Gracie5

pond maintenance

Best time to clean out a pond is Autumn. As you have missed out I would do it now before life in the pond begins in earnest in Spring.

Teasel

I call Teasel the hooligan in the garden.  I had one growing at the very bottom of the garden and am amazed at how it can self-seed over a wide area. As soon as I see a new plant emerging, I dig it out.  I love the Teasel but it's very unsuitable for a small garden, unless you garden dressed like a knight in armour.

Plant ID, please

Definitely Lavender fernleaf. I used to have one but it didn't survive the Winter, it's one of those tender types of Lavender. 

sparrows

I'm in the suburbs of London with the Sparrows nesting on a neighbours house and using our garden to collect nesting material and to feed their young. They have been breeding very successfully here for a few years and a welcome return after years of not seeing many in the garden.

sparrows

BobTheGardener, you have described exactly what goes on in my garden, a very healthy sparrow population and yes, its fantastic seeing the other species taking full advantage of the feeders. Something I've learned over the years is when they are frantically feeding, as is happening today, it usually means we are in for some nasty weather conditions.

Bird Boxes

We have a box that has been hidden in shrubbery for years, its impossible to get to it but it hasn't stopped the Bluetits from nesting.  Birds will clean out a box themselves so I wouldn't worry about it. Better to provide the boxes than not.

sparrows

We have plenty of Magpies, Wood Pigeons and Crows in our garden in London. We also have lots of Sparrows, Goldfinches and other smaller birds. No problem therefore in attracting other species because of the larger birds. Perhaps there is another reason why you are not getting the smaller birds into your garden.

Lets hear it for the houseplants.

I had forgotten about zebrina and had to google to remind myself what it looked like. It was a very popular house plant in the seventies and I used to have a couple of them. Also known as Wandering jew, its a thought but might remind me too much of the seventies. I wonder if a Viola would work as a short term flowering plant for indoors!!

Gardening For Wildlife

The plant list can be endless but this link might be helpful.  Just to add that butterflies and bees have a preference for blue coloured flowers.

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/text/4818/gardening.html

The Canny Gardener

Hmm, their customer service address is a PO Box number which I think is a bit strange. The spelling mistakes on their website might mean they are trading from abroad, Holland perhaps.

Viola seeds

So annoying or not!!

Plant ID

Hardy Annuals

Plant ID

Leucanthemum 'Broadway Lights'

Another plant ID

Storing seeds

Plant ID