wildlife Gardening for nature and wildlife

[teaky]

On 20/04/2021 at 05:59, sb67 said:

Can anyone identify this plant for me please, and whether it's good for bees or not? I thought it might have been Borage but the flowers look different. 

 

Many thanks.

 

 

Green alkanet or pentaglottis sempervirens.

 

It is from the same family as borage, Steve.  As are forget-me-nots.

 

[tigerburnie]

My pond is coming on well, marginal plants are growing except for the Ragged Robin, which is late I think, we now have 4 Newts in residence, I think they are Smooth Newts.

[sb67]

On 06/06/2021 at 09:10, Chrisr40 said:

Thanks sb67, like you we just scatter seeds and see what comes up. Have you tried raising them in pots and planting out when they have taken ?

 

I have. Had a bit of success with ornamental poppies but I wanted to get the Flanders or Field poppies to grow. 

[jbqfc]

the teasels are starting to get flower buds and getting near to seven foot tall

 

the hardy geraniums sweet Williams and birds foot trefoils are now in full bloom and buzzing with bees and insects 

 

the area behind the feeders has  Astrantia star of love centaurea amethyst snow pyracantha rogersiana flava'
salvia blue hints 

 

 

John 

[jbqfc]

the teasels in the front garden are now coming out and are buzzing with bees and insects 

 

[jbqfc]

i been busy potting up seedling we have Aquilegia drumstick primula candelabra primulas red and white campion Echinacea knapweed loosestrife field scabious spiked speedwell toadflax small teasels all for next year most will be going in the bed the pots are sitting in 

 

a bee on the teasels 

 

a fly on wild carrot flower 

 

[OnTheBranchline]

Someone was supervising me while weeding - I think they are from Health & Safety.

[J. S. Bach]

That looks like the Eastern Garter Snake that was in my yard a while back. Actually a very good snake to have around.

 

 

[OnTheBranchline]

On 29/07/2021 at 14:55, J. S. Bach said:

That looks like the Eastern Garter Snake that was in my yard a while back. Actually a very good snake to have around.

 

 

 

Yes but now it is in my garage and there's not 1 of them but 1 big one and 2 babies...

[J. S. Bach]

8 hours ago, OnTheBranchline said:

 

Yes but now it is in my garage and there's not 1 of them but 1 big one and 2 babies...

How does it feel to be a dad?

[OnTheBranchline]

13 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

How does it feel to be a dad?

I am a dad to a 1 year old boy and I don’t need more!  Too many mouths to feed!

[jbqfc]

the front lawn has been dug up to make way for more wildflowers and a path lined with shredded pruning's put in 

 

ready to start work 

 

after day one 

 

day two all done the front part has been dug over and some kidney vetch and hardy geraniums planted 

 

[sb67]

18 hours ago, jbqfc said:

the front lawn has been dug up to make way for more wildflowers and a path lined with shredded pruning's put in 

 

ready to start work 

 

after day one 

 

day two all done the front part has been dug over and some kidney vetch and hardy geraniums planted 

 

 

I'll look forward to seeing how you do with the wild flowers. Are you going to use pug plants or seeds? I'm planning on planting some wildflowers in the patch of grass I've not mown all year. I was planning on cutting it all back, after the ragwort has gone over, scarifying it then sowing seeds including yellow rattle, which will supress the grass growth. 

[tigerburnie]

Remember that pretty much all native British wild flowers grow in poor soil, so don't add and feed or compost to the soil and most of the annuals will feely set seed, I have poppies and fox gloves every where and haven't bought any seeds for over a decade.

[jbqfc]

9 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

Remember that pretty much all native British wild flowers grow in poor soil, so don't add and feed or compost to the soil and most of the annuals will feely set seed, I have poppies and fox gloves every where and haven't bought any seeds for over a decade.

 

Thanks  for the advice that is something I already know the soil where i planted the teasel must of been a bit rich as they are 8 foot tall as for self seeding the campions are already trying to take over 

 

John 

[jbqfc]

13 hours ago, sb67 said:

 

I'll look forward to seeing how you do with the wild flowers. Are you going to use pug plants or seeds? I'm planning on planting some wildflowers in the patch of grass I've not mown all year. I was planning on cutting it all back, after the ragwort has gone over, scarifying it then sowing seeds including yellow rattle, which will supress the grass growth. 

 

from seed although i need to cut my list down it is currently running at 45 types and some save from this years plants 

the yellow rattle is a must can take a couple of years to start to work 

 

John   

Edited September 17, 2021 by jbqfc
spelling

[jbqfc]

the goldfinches are loving the teasels 

 

 

I now know I have at least two hedgehogs visiting the garden and a wood mouse use in the log pile to live in I have made a temporary hedgehog feeding station out of a plastic box until i can get some wood to build one I am also going to build a hedgehog nest box 

 

I am so please how things are going  got lots of plans for next year 

 

John 

Edited October 22, 2021 by jbqfc
spelling

[tigerburnie]

If you can leave some untidy bits in your garden the wildlife will benefit over the winter, a pile of logs, an open compost heap and dead heads on flowers that have seeds on them, even stems on flowers can be used by insects to over winter in. As well as feeding the birds, make sure they have some clean water too.

[sb67]

30 minutes ago, tigerburnie said:

If you can leave some untidy bits in your garden the wildlife will benefit over the winter, a pile of logs, an open compost heap and dead heads on flowers that have seeds on them, even stems on flowers can be used by insects to over winter in. As well as feeding the birds, make sure they have some clean water too.

 

I'm planning on doing nothing in my garden until the spring now. I've sown some wildflower seeds on a patch of grass I scraped bare too. 

Just going to plan how to make it all more wildlife friendly next year. 

 

[jbqfc]

1 hour ago, tigerburnie said:

If you can leave some untidy bits in your garden the wildlife will benefit over the winter, a pile of logs, an open compost heap and dead heads on flowers that have seeds on them, even stems on flowers can be used by insects to over winter in. As well as feeding the birds, make sure they have some clean water too.

 

45 minutes ago, sb67 said:

 

I'm planning on doing nothing in my garden until the spring now. I've sown some wildflower seeds on a patch of grass I scraped bare too. 

Just going to plan how to make it all more wildlife friendly next year. 

 

 

the veg plot has been cleaned up but the rest of the garden will be left till next year

had the camera out again last night no hedgehog so maybe he has decided it is time for a long nap but i got two wood mice so i have a pair 

saw some interesting behaviour to today a sparrow was landing on the teasels making them swing around then i realised that he was knocking the seeds out for his mates on the ground 

 

John 

[monkeysarefun]

5 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

If you can leave some untidy bits in your garden the wildlife will benefit over the winter, a pile of logs, an open compost heap and dead heads on flowers that have seeds on them, even stems on flowers can be used by insects to over winter in. As well as feeding the birds, make sure they have some clean water too.

 

Its funny that the exact opposite advice is always brought up here this time of year! Clear all rubbish, old logs timber etc otherwise you'll get killed by all the snakes and funnelweb spiders that'll move in, and after that  your place will burn down in a bushfire fuelled by dried  plants, old timber etc...!

 

In fairness, and apologies cos  I did post this elsewhere, snakes and lizards ARE out and about now, I had a 6ft Eastern Brown snake in the yard last weekend, and a blue tongue lizard (welcome cos unlike the snake they aren't aggro and mega deadly and they eat snails) the week before. 

 

Edited October 25, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[jbqfc]

had the tools out busy building 

Hedgehog nest/sleeping box 30 x 40 cm 30 cm high the tunnel  is 30 cm long with a 13 x 13 cm entrance 

 

hedgehog feeding station 60 x 45 cm 17 cm high  the entrance is 12 x 12 cm 

 

 

I also built my self a portable potting bench 80 x 60 cm with ground cover membrane on the base to stop compost getting in the gaps in the planks 

all built out of 15 x 240 cm gravel board and 19 x 38 mm battens both also have hinged lids 

Edited November 2, 2021 by jbqfc
to add more info

[jbqfc]

the hedgehog is feeding most nights still

plans for next year are coming along well I am going to put a small pond in the front garden 

the seed list needs to be cut back a bit it is currently 68 items 

the forsythia in the front garden has been dug up as it was not looking very healthy when I doug it up the base was so rotten that I wondered how it was still standing I am not bothered as it  is of no benefit to wildlife it is to be replaced with an elderberry 

 

 

some of you may find this useful

 

 

[jbqfc]

A friend gave me a pond liner and some underlay so i am now working on a pond in the front garden i am not sure what to edge the pond with yet 

the blue tits have been eating the mahonia flowers i guessing for the nectar

 

 

 

[jbqfc]

the pond is now all done apart from the planting the pond was not in the plan for the front garden but I got given the pond liner and underlay the tiles I got 50 off face book for £20 the gravel and cobles i already had spare from the back garden pond so a cheap and environmental friendly project

  

 

it was frosty this morning a frozen teasel seed head with some seeds starting to grow