HAPPY SPRING!
19.01.2024 - 23:45 / backyardgardener.com / Frederick Leeth
The news has been awash with UK Environment Secretary Owen Paterson’s issues in relation to the badger cull. There has been fierce opposition to this issue. No one seems certain whether this strategy will help make a positive impact on the reduction of bovine tuberculosis in cattle. With fierce protests and ongoing issues yet to be resolved, it seems this is far from over.
It’s not only badgers that are under threat; hedgehogs are also in decline for different reasons. A recent report indicated that hedgehogs have declined by 25% in the last 10 years. The reasons for their demise range from poisoning from insecticides, being burnt in bonfires (where they like to make a home) and the shrinking countryside – leaving them homeless.
Consider how you can take care of the hedgehogs in your garden over the challenging winter months.
We can turn our gardens into safe places for hedgehogs, inviting them in by making only a few small changes and giving these spiky creatures a home.
Hedgehogs are attracted to log piles and compost heaps, and you can even build a little hedgehog box for them as a home. Hedgehog homes can be modeled on regular birdhouses but are placed on the floor, with a hole at the front and a little ramp for the hedgehog to shuffle down. This would be a great education project to carry out with your kids.
A report by the Guardian suggested that leaving water and food out for hedgehogs will help them. They like meaty chicken or turkey dog food. And, contrary to popular belief, milk and bread are not suitable, as they make them ill.
If you are preparing your garden for the upcoming winter months, maybe you have decided to buy a new fence or get your hedge in order. Buy Fencing Direct has a range of fences that will
Q: I have a winter flowering jasmine, growing profusely on a 3m-high north-facing wall. For most of its six years, it has produced an abundance of flowers, from early November until March. During the recent summer, I took a lot of its stems, which had bunched at about 2m, and gently stretched them out along a series of horizontal wires. This November I can only see a handful of flowers (less than 10). Did my gentle summer manipulation cause this drop in flowers and if so, how? CD, Co Dublin
In a world being reshaped by climate change, gardeners are increasingly asking themselves what can be done to counter the destructive effects of extreme weather events. The answer, as we’re discovering, is to take a nature-friendly approach that supports and nurtures resilience.
When you go to the Philadelphia Flower Show, it helps to take along the right attitude. If seeing gorgeous, high concept gardens full of the most fashionable flowers makes you feel insecure, then take yourself elsewhere. If you need a massive dose of color, fragrance, humidity, and horticultural inspiration, then the Philadelphia Flower Show will be perfect for you. On my calendar, it officially marks the end of winter. It also reminds me of everything that a garden can be—provided you have a forklift, a crew of ten, at least $20,000 and the ability to make crocuses, roses and hydrangeas all bloom simultaneously.
Flittering, twittering, and singing—birds bring so much life to a garden. Apart from their beauty and pleasant songs, they also add to the biodiversity of our landscapes by spreading seeds and eating insect pests. How can we encourage birds to not only visit our yards but to nest there? Here’s a hint: it goes beyond hanging up a bird feeder. You must provide sustenance and shelter for birds to truly thrive in your garden. Here are some tips to attract them and make them want to stay.
Little is more discouraging than discovering healthy and recently-planted spring borders and developing vegetable crops damaged or eaten by rabbits; it’s enough to bring the Elmer Fudd out in the mildest of gardeners. Annoyingly rabbits are most active feeders early in morning and at dusk, and so often hard to spot; they also seem attracted to newly-planted areas. But by employing a range of tactics it is possible to reduce problems.
Flowering fiesta Bright Color
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As the sun dips below the horizon, transforming the sky into a canvas of twinkling stars, your garden becomes a magical setting for an enchanting night picnic. The allure of dining al fresco takes on a new dimension when the moon casts its gentle glow on nature's stage. This celestial soiree explores the art of crafting an unforgettable night picnic under the stars, where the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary.
Away from the Show Gardens on Main Avenue, the Sanctuary Gardens offer plenty of inspiration and often on a more achievable scale. A garden that honours 200 years of the National Gallery, a family space that can bounce back from heavy rainfall, and a sensory haven that supports the emotional wellbeing for children undergoing cancer treatment, feature in 2024’s line up.
The colors chosen in the planning of a garden are very much a matter of personal taste but there are particularly pleasing combinations.
The fall is the perfect time to plant garlic in your garden. Compared to spring-planted garlic, fall garlic produces larger bulbs, matures earlier, and often has fewer disease problems. Additionally, certain types of garlic, mainly hard-neck types like Rocambole, will not mature in time from spring planting.