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Tame wildlife.

Geese and Family.

Shrubs to attract wildlife.

Garden hedges can provide a very efficient windbreak, as well as giving privacy, and reducing unwanted noise. Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is used today as a hedging plant, and will make a thick hedge if planted twelve to eighteen inches apart. After first two years, clip annually. Beech (Fagus sylvatica) is similar to hornbeam, but has smoother leaves, it is cared for in the same way. The best evergreen hedge is provided by the common box, (Buxus sempervirens) planted eighteen inches apart, does well on any soil, and makes a dense hedge that will stand clipping well.
Another plant suitable for a dense impenetrable evergreen hedge, is the Ilex (Holly). Planted one and a half feet apart. They can be clipped in August or September. Will grow up to twenty feet tall.
Laurels are evergreen, and can be used for hedging or providing a screen. Care must be taken when clipping and this is best done with secateurs during the spring.
The fastest growing hedging plant is the Leyland cypress. It is evergreen. And will provide a good screen but needs to be kept under control, with clipping two or even three times in the summer.
Many other shrubs can be used for hedging; Berberis and Pyracantha make thick thorny evergreen hedges, also coteneaster is very useful for boundaries. All produce berries, upon which birds feed.
A hedge needs to be clipped regularly to maintain its shape. Which should be narrower at the top. Most hedges should be clipped twice a year once in spring and again in summer.

Woodlands Wildlife.

Recently, a heron was seen raiding my neighbour’s fishpond, first making a flyover to spot his lunch, then after evading the protective nets, devouring the fish. The heron later spent some time standing on one leg, in the middle of the field opposite, digesting his meal.
I try to dissuade large birds coming in to my garden, pheasant, partridge and pigeon seem to think I grow vegetables for their consumption, but I grow more than I need because of this.
Smaller birds are encouraged; a bird table has been placed for their use, replenished with seed frequently. I put out nuts daily and make nesting boxes for the tits. If you are making a nesting box remember tits need a 28mm hole, (any larger or smaller and they will not use the box).
I have recently made a dovecote, and erected it in a suitable spot. Doves are a favourite prey for sparrow hawks, they occasionally swoop down and take one; the sparrowhawk kills and even starts to pluck his catch in flight, bevore ripping the dove apart and devouring on the ground. The male hawk can take a pigeon but the hen sparrowhawk, being much smaller, will only tackle easier prey.
Buzzards can sometimes be seen, circling around their nesting site on a thermal current, but never come too close to humans.
Often a kestrel hovers overhead, looking for food; they occasionally, eat small birds.
Another bird sometimes seen, in the spring is the lapwing; they make the characteristic peewee sound, even making this noise at night. Marshy fields is their habitat, as most farmland is now drained, they are in decline.
Swifts and house martins can be seen during the summer, making screaming noises as they search for insects, they make their home under the eaves of houses.

Wildlife in my garden.

An unwelcome visitor to my garden, is the mole; they spend their whole life in tunnels. When digging, they leave mounds of earth on my lawn.
If you are observant in the evening you may see or hear a hedgehog they make a grunting sound as they forage for slugs and worms. The hedgehog is the gardener’s friend; I try to encourage them.
Another rare nocturnal visitor is the badger they make a scoop shape with their claws, on my lawn, searching for earthworms, they are discouraged, by ensuring fences are kept in good order.
Good barriers are also required to keep out another pest, the rabbit they will play havoc on the vegetable plot if you let them.
A fox has been seen in the garden, but they will do little damage, a fence is no obstacle to him.
Any garden with a varied range of plants will attract wildlife. A good hawthorn hedge will provide a nesting place for birds. And berried shrubs, like cotoneaster and berberis, provide food, in the winter. Another good shrub to plant is the buddlia these attract butterflies. Also try nectar rich plants like the ice plant.
Making a shallow pond is well worthwhile; it will provide a home for frog’s newts and even dragonflies, also giving the birds and hedgehogs a place to drink.
Finally I always leave piles of logs around to allow small creatures to hibernate.

Consider yourself very lucky if you live in the country, as a vast amount of wildlife will visit your garden,
First invest in a strong bird table, (preferably roofed)
Birds of all kinds will fly in to feed, if you put out wild birdseed for them, but don�t forget the ground feeders.
In our garden we have pheasants, partridge, crows, pigeons, and all kinds of smaller birds. Occasionally we may see a sparrow hawk looking for his lunch.
During the summer we always leave a bowl of clean water for them, as sometimes this can be in short supply.
Hedgehogs can be another visitor to your garden, they are the gardeners friend, as they eat all garden pests. You can encourage them by leaving a dish of dog food in the evening.
Another visitor in our garden is a fox, if you have chicken for dinner leave the carcass in a quiet spot for him, and he will dispose of it.
A squirrel will sometimes come looking for food, they eat nuts, so if you put nuts out for the tits, make sure they are hung out of reach and you may see squirrel acrobatics in action.

Plant to encourage wildlife.

These shrubs help to encourage birds, butterflies, and bees.
Cotoneaster, pyracanther, hebe, potentilla, ribes, spirea, vibunam, weiglia, buddlia,.
Try and leave a rough area in a corner of the garden, let the grass and weeds grow, this will encourage a host of wildlife.