6 SG
Environmentally Friendly Gardening a choice for sustainable living
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With a little help anyone can attract from time to time, probably only a few plants you will attract a wider variety of a wide variety of wild plants and pairs are nesting there. It is important to insects which means a wider variety of animals into their garden or patch of think of your garden as a "service station" birds and animals to feed on them. land. By making a few simple for passing wildlife. If someone sprays the changes, in no time at all you will be nettle-patch in the churchyard, or chops Allow room for decay sitting back and enjoying your own down the old trees in the park, you will Dead material is important as food for "local nature reserve". The wildlife lose some of your wildlife visitors. Your wildlife. In fact, far more types of wild that visits your garden will give you success will be strictly limited if your creatures feed on dead and rotting plenty of entertainment and you will garden has to operate as a self contained material than on living plants. Try not to have more time to enjoy it too, island in a sea of tarmac and concrete. clear away all the garden rubbish. If the because with a rich-habitat wildlife lawn is covered with fallen leaves, rake garden there is less need for Grow some native plants them up and throw them under a hedge. weeding, clipping, mowing and The food chain begins with plants. Many Hedgehogs will curl up and hibernate in spraying. You will be working with of the grubs, caterpillars and other plant piles of old leaves. nature. When that happens life is eaters are extremely specialised. They may easier for people, animals and plants. well be able to eat the leaves of only one Cut down on Chemicals particular plant type, and when this is the As a wildlife gardener you will be making At the bottom end of the food chain, plant case the plant will always be native. For an important contribution to nature and animal life is very vulnerable. When example the caterpillars of the Small conservation. Wildlife is coming under the first greenfly appear in spring it is Tortoiseshell butterfly eat nothing except increasing threat in this country, not alone always tempting to spray them with a the young leaves of nettles. All native in urban environments but in the chemical poison. Please don’t. (If you have plants - trees, shrubs and wildflowers will countryside as well. Wild flowers such as just a little patience, you will see that a have their own dependent leaf eating primroses and cowslips are becoming rare well balanced, rich habitat garden has creepy-crawlies, so if you grow a range of in some areas - mainly because this ways of dealing with greenfly, slugs, habitat is being destroyed. Wildflower meadows are being built on, ploughed, A robin marks his territory on a cold winters evening sprayed with herbicides, or simply fed with fertiliser to encourage more grass to grow. Losing all these wild flowers is bad enough, but of course as the meadows disappear then so do the habitats for many of our butterflies and moths, our skylarks and all the beautiful creatures which live there. It’s time we all started to do something. Starting your own wildlife garden can be your contribution.
As a wildlife gardener you need to take an interest in all the wild green spaces in your neighbourhood. Most of the large animals need more territory than the average garden will supply. For example, hedgehogs will roam over a number of green patches, and although your wildlife garden may be thronged with wild birds
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wood boring beetles, wood wasps and involves ripping bare patches in the grubs. In autumn numerous toadstools lawn with a rake, exposing the soil and will appear. If the pile is big enough it may removing a lot of the old matted grass. nest spiders or even a pair of wrens or The area should then be rolled after the robins. The insects will attract birds and seed is sown. This method will only animals. Planting a mixture of Hawthorn, work if the soil fertility is very low. If it Field maple, Wildrose and Wild privet will isn’t the grasses will grow too quickly provide a good hedgerow environment. and swamp the young seedlings. Even Nesting boxes provide a good substitute with perfect conditions germination for holes in dead trees where many birds will be poor, so it is advisable to sow a would normally make their home in a lot more seeding than is necessary. woodland environment. (2) Alternatively you can sow the seeds in The Wildflower Meadow trays of seed compost. When they have germinated transfer them into Informal Lawn: If the grass is left unmown individual pots for planting out in for just a few weeks towards the end of spring or autumn using a "bulb spring you will be surprised at just how planter". While you are at it you could many wildflowers will stick their plant some bulbs such as wild Daffodils, flowerheads up for the first time. After Snowdrops, Crocus and Bluebells. the display has faded you must cut the grass, if you don’t the grasses will Starting from scratch: The best way of overshadow the leaves of the rosette making a wildflower meadow is to start plants and the daisies will die out. from scratch with bare soil. It is just like Spring flowers such as the Primrose and lesser sowing a new lawn with a few celandine will brighten up your wild flower garden Spring Meadow: You could on the other differences. The most important hand leave the grass uncut from early difference is low fertility, so use no caterpillars and all other creatures which spring right through summer to July and fertiliser when preparing the soil and even the modern gardeners call pests). If you let all the wonderful spring flowers and remove some topsoil if necessary. Prepare spray the greenfly then you will almost grasses do their thing. Some of the wild the site by removing all unwanted certainly kill their natural predators, flowers you can expect to find in spring perennial weeds like Docks, Thistles, Couch Ladybird larvae. Then your plants really meadow are Cowslips, (still to be found in grass etc. While it is best not to use will be in trouble because the "pests" old pastures), Meadow buttercup, Oxeye chemicals it may be the only option in the always recover more quickly than the daisy, lots of vetches and trefoils and all preparatory stages. Choose one such as predators. the grasses. "Weedall" which is non-residual and does least damage to wildlife. Remove any The other effect of chemicals is even more Summer Meadow: A summer meadow stones and rake until you have a fine filth. serious. All the animals you love best requires yet another mowing regime. Leave it for three or four weeks. This will depend on plants or plant eating animals Mow the grass regularly through the allow the soil to settle and the fresh crop for food. For example hedgehogs will eat spring (not too short) and then leave it of weed-seeds you have exposed will have dozens of slugs; baby blue-tits will keep uncut from midsummer to autumn. The germinated. These weeds can then be their parents busy collecting hundreds of taller wildflowers such as Field scabious sprayed with weedkiller. caterpillars. If you spray the greenfly or and Greater knapweed will encourage lots put down slug pellets you will inevitably of butterflies to drop in and perhaps Choice of Seed: Early autumn is the best finish up poisoning the baby blue-tits and breed. Cut the hay in the autumn and time to sow your meadow with midspring hedgehogs as well. don’t forget to remove it. the alternative. The seed mixture you choose will depend on your soil type and A garden free from chemicals rarely Making a Wildflower Meadow whether it is going to be a spring or suffers from any sort of epidemic as summer meadow. The grasses are not very Improving an Existing Meadow: There are nature has a way of balancing things out choosy and should grow in most soils and a few ways of making a wildflower if left to its own devices. Try to work with either type of meadow. As long as you meadow. If the grass is very weedy and nature and understand it, not to master it. don’t choose Ryegrass you can’t go wrong. starved you can leave it uncut for a few It is somewhat like a pet dog, no matter Ryegrass is a tough vigorous grass used months in summer. You will probably only how much you train it, it will always have for hardwearing lawns and football have Dandelions, Yarrow, Buttercups and its own personality and independence. pitches and must be avoided at all costs. Clover, a very pleasing combination, but You can spice up your mix from the Provide lots of breeding sites one that could be greatly improved by garden centre by collecting some grass introducing some of the more choice seed from the nearest piece of Wild creatures need somewhere safe to plants. This can be done in two ways: wasteground. Wildflowers are more breed. Native plants and decaying leaf choosy and you will have to choose the (1) Wildflower seed, available in most litter will keep many small creatures right ones for the right situations. For a garden centers, can be sown onto an happy. However bringing some big lumps spring meadow choose Cowslip, established lawn. It is important that of timber into the garden and building a Speedwell, Catsear, Selfheal, Hoary the seed is in good contact with the soil log pile will help further. In no time this plantain, Yellow rattle, Salad burnet and so you must scarify the surface. This mini-habitat will be alive with all kinds of lots of Ox-eye daisy. For a summer INFORMATION ON THE ENVIRONMENT / EOLAS AR AN GCOMHSHAOL
meadow again choose lots of Ox-eye cover for cats etc. A twig stapled to the rich source of autumn nectar to feed daisy, Meadow buttercup, Lady’s bedstraw, side of the table will provide a perch for Tortoise shells and other overwintering Wild carrot, Common knapweed, Field birds before feeding. butterflies. One species of butterfly, the scabious and Meadow cranesbill. When Hollyblue, depends on the flowers and the seed has been sown run over it with a Water should be provided, as birds must young shoots of ivy to feed its autumn rake and then lightly firm with a roller. bathe to keep their feathers in good brood of caterpillars. shape. A hole can be cut out so that a Stretch some black cotton with pieces of shallow bowl can be fitted. Hooks are also Bramble is another marvelous plant for foil on it over the whole area to keep the useful as food such as nuts can be hung wildlife all year round, providing a sparrows off. If the conditions are right from them. Low vegetation or grass blossom rich in pollen, and leaves which the grass will be up in about a week, and beneath the table will encourage ground feed a whole host of native insects. The by the end of September the grass will feeding birds such as the Dunnock, Wren, blackberries though, are the bramble’s need its first cut. The best way is to use a and Blackbird. crowning glory. Like many other wild fruits shears. If you use a mower make sure it is they are at their best in September very sharp, otherwise it will pull the young Any of the following foods can be bringing a real splash of autumn colour to seedlings out. Never cut lower than 2" and provided: cheese, cooked potato, cake, the hedgerow. They are a favourite food afterwards use the roller to firm in any wild-bird seed, peanuts (not salted), suet, for Blackbirds and Thrushes. The loose seedlings. A lot of the wildflower nuts, fresh coconut, fresh fruit, raisins, fat, Elderberry bears fruit in September too, seeds will not germinate until the spring, moist bread, oatmeal, meaty bones or and its popularity, particularly with and for the first season there will not be tinned dog food. Salted foods, dried Starlings is obvious when you see the many flowers, so there is no reason for not coconuts or dehydrated foods should not purple staining on the pavement beneath mowing through the summer. Set the be provided. their roosts. blades as high as they will go and remove the clippings. This will encourage the The Hedgerow December is a good month for pruning trees and shrubs. One way of maintaining grass and wildflowers to spread out and Tree and Shrublife: A woodland type a plentiful supply of the leaves of native will produce a good root system. Come environment is a very good means of shrubs and trees in a small garden is to the second season your meadow should introducing diversity into your garden. A grow several of them as coppiced shrubs. be ablaze with colour and it won’t be long tree will provide food, support, a home You may well not have room for full before the wildlife begins to move in. and a host of different environments for grown specimens of large trees. Lack of plants and animals. March is a very good Cutting the Tall Meadow: When the time space may prevent you from enjoying month for planting. In a small garden a comes to cut your meadow you will be their flowers and fruit but most of their hedge provides perhaps the best means faced with two foot tall grass and there is dependent insects and other resident of introducing native plants. Hawthorn, no way your mower will be able to cope. creatures simply need a supply of tender *Field maple, Yew, Native private, Holly, The best way of cutting a small area is to leaves. If you cut any of these trees or Dog rose and *Beech all make marvelous use a strimmer, for larger areas you may shrubs down to the ground in December, hedgerow plants. Each of them supports need to get in a motor-scythe. This and then they will shoot up again the its own particular range of dependent the strimmer could be hired out for the following spring and provide a crop of insects (143 in the case of the Hawthorn few days they are needed. Leave the hay vigorous shoots and ample food for an for example), and of course the dense to dry for a few days. This allows the seeds enormous range of caterpillars and other twiggy growth provides good cover for to fall out and the insects that were living leaf eaters. nesting birds and shy creatures such as amongst the stems to find new homes. the hedgehog. Plant two year old nursery- You must not let the hay rot back into the grown seedlings in blocks, with about soil. Remove it and you can look forward 200mm (8 inches) between the plants. If to a meadow of tall swaying grasses and your garden is big enough, do plant a tree brightly coloured flowers alive with or two. Oak is the best for wildlife and butterflies. supports up to 284 species of insect, but it grows quite large. Alder and Silver birch A Bird table are also good for wildlife, and there are You can help birds and attract them to native Wild cherries, Rowan, Crab apple your garden by providing food for them and Field maple too - all suitable for during the cold winter months. It is gardens. ( *Non Native) important, however, to continue feeding them once you start, as they come to rely Climbers such as Honeysuckle and Ivy will on such readily available supplies. use trees as support but these also can be grown in the tiniest garden or terrace. A bird table is very simple to construct. A They both grow quickly, do well in sun or piece of timber about the size of a tea- shade, and they provide nectar, edible tray will do. It should have a rim all round fruits and valuable cover for wildlife. to prevent food being blown away. Small gaps at the corners will make cleaning By mid-October most plants have finished easier. Nail this to a post and site it away but the Common ivy is just beginning. Its from shrubberies, which only provide flowers are particularly important as a Bumble bee and clover
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Collect keys and Haws when fully ripe in Conclusion October. *Stratify for 18 months and sow in the second spring The ideal rich-habitat garden will look something like a flowery woodland glade, HAZEL (Corylus avellana): Collect nuts Trees and shrubs along the northern and when browning begins. *Stratify for 18 eastern sides will provide shelter and months and sow in the second spring create a woodland-edge habitat – a very HOLLY (Illex acquifolium): Collect berries in good for songbirds. At the very least plant December. *Stratify for 18 months and sow a hedge. If you introduce some woodland in the second spring flowers in the sunniest part of your glade this will act as a feeding area, and should OAK (Fraxinus excelsior): Oak is the most have something in flower all year round. important wildlife tree. Gather ripe acorns There is no such thing as a standard in autumn, avoiding any with splits or garden. Some may want to turn their blemishes. Free from cups and sow 5cm whole patch into a meadow whilst others deep or stratify and sow the next spring. may only want to stop using chemical Oaks can be sown where they are to grow sprays and provide a wood pile. The by pushing a stick 5cm into moist soil, important thing is to have a go! inserting the seed and closing the hole with the heel. Beech can be treated the Further Reading same way. Creating a Wildlife Garden: Chris Baines Holly Tree (Illex acquifolium) WILLOW, POPLAR ALDER ELDER, GUELDER Wildlife Garden Notebook: Chris Baines ROSE and FUSCIA may be grown from The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Growing Trees from Seed cuttings inserted into the soil between Europe: Richard Fitter et al October and March. Cuttings should be as Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Growing native trees from seed is both thick as one’s forefinger and about 23cm easy and fascinating, making a satisfying Britain: Readers Digest long, planted firmly with not more than Go Wild at School: Patrick Madden and personal contribution to conservation. 8cm above ground. An excellent way to Seeds may be sown directly where the plant steep banks. trees are to grow or in old grow bags, seed trays or yoghurt pots with holes in the ROWAN (Sorbus aucuparia) and WILD bottom. Seeds should be sown in a CHERRY (Prunus avium): Collect berries as peat/sand compost using a separate tray soon as they ripen in September. *Stratify for each species, which are then stood in and sow the next spring. water until moist. Cover with clear Stratification polythene and stand trays away from direct sunlight. In the garden, seeds can Stratification is a period of cold storage be sown about 10cm apart and covered equivalent to winter that some seeds with their own depth of soil. All seedlings require before they will germinate. It should be transplanted after one seasons involves mixing the seed with 3 x its own growth to provide them with more space volume of moist sand and storing it in in which to grow, to prevent deep tap unglazed pots sunk in the garden or roots forming and to encourage a fibrous alternatively, in a refrigerator at 20C. root growth. Transplants are ready for planting in their final position when Issued by: about 2 feet high. Late autumn, when the ENFO – The Environmental soil is still warm, is the best time for Information Service, 17 St Andrew Street, planting. Never let the roots dry out while Dublin 2, Ireland. planting. Keep the young trees well watered and clear of competing weeds for Tel: (01) 8883911 (01) 8883933 the first two years and protect from Fax: (01) 888 3946 e-mail: [email protected] rodents and grazing animals. www.enfo.ie
The following native species should be Write to or visit our Centre at the above treated as described: address or you may check out the ENFO information stands at your Local Authority Office / County Library ALDER (Alnus glutinosa): Cut small cone bearing twigs from the tree in autumn. Dry cones on trays and separate seed by ENFO is a service of the Department of the shaking. Store in sealed containers and Environment, Heritage and Local sow the next spring. Government.
ASH (Fraxinus excelsior), HAWTHORN (Crataegus monogyna) and BLACKTHORN: Printed on recycled paper February 2004