Here is the second half of my 'interview' with RSPB member Nikki Smith about her efforts to Step up for Nature in her Warwickshire garden this year:
What has surprised and excited you?I've been most surprised by the variety of wildlife I've successfully attracted in just a short period of time. We do live very rurally so we have wildlife on our doorstep yet I have really seen the difference the planting has made. I've been pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to make a difference.
What are you planning to do next year?Gosh, where to start?! I already have forget-me-nots and lots of wallflowers in the ground ready for early flowering. I've planted bee friendly bulbs everywhere - crocus, alliums, all sorts - I just look for that bee friendly sign! I have lots of packs of seeds ready to go early next year - I'm so excited I can hardly wait!
I've kept notes and taken photos of the various plants I've tried this year so I know what works and how it looks. I'm confident that I'll have something flowering all through the seasons next year. (Below are Nikki's Echinacea, complete with carder bee.)
A pond of some description is the priority. I'm not sure if we'll be allowed to dig a pond (we rent our house) but if not we'll set up a couple of small basins and hopefully encourage dragon and damselflies.
We feed the birds all year round but we're going to add more nest boxes and I'm collecting items to build an insect stack. I'll add in a bat box too as we already have bats roosting in the house. We already compost and have just bought a water butt.
What has been most difficult, and what has been easy?Coping with the wind (our garden is a windy spot) and the typical British weather is always difficult but I'm trying to embrace it as a challenge! I want to be more water friendly over the next 12 months.
Growing some plants such as marigolds and foxgloves (Nikki's proud display of the latter below) have been surprisingly easy, while others involve some more time and perserverance, such asVerbena bonariensis.
I've learnt to spend an hour 2-3 times a week weeding rather than letting it build up.
If you want to drop by my RSPB wildlife gardening blog, it is updated every Friday, and I'd love to see you there - www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/hfw
Great tips about the Crocus speciosus and Allium tuberosum, Peter, thanks. I haven't grown either, but now of course desperately want to!
Hi Higgy
I had a look at your website - sounds like you've been very busy. Lovely borders!
If anyone else wants to see what Higgy has been up to, click on Higgy's name on his posting to go into his profile page, and you can access his blog from there. Or else just follow this link higgysgardenproject.blogspot.com
I agree with you about the value of chives, Nikki, so how about adding garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) next year? They flower later - just finishing now - and the white flowers are just as good, or better, for bees. Good in the ornamental and vegtable gardens - we have them in both at Saltholme RSPB reserve.
The bee friendly sign is very helpful, it encouraged me to plant Crocus speciosus in August for Autumn colour at Salthlme, and we have just had over a month of bee friendy flowers.
Nikki your garden is fab and I enjoyed reading about it. Having moved house 18months ago myself I am also in the middle of a garden project and like you have geared it towards wildlife where possible.
Adrian, great blog I've thoroughly enjoyed browsing through it. Having my own 'garden project' blog currently running I know exactly how much work goes into it!....it's also great to see other peoples ideas which can be quite inspiring when churning around your own plans for different aspects of the garden
Well done to both of you, I shall look forward to future posts!
Best regards
Higgy
Well done Nikki, your garden sounds like a little wildlife haven already. I agree with you about some sort of water, it is a must for wildlife, you will be amazed at how much more will visit your garden once you have water. Have you got a bird bath? Watching birds flitting to the feeders is wonderful but watching them splashing around in water is a real treat.
It is a good idea to keep notes of what works in your garden, it makes gardening so much more pleasurable to grow plants which love your garden than to struggle with those that are not suited to your conditions. You will find weeding gets easier, if you get them before the set seed you will soon beat them.
You mentioned you have bats, have you thought about taking part in the bat monitoring survey? It only takes a couple of hours a year and is so satisfying to know you are doing your bit, Goggle NBMP, you should find all the info there.
Good luck.
Build it and they will come.