De-decking the world, bit by bit

Today's story of a little bit of the world becoming a better home for nature comes from one of my colleagues, Jenny Sweet, who is the RSPB's Volunteer Officer in South East England.

She and husband Mark moved into their new house in February, which meant a shift for Jenny from her upper-storey flat with 'wildlife-balcony' to a much larger garden, about 40 foot long, down on terra firma.

"In one way it was 'Oh my word - what are we going to do with this?" Jenny says. "It was so poor for wildlife. The garden had just a piece of rough grass, one Magnolia tree and a couple of small shrubs that were no good for wildlife. But on the other hand, it was an exciting blank canvas."

This spring and summer, Jenny and Mark put in bird feeders, enlarged the paltry flower beds, transferred all the potted wildlife-friendly plants from their previous balcony - Chives, Marjoram, Thyme, Lavender, Ox-eye Daisy - and planted some plug plants such as Verbena bonariensis.

In have come Red Admirals, House Sparrows, a Dunnock, a Robin and loads of Starlings (up to 25 at a time, wolfing the sultanas).

But in the past two week it has been time to take a deep breath and deal with 'the monster'. The thing that saps the garden of half of its potential. (Cue dramatic music). The Decking.

Yes, Jenny and Mark had inherited an expanse of the stuff at the bottom of the garden next to the garage.

I understand why decking is so desirable, so useful. But here we are with our little bits of this precious planet that we can call our own and it seems such a shame that so much of it has been buried under what is lifeless desert. Great if you manage to resuscitate life there with some potted plants. But so often it is left as a piece of wildlife 'no-man's land'.

So here is the moment when Jenny and Mark started to 'de-deck'.

And the satisfying moment once it was all ripped up.

And, ta da! Barely a few days later with a new flower bed planted up, water butt in place, and some of the decking turned into a double compost heap (the ideal sort with slatted sides that wildlife can clamber in and out of).

We're promised an update next year. Can't wait!

But have you released part of your world from its wooden or concrete prison and then seen wildlife able to move in? If so, we'd love to hear.