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Talkback: Do we really want wildlife in our gardens?
Gardeners' World Web User
Posts: 17,147
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Thanks for your comments, I've been thinking these thoughts for years, is it a marketing ploy for all of those companies who sell various attractive wildlife products to pretty-up our gardens, animals and wildlife would much prefer a wilderness to a pressteen garden, do you think there is a half way that we can all go to where we can please ourselves nad the wildlife....
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I get as much a thrill from seeing beautiful bees, butterflies and birds in my garden as I get from a beautiful flower. But there is more satisfaction from hearing the appreciation of visitors of visitors to my garden who find my approach novel but lovely and definitely not boring which the droneof lawn mowers definitely is to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASkDLn13jEc
Happy Marion, I like your comments about putting aside an area for wildlife like the farmers are encouraged to do (maybe we could be given some financial reward for this also - £100 per annum should do it!!)
On a serious note I do already have dedicated wildlife areas which are purposely left unkempt and undisturbed, I am fortunate as I have space to do this. I am also fortunate to own part of a field at the bottom of our garden and I have been thinking for a while to do something with the 3 meter strip immediately behind the Hawthorn hedge to encourage more wildlife. Some is already used to let nettles grow for butterflies etc but I have a reasonable sized strip which I would love to plant like the farmers do. Does anybody know where I could get the 'farmers' seed mix to do this please?
http://higgysgardenproject.blogspot.com/
Higgy
Why plant a seed mix? You could just let the local plants self-colonize. Wild plants are as much wildlife as insects, birds and other animals. The most important thing is to prevent nettles and other thick rank growth from taking over. The occasional run-over with a brush-cutter every few months maybe.
Yes point taken. we are unfortunately overrun with horsetail and as we are on wet moorland as you can imagine it is quite a problem. We have allowed as much of the field just run wild since we have been here but not really gained much in the way of wild flowers. I was thinking of trying to establish some around the edges of my patch to sit alongside the rough wild areas? Maybe this wouldn't be appropriate for this type of land?
Still haven't managed a visit to the Botanic Gardens (again as planned!) but hopefully now things in my own garden slow down a little I'll get a chance to pop in soon.
Many thanks
Higgy
http://higgysgardenproject.blogspot.com/