in there.

©Rob Knowlittle, September 2019 @drjohngardening