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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." 
Margaret Mead, American anthropologist, 1901-1978
 


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Category: Wildlife Habitat: Wildlife Friendly Gardens

  1. Wildlife Friendly Gardening - help from the RSPB & Barrett Homes

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    Here’s news of a great partnership.

    The RSPB have just joined forces with Barrett Homes.   They apparently are looking to create developments and green spaces that’s friendly to nature.

    Give them a home and they will comeGive them a home, and they will come - as the RSPB advert says

    There's no doubt in my mind that having wildlife in a garden give the place far more colour and life. There's nothing like watching the birds from a corner of the garden take a splash in a bird bath, or feast on the food you've put out for them - or to discover a hedgehog, or watch butterflies flutter from one group of flowers to another.  Honestly, it's like having your own nature show.

    It's so enjoyable watching our feathered friends take a drink or have a bath

    60% of the species which have been monitored in the UK in the last 50 years are declining.   And yet, private gardens in the UK cover about 450,000 hectares of land – an area larger than Suffolk.

    So the potential to create fantastic places for wildlife is huge.  And they don’t need a lot of room, as Butterfly Conservation’s Pot for Pollinators  shows – you just need a pot with a butterfly friendly plant stuck in it and anyone can put that on a patio or balcony. 

    Anyway, back to the RSPB and Barrett Homes.

    They’ve created some advice to help you get started giving nature a home in your garden. 

    The guide has basic steps on how to make your garden wildlife friendly, garden features that will help you make the most of any size garden (so there’ s no need to have a garden the size of Kent to get started), and a full plant guide of what to plant and what not to plant.

    Time for a little something
    Get shopping for the birds at the RSPB's online shop


    So take a look at it – you can DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE from the RSPB’s website HERE.

     

  2. Plant Pots for Pollinators - help butterflies by going potty!

    Posted on

    It’s great to hear about initiatives people can join in with - and better to hear that people are actually joining up and making a difference.

    This morning I discovered that Butterfly Conservation (who work to conserve butterflies) have an initiative called Plant Pots for Pollinators.

    It’s an amazing project.   Butterfly Conservation are asking people to plant a pot or pots for pollinators – butterflies and bees.

    Butterfly Conservation says the UK has 1,500 pollinating species – bumblebees, honeybees, hoverflies, beetles, wasps, butterflies and moths.  Changes in land use and the way it’s managed are destroying vital wildlife habitat on farms, woodlands, towns and cities.  We need to look after our pollinators. 

     

    Over 80% of EU crops and 80% of wildlflowers need insect pollination.   Pollinators can only look after us, if we look after them.   And if we provide habitat for them, they will come.   The sight of colourful butterflies fluttering around your garden thanks to your efforts is a truly lovely one.   There’s something very relaxing about listening to bees buzzing around flowers. 

    So the more plants we pot and grow for our pollinators, the better. 

    There’s a planting guide with suggestions of what butterflies like

    The Plant Pots for Pollinators scheme is sponsored by B&Q, so watch for Butterfly Conservation events at some B&Q stores. 

    And you can add your pot to Butterfly Conservation’s interactive map, which shows how many people have planted a pot and where in the country that pot is.     So far, 340 plant pots have been planted.  

    Go potty for pollinators this summer!