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the upper regions of the compost food-chain, feeding on the clouds of fruit flies, moth flies and other small insects that devour the endless cascade of banana skins and potato peels. I'm not sure what species they are, but I'll keep an eye out to see what

started trying to cram them into the potting shed instead).And it was fascinating to see just what the trends were - I saw hordes of scale insects and plenty of powdery mildew. There were also a worrying number of yellowed raspberry leaves - some caused

If you're bearing a grudge against your neighbours, one way to exact revenge is plant a leylandii hedge in your garden. Left unclipped, it could grow to up to 35m high and 5m wide. It will be a haven for garden birds, insects and even the odd mammal

.I carefully inspected the contents of one of most popular window frames for insect hibernation, and the same seemed to be true: most native ladybirds are fine and most harlequins are dead.  I have a feeling Mother Nature may have been taking action

pollinating insects.Water well to settle the compost and encourage the roots to grow. Start feeding once flowering has finished.AdamMix water-retaining gel and slow-release feed granules into the compost before planting.Don't plant strawberry plants too deep

. Then water to settle soil around remaining roots.Allow flower stems to form. The small, pretty blooms attract aphid-eating hoverflies and other beneficial insects.Pods should be picked while small and tender. You can collect seeds for next year’s crops once

for wildlife: "move any debris to a corner of the garden out of sight, but where it can still benefit insects and mammals."My garden is just 4m² and less than a year old, but I’ve managed to attract a host of wild creatures, including blue tits and great tits

.Propagating bromeliadsIt’s rare for indoor bromeliads to suffer from pests, but occasionally they can attract mealybug, scale and red spider mites. The first two are slow-moving insects that feed on sap and often the first symptom you’ll spot is stickiness on the leaves

, is a bit bracing, there can be midges (one of those insects created with no obviously useful purpose) and rainy days are not unknown around here. But, apart from those minor niggles, it is a paradise largely unspoilt by man.

I don't really do birds. I'm usually too busy peering down at insects on flowers or running across leaves. Or I'm on hands and knees, bum in the air, turning stones over looking for ground beetles or grubbing at plant roots for weevils