Search - Articles

to your gardenBuilding a hedgehog houseMaking a bird boxMaking a bee hotelInstalling a window bird feederMore advice on making a bat boxMaking fat cakes for birdsMaking a green roof for a bird tableBrowse plants that are attractive to wildlifeView a

Late-summer nectarAs some insects are still out foraging in late-summer, it's a good idea to provide food for them with nectar-rich, late-flowering plants.Plants for beesIn late-summer, many plants have finished flowering, but bees, butterflies

SoilCraft knifeall year round1 hourUse a craft knife to make holes about 3 cm across in the sides and base of the bucket.Choose an area of your garden that will not be disturbed and dig a hole to bury the bucket so that its rim is just below soil level. Loosely fill

In the bright heat of this week's baking sunlight, a buzz of black and orange fur announces the arrival of what I think is one our cuddliest hoverflies. Merodon equestis is a large (12 - 15mm long), stout, bumblebee mimic, and although not quite

A recent Which? Gardening report revealed that many shop-bought wildlife homes are not worth buying. The trial included hedgehog homes, bug boxes and bumblebee nesters, and concluded that only solitary bee hotels proved successful, especially home

. The smaller branches I composted (I was amazed how quickly they disappeared).The tree trunk remained propped up against the shed for six months, until I had a brainwave: I'd use it to make a solitary bee hotel. I got an old wine box, chopped the trunk

into the plant and can be present in concentrated forms in the nectar and pollen of flowers. If you do use these chemicals, remove any flowers before they open, as they will also kill any bees that visit them.mint, pennyroyalMay-SeptemberMore pests of herbs

The dark-green window box and richly coloured plants make a sensational combination. The red scabious takes centre stage, rising above a platform of dark heucherella foliage. March - JulyMay - September20 minutesScabious, Scabiosa atropurpurea

Make a bug boxEncourage helpful insects such as ladybirds, lacewings and bees into your garden by building them their own bug box. Giving them somewhere to shelter or hibernate, this simple to build home is perfect for gardeners who want to look

-roller caterpillar. No sign of them yet, but I'll expect them later.I can still see the results of leafcutter bee activity from last year. One was nesting in a redundant overflow pipe from the old bathroom and I regularly saw it with its green leaf curl cargo bobbing