As I sat drinking my tea this morning I observed a Woolly Bear crawling along my decking. Super cool, especially as the last time I saw one was when I was a child. These furry caterpillars transform into the brightly coloured Garden Tiger Moth, and are seen during July and August.
The Garden Tiger Moth is a night-flying species found on woodland edges, wet meadows, parks and damp gardens. The striking caterpillars are large, black and covered in long, dense, black and ginger hairs: they are commonly called ‘Woolly Bears’. I love the common name. They feed on stinging nettles, dock leaves and many garden plants. It’s best not to touch them, as their hairs can be irritating to the skin. They are actually on the decline, so if you see them it’s a treat.
For many of us the sound of bees buzzing among the flowers, the sight of tadpoles emerging from jelly-like frogspawn and the smell of freshly cut grass are our first impressions of nature. And more often than not, it’s our very own back gardens that these memories come from: little havens for wildlife dotted through the deserts of urban sprawl. In fact, the total of size of all the UK’s gardens is bigger than all our National Nature Reserves put together!
Water in a garden, no matter how small a feature, is in my opinion invaluable. All of life’s creatures and plants need precious H2O. Water attracts wildlife and creates interest for children and adults alike. Just the sound of trickling water is soothing and can send you to sleep on a warm summers day.
From tiny back yards and roof terraces to formal gardens and paddocks, all of our gardens are important for wildlife, offering a variety of habitats. They also link natural spaces in the countryside, so species can move about freely.
When your children’s school holidays start, you may be possibly wondering how on earth you’re going to get any gardening or work done and keep the kids happy, entertained and interested in something all at the same time. A tricky balance.
It might seem unlikely, but this could be the ideal time to tackle that pond project. Water features create the most excitement for children. Digging a pond in the garden could spark their interest in gardening as a life-long passion. And getting them to help build it should give your powerhouses some exercise.
A garden pond can be home to all manner of wildlife, including fish,frogs and toads, or even rare great crested newts.
Water features do not need to be huge projects, they can be created from all sorts of objects and containers. Ponds can be small or large, dug out or pre-formed. If you feel like it may be out of your abilities, give me a call for some more information or a quote for some help, or the complete installment.
Safety is paramount when water and children are in the mix, but as long as some basic sensible measures are in place the children can have fun and learn lots. And us adults can enjoy some much needed serenity in our mostly hectic lives, and of course have fun too.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Dave, from Garden Design Services has been madly keen on gardening for as long as he can remember. He decided to start a business in landscaping at the request of friends and family who quite simply said “I was mad not too” “The garden is a most valuable space, and I feel it is quite important to have a space that you can thoroughly relax in and enjoy”. If you need help in enjoying your garden then give Dave a call on 01322 559 660 or 07780 461 148
_______________________________________________________________________________
Submit your review | |