I think the legend that is, Sir David Attenborough said it best "It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living."
However everyday we seem to continue in our efforts to destroy the natural world we share with wildlife. Wildlife Does and amazing job everyday to keep the natural world in balance and there are many things we can do to give wildlife a helping hand. Donating some of your time to voluntary projects with organisations such as The Wildlife Trust is a great way to get involved.
But let's look at a couple of projects we can tackle now in our own garden. One of my favourite ways to help nature is with wildflowers or a wildflower meadow. Wildflowers and wildflower meadows have so many benefits to such a huge variety of wildlife as well as having the added bonus of being super fulfilling to us.
Probably the biggest advantage is in the plant diversity. This attracts many pollinating insets which also acts as food for small mammals and birds. These in turn act as food for larger mammals and birds. See how the circle of life goes!
Wildflower meadows don't have to be limited to large landscapes. If you don't have the space then you could grow them in a container or trough. They will still have the same effect to our small insect friends.
If you would like to install your own wildflower meadow then now will be the time to do it. The simple way to introduce a wildflower meadow is to stop mowing the area you wish to grow. Instead scarify, hard and sow with a meadow mix. This can be diversified further by using plug plants. If you live in an area with particularly rich soil then you will likely find that the grass will outcompete the flower. This can be address by removing the top soil to get to the poorer subsoil. Alternately you could try planting wildflower that removes the nitrogen from the soil such a yellow rattle.
Native hedge laying and planting is another great way to provide some habitat to Wildlife. The best way to plant native hedging is in the form of a whip. These are relatively inexpensive at around £2 a whip. Start by stripping the turf (if there is any). This can be made easier with the use of a turf cutter as I am using in this photo. Apply some composted manure to the area to be planted and plant using mycorrhizal fungi at a planting destiny of around 3 plants per metre. And thats it. It really is that easy.
So whats hedge laying? Originally the practice of hedge laying was used to create a fence to stop sheep, cattle and other stock from straying.
It's also a very attractive practice and has been around for generations. Not to mentions it's really rewarding. The practice encourage new growth, making it an excellent way of regenerating an old, overgrown hedge without replacing it. You thus create a thicker hedge and plenty of habitat for small mammals and nesting birds.
These are just a couple of things we can do to help wildlife in our own gardens. Of course making the decision to cut down on single use plastics, cycle or walk rather than using the car where possible and grow more of your own are also super vital.
Now get cracking, and stay safe. With love,
Fraser
