To give a home to birds we have to give all nature a home, which takes a lot of work on a large scale but can be easier than people may think in their small patch.
Saltholme's Wildlife Garden has been made on the site of old buildings with heavy clay subsoil. But that can be used to advantage with the right topping. The gravel bed was designed to show how nature can colonise former industrial sites. Lots of gravel - it could have been bit of old brick - provide a free draining surface for plants from the coast and dry places. Now is the time to see how much life the plants attract.
Sea Pink or Thrift (Armeria maritima) is a coastal plant which the butterfies love as can be seen with the Peacock Butterfly yesterday. With luck we can keep this in flower for many weeks.
Honeywort (Cerinthe major var purpurescens) is native to Southern Europe but our bees still love it.
Now is a good time to visit the garden and see just which plants are feeding the butterfies and bees and so get ideas for your own plot.
Next will be the Dragonflies - they are already emerging, and a Cinnabar moth has been seen by Ed, assistant warden.
Thanks to volunteer Brian D. for the photos
Peter