I am very concerned that I have a garden that encourages wildlife. I am gradually turning the gravel around the perimeter of the garden into a more wildlife friendly surface, by covering it with bark or woodchips, and will allow fallen leaves to eventually form a mulch, and also a habitat for creatures to over-winter. I have a small ladybird house in the wildlife area.
I have a tiny pond for my frogs which survived the garden revamp in 2014, when they lost their massive pond and the surrounding undergrowth in which they hid. They have reproduced, some froglets survived the marauding blackbirds and live to find their home in my surrounding developing shrubbery. I have not yet looked to see whatever other pond life has found its way to the pond, like newts, but I am sure they will come in time. The pond has now got pond weed and other pond plants to help keep it naturally aerated and shaded. There is also a floating ball to stop it icing over in winter. I don’t want fish or lilies in it, it’s far too small.
Birds are well catered for with feeders during winter and spring, although I leave them to fend for themselves on insects during the summer. They have various water containers and ample cover from my ash trees to protect them from predators. Some birds like to feed on the berries left on the plant. Leycesteria formosa is particularly liked by blackbirds. I have several young plants growing around the garden, progeny of my big Leycesteria shrub in the centre of my old garden.
I get a lot of goldfinches while I am feeding them niger seeds, but they do not bother to come much when I stop feeding them. Other visitors come and go, depending on the food supply. On the other hand the residents are quite happy to fend for themselves. A pair of dunnocks live in the conifer in the centre of my garden and raise their family there. Twp pairs of blackbirds squabble over dominance of the garden in spring, a robin or two seem to live in the ivy below the Leylandii next door. Wood pigeons are everywhere, arguing with each other, and a pair of collared doves managed to raise their kids in my ash trees.
My plants are mostly those that encourage butterflies and bees. I leave Valerian to flower wherever it does not make my garden too untidy. They are the earliest butterfly food, followed later by Buddleia. I wait until Buddleia is out before I rid my garden of the rampant Valerian. I deadhead it on a daily basis to prevent too many seeds forming. There would be an awful lot of weed pulling in the spring if I don’t keep it well under control.In spite of this I have not seen very many butterflies this year.
Bees though are constantly buzzing around finding food from most of my flowers, especially Ceanothus, Lavender, Loosestrife and Oregano. I encourage a lot of wild flowers they like to feed on like fennel, loosestrife, nettles, poppies and wild geraniums. More will come as and when the wild flower seeds grow.
Next year, as things get more established, I hope to see my garden alive with every kind of butterfly and absolutely full of bees.
My Garden Transformation 
Admiring the time and energy you put into your website and detailed information you present.
It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t
the same old rehashed material. Excellent read! I’ve bookmarked your site
and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
finanzas faciles
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Thank you for your comment. I started this blog just as a garden diary for my own and my family’s benefit, but it is good to know that others find it of interest.
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