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
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.