The Lazy Dad Wild Gardening Post

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

I grew up hating gardening. It was that chore my Mum and Dad made me and my siblings do to earn pocket money. Mow the lawn, do the weeding, dig a hole or two (don’t ask). When all we really wanted to do was go play on our spokey-dokey laden BMX bikes or run across to the field opposite to play in the little wood and get grubby.

I am now in my mid-thirties, have a three year old, whom we shall call “Little Chief”, a 3 month old “Little Gem” and my lovely lady wife “Mrs M”. Times have changed, after lots of lovely travels around this big old planet of ours I now work for the RSPB, live in Norwich and even own a home for the first time. Blimey how did that happen? The irony of all this, and maybe growing up does the same for us all, is that I am now looking at my own garden and thinking what can I do to my little patch to make it great for the offspring but also save the planet in my own little way. Would my young grub-loving self be very disappointed in me at this point?

The reason I was prompted to think wider than the obligatory swing/sandpit/climbing frame/shed combo was the time I took Little Chief to the local park. A week after the local council had done their annual mow of the wild borders he was bereft to see that all the fun “running grass” had gone and so had all the flowers and creepy crawlies that came with them. After a quick phone call to the automatic-phone-robot-answering-service I quickly found out that that was policy and it needed to be done.

So it is time that I took matters into my own hands and looked out my own backdoor to see what I can create for my children, my good lady and I and at the same time bringing a bit of wild to the Murray family home - something my younger self would be proud of.

Over the next few weeks and months I offer you an insight into how our family decided to give nature a home; balancing the needs of the wildlife and our family in this busy old world we live in. Follow us as we learn how to do it and pick up a few top tips along the way.

Please leave comments below for any advice or any top tips you may have...