Maverick Award: My Beliefs
I believe that private gardens and public spaces should be havens for wildlife, as well as being pleasant for humans, with imperfect lawns containing patches of long grass and wildflowers, weeds in the borders and between the cracks in the patio. So many gardens are sterile and clean, perhaps for convenience; I understand this - people are busy and don't want their kids or pets getting muddy and making a mess, don't necessarily have the skills to maintain a garden or think that these skills are not for them or something they could not learn. I realise that this is a gross generalisation!
I trained as a horticulturalist and landscaper many years ago, so have the confidence and skills to grow my garden and know why some things work and others don't. I have been fascinated by nature for most of my life, and still get excited when I see spiders or slow worms, or snakes, or frogs or eagles! I'm rather fond of ants and woodlice too, but slugs are my horticultural nemesis. However, I don't use pellets to get rid of them, just wish the resident slow worms and frogs would eat more.
For my project I want to investigate ways of making my small back garden (c. 24m x 3.5m) more wildlife friendly, and to log what is already there in terms of flora and fauna. I shall also endeavour to spread my enthusiasm for wildlife and plants to my tutor group at work, and perhaps the wider community. I shall start small!
1: Flora and fauna survey.
This has been started and will be added to throughout the project as I spot more. So far I have noted approximately 140 flowering plants, but I know there are more, as well as trees and hedges. I have at least 40 species of wildflowers in the mix too, most of which are perennial. There is a variety of wildlife, including several species of spider, four species of snail, at least three species of slug, red ants, brown ants, woodlice, slow worms, earthworms, red worms, aphids, saw flies, hover flies, bee flies, honey bees, bumble bees, solitary bees, wasps, pipistrelle bats (flying over), several species of moths and butterflies, a frog, a toad, and various large flies some of which are irridescent green. There are also some birds such as starlings, sparrows, blue tits, blackbirds and the occasional pigeon. I have found it hard to attract birds here, which may or may not have something to do with the number of cats locally.
I took part in 'Fat Spider Fortnight', a citizen science project run by the Natural History Museum on iNaturalist in October, as well as the RSPBs Big Garden Birdwatch in January. The spiders in my garden all decided to go into hiding, except for a few large garden spiders, and all the birds went on holiday until the last ten minutes when a few blackbirds and a bluetit turned up.
2: Learn more about how to encourage wildlife
- Panel: "Are we living through an insect apocalypse?" This was hosted by the Wildlife Trusts in Cumbria , and brought together four leading experts in insects. The panel discussion was broadcast live on YouTube and was interesting. What stuck particularly in my mind is how many insect larvae are aquatic and have been found with large amounts of microplastics in their guts, which are then passed up the food chain. Fake lawns are also appallingly bad for wildlife; they can get very hot, their compacted bases prevent much from happening in the soil, as they degrade they create plastic particulates, and they create an environmental desert as they are fake!
- Online Seminar: Get Creative with rainwater in your garden, run by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (8/9/22) - postponed until November due to Queen's death.
- Research how to build small ponds, bird boxes and insect hotels. Make at least one of each if possible, or buy the boxes/ hotels locally.
- I attended a lecture by Charles Dowding on the 'No Dig' method of vegetable gardening in October, which encourages better soil health and this a wider biodiversity of soil flora and fauna which then has a positive impact on more obvious garden wildlife. Interesting. Following this I removed some of the wooden sides from my slightly raised vegetable bed, weeded it thoroughly as it had become neglected, and then covered it in a thick mulch of homemade compost. I sowed broad bean seeds which initially grew well then got killed in a prolonged cold snap. I planted garlic cloves at new year which have sprouted and are doing well. I covered the path between beds with a thick layer of newspaper and then bark chips, which were then covered with various bits of old greenhouse shelving and cooker shelves to stop the cats digging it up.
- I bought a wooden hanging bird feeder in December, then attached two terracotta saucers to it which I filled with mixed seeds and meal worms. I also hung a fatball holder from it. This has already proved more successful than previous feeders I have used, and I have seen blackbirds, wood pigeons and bluetits using it.
3: Encourage my tutor group to take an interest
- (8/9/22) Collaborative slideshow created with tutor group so we can all share pictures of any wildlife we find at home or out and about. So far it is just my pictures of spiders, slow worms and frogs, but they seemed genuinely interested.
- (27/9/22) one of my tutees said she had made a video of something interesting on her grandfather's allotment and would add it to the slideshow (she never did, despite reminders).
- (27/9/22) had a discussion about the importance of wasps and their life cycle with a student who was scared of them.
- 03/10/22 showed tutor group part of a wasps nest my friend had given to me. We now have a nature box! So far it contains conkers, a dove feather, a slow worm skin, wasp nest, mermaids purse, sea shells and fossilised wood. Updated slides with pictures of snails from my garden.
- 19/10/22 helped out at Agricultural Club helping students with weeding. Identified spiders and chatted about my career in horticulture. Nobody from tutor group but several students I teach were there.
- Ongoing: tutor group have lost interest over the winter, but members of the Agricultural Club have asked me to come back and help as I know what I am talking about!
Further Reading:
Hedgehog house instructions
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