Mark Cummings came to our first meeting in may and gave us an inspiring talk about Rewilding our own back yards- here he has kindly shared his advice.
A prescription for a wilder garden: Dear Weston WI Wildlife Warrior. Here is a summary of the talk with small changes you can make to your garden. The more you do the better it will be but even just choosing one thing will be a step in the right direction… Stop using ALL chemicals Problem: Liquid feeds create chemical stress and promotes unbalanced growth spurts that require further feeding. Solution: Enrich with plenty of organic matter or use comfrey tea. Allow plants to grow within their natural means. Problem: Pesticides are indiscriminate and kill the predators as well as the pests. Solution: Be patient, balance will restore. Be understanding. You may see damage to plants, but it is usually temporary (except hostas- they are cannon fodder so say goodbye). Plant to prevent pests. Problem: slug pellets kill hedgehogs and damage birds’ eggshells Solution: Encourage predators such as frogs, toads, and beetles into the garden with… Mosaic of habitats: Pond-Gold standard of habitat creation. Will fill garden with life including predators. Log piles- encourage beetles and fungi Dead hedges -allow safe passage of critters around your garden. Leaf piles- provide habitat margins- places where insects can reside. Trees- support a huge range of wildlife and sequester carbon. Shrubs- don’t be too keen to prune back. Allow shelter for birds and insects. Allow some grassy areas to grow (perfect for butterflies and bees). Complexity of planting- the more variety of species you have the more wildlife your garden will support. Consider having around 20% native plants- some insects are specialist so will only feed on specific plants. Single flowers are best. Frilly doubles make it impossible for pollinators to reach nectar and pollen. Consider planting for moths and other night flyers. Honeysuckle is prime moth manner. Sand piles, gravel, shingle, and rubble all provide habitat for different insects and solitary bees. Bird baths- birds need to drink twice a day and be able to wash themselves. Regenerate soil (no chemicals) mulch with plenty of organic matter, lots of ground cover plants. Plant dynamic accumulators such as comfrey and sorrel. Don’t remove the green waste you generate when gardening just leave it on the beds, it will soon rot down. Above all, be brave and forgiving. it’s a big deal to invite nature into your garden unchecked. It can be a bit like an unruly teenager. It’s not neat and tidy and won’t do as it’s told. But it will constantly surprise you. Mark can be found on his website www.mcgardendesign.co.uk/ or on his instagram account @markswildergardens
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