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Good news for garden wildlife

Concerns over the lack of sparrows, hedgehogs and bumblebees in our gardens, which has been blamed on an increase in decking, have spurred many people into action.

The figures were revealed in a study of 2,000 people commissioned by lawn care specialists GreenThumb. Ab Fab's very own Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley) said 'National Love Your Lawn Week', said: ‘I'm so glad to hear people are getting rid of decking and replacing lawns. ‘I love to walk on my lawn in bare feet every morning. It's wonderful.’

GreenThumb spokesman David Collison added: ‘Thankfully having decking was just a fad. It seems many people who have got rid of their decking did so because they missed the pleasure of having a lawn.

‘It has been scientifically proven that lawns make people feel better, they encourage wildlife, help prevent flooding and create oxygen.’

So as we are now into warm weather and longer days will you be spending more time making your garden or outside area fit for wildlife?

Why not check out the news from the wildlife enquiries team?

  • I went a bit mad in the seed section of Focus yesterday buying wildlife-friendly seed packets. I've got a thread elsewhere about the pond I'm building but in that area there is also a lot of grass and now bare soil where the spoil is from the pond, so hopefully it'll be one big wildlife meadow :)

     

    As for walking on lawns barefoot... Joanna Lumley obviously doesn't have a lawn full of hedgehog poo ;)

    A closed mouth gathers no foot.

  • Karen F said:

    I went a bit mad in the seed section of Focus yesterday buying wildlife-friendly seed packets. I've got a thread elsewhere about the pond I'm building but in that area there is also a lot of grass and now bare soil where the spoil is from the pond, so hopefully it'll be one big wildlife meadow :)

     

    As for walking on lawns barefoot... Joanna Lumley obviously doesn't have a lawn full of hedgehog poo ;)

     

    Ha Ha, Possibly not ... Excellent news on your wildlife meadow as well, we saw the photos. Please keep us up to date with how its going 

    Tom

    Why not check out the news from the wildlife enquiries team?

  • I hope grass, moss, daisies, dandelions, cowslips, strawberries that planted themselves when I was a tad tardy in dealing with the runners and masses of clover count as a lawn because that's what I have - never could see the joy of decking myself - they get slimy!

  • decking is just outdoor laminate flooring - yuck!

    (apologies to any laminate flooring lovers!)

  • Hi

    We have no lawn - just deep beds and bark chippings , but flower borders either side. We have decking at the bottom of the garden ( not a garden its an allotment now !!! ) but we do have hedgehogs and bees both of which live under the decking . But then again we live in a rural area near fields and woods so we are surrounded by wildlife.

    Nick

    Thank you

    Nick

    Growing old is inevitable - Growing up is optional !

    My Photos  http://www.flickr.com/photos/clan_ranald/

  • Hello Tom,

    We have a few sparrows in our back garden, amongst robins, starlings etc.  The bees love the lavender, roses and honeysuckle which is coming out early this year.

    From

    Jenny

    J

  • I'm done in my garden lol  Just waiting for everything to grow but I'm getting some wildlife in, really pleased to have my bees back for a second year!  Saying that, we've never had decking either don't see the point.  There's a paved patio area but that is filled with plant pots lol