Today’s Garden Ideas

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Wildlife, including birds and other animals can sometimes be protected, such as bats, and it is illegal to disturb any nest in the wild. However, even the RSPB will acknowledge that it is sometime beyond a gardener or homeowner’s capability to ignore damage caused by wild creatures. The purpose here to attempt to deter said creatures, not to actually harm them.
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If you would like to contribute to the wellbeing of wildlife, you’ll need more than just a corner of your garden left to run wild. It is also possible to have a pretty and tidy garden that is welcoming to wildlife.

If you are planning a new garden, look around to see what grows locally. If you have something growing naturally and wish to keep it, leave it where it is instead of trying to move it. Above all, be gentle with the planting and take your time to give wildlife a chance to adapt.

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When planning a new garden, it is important to lay things out ahead of time so you can visualise what plants you want. It is the planting you select that will dictate the amount and type of soil preparation required.

When you are happy with your layout, get digging. Make sure you are up for the job otherwise bring someone in to do the digging for you. A sprained back will put your project on hold for a long time. The best time to prepare your soil is autumn. Depending on the planting you have decided on, you may need to add manure or gravel and these will need to settle before you begin actual planting in spring. Permanent features such as decking can be installed now though.

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You’ve just moved to a new house and the garden is a wilderness… What to do and where to start? The planting is undoubtedly the most rewarding and exciting point in the production of a garden and this is why it is so important to understand and prepare your site. So often, we pay no real attention to this planning stage, planting what we like where we like with no real thought for the longevity of the plants and how they are gong to impact our enjoyment of this outside space. Some horticultural good sense is required and this is where we come in.

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Spring is upon us, time to get back into the garden and start doing all the things we need to do to ensure we have a glorious outside space. So what do we do? We get out there and get on with it.

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Many people in the gardening world are turning toward creating butterfly gardens. These gardens can attract many different types and variations of butterflies. Butterfly gardening is very quickly becoming more and more popular. It is said to be one of the fastest growing and most popular hobbies today. People get great joy from seeing beautiful butterflies fluttering around their gardens. Butterflies also add color and life to gardens.

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Just call my man the slug whisperer… He never lived down the reputation so creatively given by our neighbours. It all started years ago when we decided to plant a herb garden and the basil was scented by slugs from a 20 mile radius. Slugs like basil, it appears. We caused a mass exodus down the back gardens in our street. Our neighbours were fascinated, and rather pleased, I’d imagine…
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Although wasps are a familiar summer time pest, one that has seen a re-emergence recently is the mosquito. These two fliers can make your spring and summer garden a nightmare instead of the haven it should be. As the weather becomes sultrier, insects will proliferate and become more active so what can you do to minimise their effect on your and your neighbours’ lazy warm relaxing evenings?
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What is the most gorgeous, visually extravagant flower you can think of? If you were to go by the name alone, it would have to be the Bird of Paradise. Admittedly, it fails its adoring fans by lacking any marked scent, only making up for this deficiency by being very possibly the most spectacular cut flower to be found at the florist, and it lasts for weeks in the vase. But is it possible to grow the plant itself at home? I just had to find out.

In order to understand how to care for this Bird, it is important to know about its natural habitat. It is related to the banana and naturally grows in coastal areas or on river banks in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. This has a tropical, humid climate, so in temperate regions the Bird of Paradise needs a hothouse or conservatory.
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All of us are anxious to see bulbs sprouting, buds unfurling and color splashed throughout the garden. And yes, even though it is a bit early to get your hands in the dirt, there is plenty you can do to gear up for the gardening season. Read the rest of this entry »