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UK and Ireland Menu
PART
1 - Introduction - your garden and how to help bring back wildlife
PART
2 - Pond life & how to make a wildlife pond
PART
3 - Mammals, birds, plants and insects - environment and care
PART
4 - Reduce food miles and grow your own fruit and veg
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Further
information for Schools
Make a wildlife garden in
your school grounds!
Firstly, you
need to know what type of soil you have where you are building your
wildlife area.
Is it sandy or clay soil - or acidic, neutral or alkaline soil?
For example London can be a mix of clay and chalk, depending on
the area.
When you know this it's then easier to choose the relevant types
of flowers, shrubs and grasses.
Here you'll
find some examples and ideas for you to experiment with:
First ... a
Golden rule:
"Planting a
wild garden" is a contradiction in terms! A natural wild landscape
is created over many years as plants and trees suitable for the
soil and habitat slowly find their own "roots".
So when
you plant a wild garden, some species may grow whilst others won't.
In which case it's wise not to spend too much money at garden centres
buying species that may not do well in a wild garden which is eventually
going to find its own balance.
You should mainly plant species that are native to your region to
begin with and then after time plant species which are known to
compliment native species, which in turn attracts a healthy variety
of insects and fauna. Over a year or so, you'll notice which species
thrive and which don't. However, if one type of species begins to
take over too much then cut it back a little and plant something
else next to it ... a plant or shrub that might be strong enough
to withstand its overactive neighbour.
Types of Plants
In cities such
as London, Buddleia grows commonly on building sites and overgrown
areas. Butterflies love Buddleia. So make sure you plant these quick
growing shrubs around your garden (You can easily take cuttings
from other Buddleias right now - Cuttings of around 12cm are best
- dip them in a rooting compound and plant in pots until they root.
Then plant them in the garden around late winter. Buddleias prefer
light soil or chalky loam.
Blackberry bushes are another easy but essential addition, as many
birds will feast on these in the late summer ... and they are easy
to plant. If you find a blackberry bush, you'll notice that some
stems root themselves into the ground (this is how they normally
spread). So you can dig up just one or two of these rooted stems
and plant them around the border of your garden. Hopefully your
borders will be hedgerows rather than fences. Hedgerows are important
habitats for wildlife and an evergreen mix provides winter shelter
for them.
Other recommended hedging plants are holly, beech, hazel (squirrels
love these), berberis, buckthorn, goat willow, dog rose, alder,
oak and hawthorn.
As you are most likely going to have a wildlife pond. It's very
important that you get grass to grow around the pond as quickly
as you can. (This is for your dragonfly lava to climb up and change
into dragonflies!) And while you are sowing the grass, try sprinkling
a packet of wild flower and poppy seeds in the mix. Some might not
grow, but others will (next year). This again depends on the soil
type. Around the edges on earthy areas plant some wild flower seeds
like bluebell, wild marjoram, lady's smock, bird's foot trefoil,
vetch, hawkweed, wild white clover, broom, wild cornflower, hound's
tongue and common knapweed.
Add blocks of colourful shrubs in the background and surroundings
- plants like Lavender and Spanish Gorse. These attract a diversity
of insects.
To encourage wild birds, you can plant nectar-rich wild flowers
like species of Sedum, Legumes and Violas.
Blue tits, Blackbirds and visiting Warblers require shrubs that
are home to caterpillars and grubs. Sparrows and Finches eat seeds
of Golden alder and Campion. To try and encourage the ever declining
sparrow population by making sure you have plenty of tall shubs
and hedging trees. Sparrows like to congregate amongst these, especially
if they are near feeding areas.
Wildlife Hideaways
Get some large
tree logs and pile up randomly in a shady corner of the garden (and
one or two around the pond). Make sure the logs still have the bark
on). Plant a fern next to the wood pile and also some evergreen
ivy. Small animals will love these habitats, like hedgehogs, toads
and even the occasional woodmouse if also near hedgerows. You should
allow nettles and weeds to take over areas of your garden as they
will provide shelter and privacy for small creatures.
Hedges
We can't stress
enough how important hedges and hedgerows are to wildlife. They
are home to a huge diversity of animals, birds and insects.
If you have to trim hedges then only do so outside of the nesting
season (UK nesting season is between beginning of March and end
of September). Don't tidy up underneath hedges. The ground coverage
provides habitats for small creatures and insects - and decaying
vegetation nourishes the soil to enable healthy shrub regeneration.
Some of our rarest wildlife has its home in our hedgerows, like
the dormouse for example. Rare butterflies also lay their eggs in
hedges. So always treat hedges with the greatest respect.
Seeds for food and planting
After flowers
have bloomed it's very important that you leave the seedheads (the
flower heads) alone. Don't cut these off as they provide important
food for wildlife. Greenfinches are often seen pecking at the seeds
in autumn. These will also be home for various insects too. So also
look out for shrubs like Buckwheat, Salvia, Artemisia, Toyon, Ceanothus,
Malacothamnus, Currants, Lupines, Rhamnus, Manzanita, Mahonia, Trichostema
etc.
Sunflowers are a great seed source too for natural foraging, so
plant plenty of them for colour and their food source. To save young
sunflowers from slugs, plant them first in pots then transfer to
the earth when around 20cm high - cut the top and base off clear
large mineral water bottles and place over the planted sunflowers.
This will stop slugs from eating them up. (Remember, NEVER use any
kind of slug pellet - slugs are a natural food source for hedgehogs
etc.)
Other recommended garden plants
Besides buddleia,
there are Michaelmass Daisies, Sweet William, Hostas, Marigolds,
Pyracantha, ornamental grasses (in sunny spots) Scabious, Snowberry,
Wild irises, Cotoneaster, Ice plant, Phlox, and as mentioned, Sunflowers.
Wildlife are most attracted to shrubs that have small fruits with
seeds and berries.
Woodland Area
If you have
some trees in your wildlife area, then make the most of the area
by helping it to develop into a wildlife friendly woodland with
rregular groups of shrubs and open glades with long grass. Plant
evening primrose, foxgloves, various lilies, violets, periwinkles,
wood amenones, bluebells, ferns, crocuses and daffodils. Don't clear
up fallen leaves ... Just let the woodland find its own balance.
Of course, you should use the trees to mount more bird boxes.
Note:
Avoid planting fast growing conifers. However, if you celebrate
Christmas, ask your parents to buy potted Christmas trees with roots.
Keep them very well watered and when Christmas is over, bring them
to school and plant them in your woodland area ... keeping them
well watered. Over years they will help create a varied woodland
habitat (and you'll be saving a tree at the same time!)
Homes and Furnishings for
your Wildlife
A bird bath
is a must. Feather cleaning is essential for all birds. And water
near their food source will ensure that your wildlife will have
plenty to drink. Use rainwater whenever you can - and always keep
it clean of bird poo. Change the water every day and scrub the bath.
(Keep a washing-up brush at hand.) Daily cleaning of the bird bath
is very important to help prevent birds passing on diseases to others
bathing or drinking from the same bowl.
A bird table, hanging peanut dispensers and half coconuts hanging
from trees provide a great food and energy source.
Although we are trying to achieve a naturally balanced garden to
also provide food for birds, it's a sad fact that there is very
little natural food to keep our wild bird and animal population
alive. Humans have destroyed so much of their feeding habitat, so
it's up to us to provide what's left of our diminishing garden birds
with regular food.
Remember, never give birds bread. If the parent birds pick bread
up to feed their young it can choke the babies and they will die.
Wild birdseed, crushed peanuts, and chopped up native fruit (apples
and pears etc) are all fine. A bird table is always welcoming and
particularly a hanging basket, supporting a large flat plate or
pot base around 30cm diameter. Hang this from the branch of a tree
and fill it with wild birdseed. Wrap stems with leaves (like fir
tree cuttings) around the basket cords. This gives an impression
that the food table is a natural part of the tree and the birds
find this most comforting. Finches, Robins and Sparrows will soon
be helping themselves.
Starlings generally like food that's thrown on the ground but they
will have a go at hanging food sources as well. Nuthatches, Dunnocks,
Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Green-finches and Woodpeckers
might become regular visitors. The more you can hang bird food away
from the ground the better. This will allow other birds a chance
to feed away from Magpies, who unfortunately tend to frighten other
birds away.
NESTING
BOXES
Nesting boxes for hedgehogs, birds and bats placed around your wildlife
garden may encourage them to take up residence. Place bird and bat
boxes at least 8 metres apart from each other and preferably south
facing. Attach them to trees with natural foliage cover whenever
you can - and far out of reach from cats. Bat boxes should be put
up has high as possible. Bird boxes are usually sited around 2.5
metres or higher from the ground, but this depends on the bird species
(Information on the bird box will often explain this). Hedgehog
boxes should be sited in quiet spots such as your log pile and hidden
by ground covering plants.
It may be easier to buy ready-made boxes, however, instruction sheets
to make your own boxes, as well as ready made boxes are available
from these organisations:
British Hedgehog
Preservation Society - www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk
Bat Conservation Trust - www.bats.org.uk
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - www.rspb.org.uk
BEE BOXES
Bee boxes are an absolute must for any wildlife garden. Bees are
declining at an alarming rate and so they need all the help we can
give them. Bees are vital for plant pollination, and without them
our ecosystems would collapse. Bee boxes are becoming more common
to buy ready made, but they are very easy to make yourself.
Here's a nice and easy information sheet on how to make a Bee Box.
http://www.devon.gov.uk/ndccs-beebox.pdf
(Opens a new window.)
Linking wildlife habitats across
your wildlife garden
Make sure that
all of the wildlife areas in your garden are accessible to animals
without being separated by vast patches of mowed grass and concrete
etc. All of your wildlife areas should connect with each other so
that the animals can safely move between each section. Instead of
short grass, plant wildlife meadows and create small 30cm wide paths
which meander through them. This allows wildlife to move safely
between each area, and also allows you to walk amongst the wildlife
habitats without causing damage.
More about ponds and their
surroundings
Choose an area
which has around half sun and half dappled sunlight and not too
close to trees. (But a weeping willow reasonably close by will be
a nice touch). Never build a pond next to a sycamore tree. Make
sure that the pond slopes to allow Hedgehogs and other small wildlife
ways to get out if they fall in. Recommended water plants are Bullrushes,
a small Water Lily, Water Milfoil, Water Iris and Water Stalwart.
The bog garden, which should extend from the pond could be populated
by reeds and Creeping Jenny, Cuckoo Flower, Marsh Marigolds, Ragged
Robin, Bog Pimpernel, Meadowsweet, Loosestrifes and Cotton Grass.
Rocky areas and log piles around the ponds can provide shelter for
toads, newts and frog (frogs will also bury themselves deep in long
grass, so never trample around on the long grassy areas). Wild Thyme,
Aubretia, Sempervivum, Geraniums, Sedums and Ivies all make good
rock plants. Feeding Foxes and Badgers.
Ask your teacher if it's possible to leave any school dinner leftovers
(not pork or fish bones) for feeding foxes and badgers. You'll need
a large plastic container with a sealing lid so you can keep the
leftovers somewhere suitable until the end of the day. Then at the
end of school put the leftovers on a clear space in the wild garden.
In the evening hungry foxes and possibly badgers will come and take
it for themselves and their cubs.
This extra info
should help you get things going ... but if
you want more detailed information about how to build a wildlife
pond and to create wildlife habitats please
click here
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Before you "import" any species into your new wildlife
garden from other sources first read A
Note about Wildlife Protection in your Country on
the introduction page.
Important Information
for Teachers
We strongly
advise schools and colleges undertaking wildlife projects to include
fruit and vegetable plots as part of their wildlife garden planning.
It is very important that young people learn to associate the "locally
grown" trend as integeral to "re-naturing" or the
development of natural eco-systems. This means understanding how
flora and fauna of a wildlife garden can coexist with organic crops
with positive results.
Educating the way our next generation of consumers access food,
based on regional (local) production instead of being brought in
from long-haul destinations should be included in this educational
program. Explain to your students how food / product miles - including
packaging - causes extensive Co2 emissions and provide examples.
Copyright
John O'Donnell (VeggieGlobal.com and Looking-Glass.co.uk)
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents
of these websites in any form is prohibited.
UK and Ireland Menu
PART
1 - Introduction - your garden and how to help bring back wildlife
PART
2 - Pond life & how to make a wildlife pond
PART
3 - Mammals, birds, plants and insects - environment and care
PART
4 - Reduce food miles and grow your own fruit and veg
you
are here>
Further
information for Schools
More Related Areas
Sharing
This Planet With The Animals - a useful guide to
help you live side by side with your animal friends.
UK and Ireland
may also wish to visit the Wildlife
Files section here at VeggieGlobal for more advice
about wildlife friendly gardens.
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