Gardening with wildlife in mind...I

     From my previous post you may wonder how the hell I actually earn a crust as a professional gardener, the pictures of the dumping ground that is at present masquerading as a little piece of Eden ...ahem... i.e. my garden would not inspire confidence in my green fingered abilities to any client, present or potential. But I happen to be a bloody good gardener, even if I do say so myself. My businesses USP (gawd the caveman uses modern jargon) is that I garden with wildlife in mind. Now this is not always possible with every client and as a extremely small business I have to firstly provide the garden that they want not what I would have myself, I do not have the luxury of been able to turn work down willy nilly as I have the same responsibilities as most folk to pay for and being choosy does not pay the bills. 

     But I am fortunate in that most of my clients, once they get to know me, will listen and allow me to introduce ideas into their gardens that will help encourage wildlife to visit and become a permanent fixture within what were once wildlife ‘un-friendly’ spaces. It is the most rewarding thing to hear a client waxing lyrical about the joy they now have from the wildlife that blesses their outdoor space. Now that I have returned to the blogosphere I thought that one thread of this blog would be nice if it introduced folk to ideas that would indeed encourage wildlife into their gardens. After all, just imagine if everyone in the country gardened with wildlife in mind (I know, “never going to happen”) the combined areas of all our gardens would provide a natural resource for our native flora and fauna larger than any of our national parks! And I also have the perfect setting to show how a small urban space can indeed become a wildlife sanctuary....my own private abandoned pikey site!

     So here we go, number one in a series...Gardening with wildlife in mind....ta da...

     Now from my previous post you will have seen the sad state of my own garden but at least (hopefully) you will come see that with a little knowledge, some labour and a lot of passion that even such a crappy back garden can become a place in which nature thrives. But not only this, I also strongly believe that one’s garden should be a tranquil area where one can take time to recharge, to meditate and to find peace within. Don’t worry I have not gone all soft in the head (not even with medication that I swallow daily), I am still a rough arsed caveman deep inside. 

     So having said all this I can now reveal that there has been some progress towards my garden’s transformation here at the ‘House in the Rock’. Up until last month the area in front of my garage actually was more of a mess than the garden itself and was the result of a little bit of bother with one of my interfering nosy old bag good neighbours, bless her (a story that may well appear upon these pages when I discuss human nature one day, or not). 

     Anyway back on point, In the last few weeks, time allowing, I have tidied and disposed of all the mess that adorned this area and was left with an area that, although tidy, was certainly not a winner in attracting wildlife. 

         As can be seen in the above photograph the parking area is now clear of debris and just requires the area re-covering with fresh gravel. The left hand side was planted last year with a various plants including a Elder sapling, Holly, a rose bush, Creeping Comfrey, Lily if the Valley, Hosta, Asta, amongst other things. The right hand side was actually planted up just before the rubbish was cleared as I was given some sorry looking Hebees that someone had dug up and were going to tip. To these I added London Pride, English Lavender, a couple of Rowen saplings and some bulbs. All the plants used were throw outs or split clumps from clients gardens so the cost was only my time. So to all intense purposes, once re-graveled the area would look just like many other suburban driveway, that is functional, tidy and with a nod to some boundary planting although I have endeavoured to include many insect attracting plants in these areas. As it is an area for parking that would be it, job done so to speak. But as I looked at it I realised that I could add more interest and more planting. 

     So firstly, with a a nod to my machine servicing side of the business (to be found at The Orc’s Workshop, but more on that in later posts) and also to my cider making, I have adding what I like to call my “agricultural art” piece...

     ....which is basically a knackered old rotovator and an old fruit press planted up with a Buddlea, some Aubretia and Bugle. The base has yet to be planted but I am probably thinking of adding some logs and planting ferns here. Just a quick note, the machine has been drained of any fluids and any harmful metals such as copper wiring has been removed also, so it may now rust in peace. But still not satisfied that I had done enough I banged my two brain cells together for anything else that could easily be used to attract wildlife yet leave the area functional. It was only when I was asked to dig up and dispose of some “weed infested turf” that the light bulb lit....

     Just like many a narrow country lane has a strip of vegetation where vehicles do not wear it way because the narrowness of the lane prevents wandering, the above strip is the “weed infested” turf that I lifted and now resides in the middle of my gravelled drive, just between my van’s wheels when parked. This turf is a joy, far from being weed infested it is loaded with Daisy and Selfheal. I have added one piece of Fox n Cubs to see if it will survive but the plan is in September add some Yellow Rattle seed if the grass proves too lush this year and then add a selection of the shorter growing meadow flowers. 

     So it goes to show that the most unlikely of areas can be used in a more wildlife friendly manner. Hopefully this thread through my blog will start to give you some ideas and also that you will enjoy my own garden transformation.