How to Build a Batting Cage in Your Backyard

Butterflies have this unexplainable allure that seems to appeal to people of all ages. The key to enticing these winged beauties to your yard, is utilizing adult nectar sources and larval (caterpillar) host plants in your plant palette.

“How do I attract wildlife to my backyard? Or “I want to see more animals in my yard.” I often hear this question/statement from wildlife-loving homeowners. It is important to note that you do not have to have large acreages to attract wildlife. You just need to meet their basic needs. All living things require four things: Food, Shelter (Cover), Water, and Space.

I just love recycling old broken china and any old Colourful bits and bobs to create art on functional pieces. Here’s how I use old vintage pieces on an old Plain coffee table.

The backstory: When I heard the title of a lecture being given nearby by a visiting North Carolina State University zoologist, I had to know more. The talk wasn’t titled “Woodchuck-Proof Your Backyard,” or “Rabbits Be Gone,” which would have attracted me, too, but for more obvious reasons. It sounded far more dramatic:“The Return of Predators to Urban America.”The speaker was Kays, a North Carolina State University zoologist and expert in using new technologies to study free-ranging animals, including the ones that may very well live in your neighborhood and garden. He leads the project called eMammal—a citizen-science animal-counting collaboration with the Smithsonian—and directs the Biodiversity Lab in the Nature Research Center of North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. I invited him to my public-radio pro

While I can name my local mammals, birds, amphibians and reptile species, I admit to using the word “bee” a little, shall we say, generically, not even sure I know exactly what a bee is—and isn’t.Dr. Olivia Carril has that covered, and then some. She is a PhD plant biologist who has been studying bees and the flowers they visit for nearly 20 years. Olivia is also co-author with Utah State biology professor Joseph Wilson of “The Bees in Your Backyard,” the new book that

Doug Tallamy’s 2007 book,“Bringing Nature Home,” (Amazon affiliate link) has been, for many of us, a wake-up call into the entire subject of the unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife, and now with more than a decade of additional research insights, he goes further in “Nature’s Best Hope.”Read along as you listen to the February 10, 2020 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).Plus: Enter to win a copy of the new book by commenting in the box at the very bottom of the page.‘nature’s best hope’ q&a with doug tallamyMargaret:

A new awareness of ecological and conservation concerns has resulted in a rising interest in growing native plants and trees. Why are native trees important? One of the main benefits of planting native trees is their adaptability to their specific region. Living in their natural habitat means native trees require less water and fewer herbicides and pesticides to keep them healthy. Trees in their natural environments are also hosts to local wildlife, providing them with food and habitat.

Are your utility boxes/meters visible on the side of your house? Have you built a 'privacy' screen or box for them? Our utility boxes and gas meter are on the West side of our house. Do we go over there a lot? No. Do I like the look of them? No. I'm not even sure if they are very visible to the drivers who pass by on their way down the street. But, I do see them when I am mowing or pulling weeds and they bug me.

In order to ensure that your backyard gatherings feel a bit more intimate and special this summer, you may wish to to invest in a privacy screen or similar option. Fortunately, there are many products on the market that are both affordable and aesthetically pleasing. Below, we're sharing 13 privacy solutions for the backyard that are budget-friendly too.

Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University are partnering with us in our technology addiction project that stands alongside our 'Chained to Tech' garden design. At RHS Tatton Flower Show, researchers will be surveying guests to gauge their attitudes and perceptions towards our garden.

My removable ‘outdoor air conditioner screen fence thingy’ will hide those air conditioners, allow proper air flow for the condenser, and make the AC guy happy when he sees how easy it is to remove. I made these easy and lightweight lattice screens to hang on the posts. You can easily have this project done in a weekend. So let’s get started. Here’s how to hide an air conditioner unit outside…the easy way.

Just before Christmas, Clare Matterson, director general of the RHS, wrote to ask if I would be RHS Hampton Court’s Iconic Horticultural Hero for 2023, which was both shocking and flattering in equal measure! Because of that, I was able to design a garden for the Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.