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I’m going to plant my bulbs earlier this year, to avoid disturbing any hibernating creatures in colder weather. I've just bought 20 winter aconites, 20 Nectaroscordum siculum, and the Gardeners’ World magazine offers: 100 free alliums and 160

, and therefore a must for every garden.Designing your wildlife gardenWhen planting a nectar border or any selection of flowers to attract insects, think first of what's best for them and second, of what you want to look at. The two are not remotely exclusive

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

Winter wildlifeMost garden wildlife hibernates over winter, as food is in short supply and freezing temperatures make life difficult. Learn how to help wild creatures through the cold winter months, below.In winter, wild animals and insects hunker

ramp. Avoid pond netting, as it can trap hedgehogs.HedgehogsWater insects include pond skaters, which you'll see zipping across the pond's surface from April until autumn, and water boatmen, which live at the bottom of the pond and feed on plant debris

.Most companion plants are strongly scented and confuse pests looking for their host plant. Others attract beneficial insects, such as ladybirds and lacewings, which prey on aphids.The garlic chive, Allium tuberosum, is a hardy perennial with white star

plants (there was a particularly striking group of them in Tom Hoblyn's Chelsea garden in 2009). These have slippery sides into which insects fall and are then digested by the fluid at the base of the pitcher. There are large colonies growing in both

Over the past few weeks we have been wrapped up in a flurry of tree planting. It is the very tail end of the planting season and, as I am mostly pretty disorganised, things that should have been done earlier in the season are being done now

Make a bee-lineGreat flowers start with pollination, and for that you need bees. Find out how to get the busiest garden insects to work for you.How to... make a bee hotelGardens are extremely important for bumblebees, and vice versa. Bees need

. Cryptanthus bivittatus is small and will fit almost anywhere, including in a bottle garden or terrarium. Buy plants that are free from damage to the leaves and, if possible, those whose flowers are still emerging, as they’ll last longer indoors.Choosing a