Water is the source of all life, but too much water can cause significant problems even in the garden space. For instance, surplus water can promote root rot and diseases amongst plants.
01.08.2023 - 14:48 / gardenerstips.co.uk / tejvan
Attracting wildlife into your garden can help deal with types of pests and increase the diversity of life in the garden. Some methods for increasing wildlife are quite easy.
Bucket of water
This bucket got left under a shrub and was forgotten about until a few years later, when I saw frogs using it as a base. It had filled up with rainwater and was colonised by a few slug eating frogs. Because it is in shade, it doesn’t lose too much water, but in dry conditions, I top it up with water to keep the frogs happy. I also have put a few dead twigs around the bucket, to make it easier for frogs to climb in.
Small pond
This small pond is actually an old dustbin cut in half and put into the ground. A better solution would have been a bigger pond with sloping edges making it easy for frogs and the like to climb in and out. But, still it provides a home for a few frogs. It is also a drinking spot for birds and other creatures.
Insect hotel
This simple insect hotel has been used by host of bees. They lay eggs in the small holes and then cover up the holes with vegetation. The types of bees that like to use this kind of insect hotel include Red Mason and Leafcutter Bee. The Leafcutter bee is well named as you can see it cutting leafs and using it to block up the holes. They are fascinating to watch.
Insect hotel at Amazon.co.uk
A bee hotel should be placed in a south facing position (or south-east), at least a metre off the ground. The direct sun is important for warming up the bees. I can confirm that a hotel placed in the shade attracted no bees and is more subject to mould.
Insect hotels can also provide resting grounds for ladybirds and butterflies.
Buddleia shrub
Easy to grow, Buddleia provides nectar rich flowers for bees and
Water is the source of all life, but too much water can cause significant problems even in the garden space. For instance, surplus water can promote root rot and diseases amongst plants.
Birds make a great addition to your garden, they’re great to look at and they’re useful as well. For instance, they will eat slugs, snails, aphids, insects and other well-known troublemakers.
Growing herbs makes your garden look nice and gives you the advantage of spicing up your meals with fresh greens. Creating a herb garden requires only a small chunk of effort and, after investing a little bit of time as well, you will bear the fruits of your hard work soon enough. Even if growing herbs outdoors or indoors doesn’t require plenty of gardening knowledge on your side, you might still want to check our extensive guide on how to grow a herb garden.
Just because our attention is focused on keeping things steady (ahem, alive) in the garden this deep into the summer, it doesn’t mean we should neglect our leafy loved ones who live indoors—especially if you have travel plans! Houseplants have special needs every season, but summer heat and time away come with their own set of challenges.
The growing season might be in full swing, but there are still ways to upgrade your garden game. From keeping out unwanted pests (or pets) to building your own customized trellising and irrigation—it’s time to make your beds work smarter, not harder. We’ve got five ways to customize your planters this summer that will not only make things look fantastic, but will take your growing capabilities to the next level. Whether you choose to tackle them all or just add one to your list of weekend to-dos, I promise it will be a noticeable refresh with rewarding results.
Some Tips for Encouraging wildlife into your garden:
Lovely climbing rose on the front of this house
Gardening is one of the most popular pastimes; everyone knows we are supposed to enjoy our garden but do we enjoy gardening or at times does it just feel like hard work? Is it similar to the Joy of Sex or 50 Shades of grey-green?
Every gardener wants to have better plants and flowers, but, sometimes we just need to get to the root of the matter so to speak. There is nothing more satisfying than a deep rich loamy soil. Unfortunately, unless you are very luck, you are unlikely to inherit such a soil. Nevertheless it is definitely worth investing the time and energy to improve your soil. Over time looking after your soil will pay dividends.
Waterperry is a small village eight miles east of Oxford. It lies on the River Thame (not to be confused with River Thames), though the Thame does end up feeding into the Thames. The extensive gardens and river-side setting offer a combination of formal gardens, flowing herbaceous borders and wildlife meadows by the river. Helenium
Fountain in Oxford Botanic gardens.