a thread about Biodiversity/Gardens/Landscape in the UK...

[LemonSwan]

So last few weeks there have been lots of amazing threads about tackling the environment issues.

After watching Davids 'Break Boundaries' - it was surprising to see that biodiversity is the category we have done the most damage too!

So much of these climate change issues are problems so large its questionable whether we can make a significant difference as individuals - but this problem of biodiversity is one that only we can improve. Most greenspace in urban environments is private garden. Any one with a driveway, garden or roof has the power

So this thread is for anyone to discuss how they are helping to support biodiversity in the UK, and by extension do their bit to mitigate against flash flooding, heat island effect, improve air quality and carbon capture.

Some ideas:

• no-mow May
• sown some wildflowers
• put in a native hedge
• sacrificed some/all lawn for a border for pollen
• switched their driveways for permeable
• built a pond
• put in a green roof
• planted host plants for insect breeding
• fresh water - bird baths, butterfly baths etc.

etc. etc.

Excited to hear about what everyone has been doing and what plans anyone has :)

Great thread!

I saw a brilliant video of someone making a ‘pond in a pot’ - you basically glue a stone to the bottom of a big ceramic pot to plug the hole, then put in a couple of bricks for height and add native water plants. It’s a great carbon trap and brilliant for insects (and therefore birds too), and only needs enough space for a decent sized pot. I’m going to make a few for my garden ASAP.

(Obviously you fill with water once your plants are in!)

SilverTimpani

Wow I love that idea!

Could even upcycle from the tipshop for the containers.

I am going to add resources as we go so anyone reading can try the ideas.

HOW TO: www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/three-ways-to-make-a-pond-in-a-pot/
PLANTS: www.watersidenursery.co.uk/

Good idea. We're househunting at the moment and the number of houses totally surrounded by paving and/or astro turf is depressing.

When we move we're looking at creating a wildlife friendly garden so this thread will prove useful!

I’ve just not done any gardening for 2 years in my small garden. Weeds have taken over, but have had beautiful wildflowers that have attracted so many insects and birds. Very rarely saw any birds in my garden prior to this. Not so sure all the neighbours approve mind….

Astroturf is plastic!

Yes fake grass has appeared in some local front gardens. It is a thing now.

One thing I vaguely (mis?)remember about ecology was that the most biodiversity occurs at the margins between ecosystems. So where the treeline meets the grassland, the water meets the margins.

Sounds like a garden with bushes, grass and a wee pond to me!

One thing that ups your biodiversity if you have space is a compost heap. We even had a tiny one against a south facing red brick wall at one point and it did well enough in the summer with plant trimmings and tea leaves.

One of few people on the street that still has a front garden and not a car parking space. Pond that has newts and frogs. Bird House that attracts wrens. Hedgehog house and food ( spent 2 hours last night watching visitors)Gap in the fence for hedgehogs to wander further.Bug hotels. Plants that attract wildlife.

One of last nights visitors

@flumposie how lovely to see. Especially since their numbers have been reducing.

I second composting. It increases biodiversity by attracting a wide variety of bugs to your garden and it enriches the soil providing vital nutrients for plant and animals.

Not to mention that you can prevent up to a quarter of your waste going to landfill! It’s SO easy to do too. Just get a big compost bin and off you go. I have to admit I’ve become a bit obsessed with mine 😆 I try to compost as much as I can no matter how small. As well as the usual things (vegetable peelings, unbleached tea bags, grass cuttings, cardboard) I’ve recently been researching what other more unusual things I can put in. So now in goes pet hair and my own hair (that has fallen out when I wash it every 3/4 days!), paper bills/mail (that’s not got coloured ink or anything shiny on it), wooden skewers and tooth picks, scrap paper, cuttings from indoor plants, egg shells (washed and crushed) and even an old pack of dry oats I had that I bought but tasted bitter.

Aww a wee hedgehog! Looks like a baby one.

What are you feeding them flumposie ?

REWILDING IDEAS: www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/explore-rewilding/rewilding-the-land/15-ways-to-a-wilder-garden

COMPOST: www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/maintain-the-garden/how-to-make-compost/

WILDLIFE HOMES (Bird, Bee, Hedgehog): naturehood.uk/naturehood-actions/wildlife-housing

JOIN A HEDGEHOG HIGHWAY: bighedgehogmap.org/

This is right up my street. We left an unmown patch (1mx3m) and so far there was a frog in it, grasshoppers and a red ants’ nest. I chucked a load of seeds in there too.

I will cut the unmown lawn in Sept but will leave the rest of the garden until spring to provide winter shelter

Ive been using sheers to cut where I can. Before I cut the grass I sort of “hit” it to give any insects within fair warning

We took up the block paving at the front of our house and planted wild flowers and herbs.

I’m another one who loves my compost heap, it’s so exciting when it turns all brown and crumbly and ready to be spread on the garden.
This year I also planted a lot of bee friendly plants and my garden has been buzzing all summer.

I’m starting next years’ wild flowers off now using seeds I’ve collected from fading blooms. This means you will get earlier-flowering - as early as May

Thanks for the thread, I’m so keen to do as much as I can.

A micro pond is next on my list.

The wildflower seeds I showed earlier this year have had so many different types of bees buzzing around it’s been brilliant, I have ordered more plants that will be beneficial to bees including some that are winter flowering.
I didn’t mow one bit from April until just last week when it had all flattened & was starting to rot on the ground.

I used to regularly have hedgehog poop in my garden but next door renewed their fence & didn’t leave a gap and I haven’t seen any for a while, they can still make it under our gate to our wildlife friendly back garden so I live in hope they will return.
I have a compost heap
I have Piles of logs
I don’t use weed killers, my front and back lawns are full of weeds and look dreadful but the insects love the clover & dandelions I’m growing -not sure the neighbours are too keen mind!

I did build a hedgehog house last year too -no hedgehogs hibernated in it though & nothing has lived in the little bug hotel in the 5 years I’ve had it, not sure why.

I live in the US and I've recently moved to a new home. The garden was brilliantly planned several years ago but left to go wild. Unfortunately there's a lot of poison ivy and some invasive pokeweed that damages biodiversity. I'm having to get it all ripped out, and chemicals is really the only way to get rid of them.

However, I'm then planning an entire border along the road of native pollinators that I can get from our local conservation group. I'm hoping to start planting this autumn. There's another section that I'm gradually clearing that I want to turn into something that looks like an English cottage garden but has loads of native pollinators, and I'm also going to put in lots of herbs. I've found that bees love marjoram so I'll let it grow wild in one area.

I'm off to find out how to attract hedgehogs. They're really ratte over here, so it would be an achievement.

The hedgehogs are fascinating little creatures.

HEDGEHOG GUIDES:
www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/mammals/hedgehog/

They need food, shelter and water.

Our hog lives (we think) under a neighbours shed but comes to our garden to forage for dinner. We think he drinks out the pond. We dont use chemicals just an air stone and barley sticks.

Invertebrates are a hedgehog’s favoured food, with beetles, slugs, earthworms and caterpillars high on the menu. Occasionally, they also eat carrion and the eggs of ground-nesting birds. They’re very partial to food left out by humans too, with cat food and leftovers being an urban hedgehog staple.
(Woodland Trust)

So I think the key to success is increasing the invertebrate count in the garden. You need native host plants for invertebrate breeding mixed with some non-natives to improve the pollen count and extend the season.

No dig is important for encouraging beetles and obviously not using pesticides or harmful chemicals.

And limiting light pollution in the garden - so switch off the outdoor lights.

I also think the amount of cover is important to make them feel safe. We have shrubs along the fence with the neighbour and then herbaceous borders in a continous circle surrounding the lawn.

HOST PLANTS FOR LARVAL FOOD (the caterpillars): www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/foodplants.php

WILDLIFE PONDS: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=622

NO DIG: www.gardenorganic.org.uk/no-dig-method

FLOWERING PLANTS: www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/plants-for-wildlife/flowering-plants/best-flowering-plants/

@LemonSwan currently feeding the hedgehogs this, but also give them dried cat food

Ooo thanks flumposie

Might get some of that to try and coax the hog out. We are moving house soon so would be nice to see them and say goodbye.

We are going to leave a pic of the hog for the new owners so if they destroy the garden it can be on their conscience.

I have a hedgehog highway. The cats have been using it so far.

I plant for pollinators partly because we keep bees (in London). There are loads of lovely plants that are also great for insects: borage, mallows, verbena, salvia etc. Add some to your garden.

My big plea would be leave dandelions in the spring they are loaded with nectar and pollen.

I’ve left the bird feeders up this summer and we get a flock of house sparrows emptying them regularly.

I get so excited by compost pretty sure my garden is more compost than flowers :) Got a pile of leaf mould going as well.

Have built lots of little insect hotels with sticks and random things left behind in the garden by previous owner. Also started organising a big seed swap with friends, so we’re all harvesting seeds this season and using a big spreadsheet to ensure everyone gets a bit of everything, along with notes about planting and origin.