My wildlife patch

[billybagpuss]

We have an area of dead space down the side of our house, the only thing that really thrives is brambles. So I’ve decided to try and turn it into a wildlife area.

So far I’ve kind of cleared it, the previous owners had just chucked loads and loads of stone clippings down, with no weed suppression so they’ve all integrated into the soil and were impossible to move

I’ve removed an old hydrangea that hasn’t flowered once in the 20 years we’ve been here, I’ve started a small grass heap, I’ve probably over trimmed the pyracantha but I’m sure it will recover..

In the corner I’ve filled an old bottom section of a cat scratch post with moss for hedgehogs and planted a forsythia and a berberis. I’ve also put some mint there as it can take over to its hearts desire and not get in the way.

I’ve also put a log pile there.

Before and after pics

Any other suggestions

water. do you have a source of water in your garden (pond?)
more flowering plants and more hiding places.
bitd feeders.

I did wonder about a small pond there, it’s not the easiest of places to deal with, I’ve just ordered a half whiskey barrel to go in the back garden but yes I think it could do with something there.

The bird feeders are behind the pic, we do get a lot of hedgehog activity there and a little one was eating underneath them last night.

I’ve got some digitalis recently germinated in the greenhouse so they will go in around there. Any other suggestions for flowering options? It doesn’t get much sun and is in a bit of a rain shadows

In the path leading to it ive put a lavender, sage and there is an established lemon balm

Ps thank you

Wildflowers? For the bees

Hellebores will be ok in the shade and the bees will like the early flowers.

I’ve just made a feeding station for our hedgehogs from an underbed storage box - as all the local cats were scoffing the food I put out for them. Definitely important to have bowls of water available for them.

You could plant some more shade tolerant herbs. Things like chives will have flowers the bees will like.

We have a rubble bit of garden, where Persicaria thrives the insects love it.