Report on the talk "Gardening to Help Wildlife"

Report on the talk Gardening to help Wildlife

On Tuesday 7th April, we enjoyed a talk from Martin Hampton, who designs gardens that help wild creatures to flourish. That includes the slugs, snails, beetles, grubs and all the mini beasts which live almost unnoticed in our gardens. These creatures are at the bottom of the food chain that ultimately supports the animals we see and love, such as hedgehogs and garden birds.

Martin challenged us with questions about what we did for wildlife in our own gardens, and the hall was alive with animated conversations.

The evening was full of challenges. The biggest one was to question whether our gardens existed only for our pleasure? The conventional view is that a garden should look pretty. Martin believes that a garden is only truly beautiful if it fully supports wildlife. Nature is under siege. As gardeners, we need to help it. A big part of this is to do less and observe more. Have wild parts of the garden where small creatures can live undisturbed. A log pile among long grass and brambles is a paradise for many species of insects. Leaving hollow stemmed plants to overwinter instead of pruning in the Autumn offers habitats for nesting moths and bees. He described the joy of seeing rare butterflies feeding in his garden when he started embracing the messiness of a natural garden.

He was caustic about bird feeders, comparing them with taking the kids for a burger and calling it a balanced diet. Birds may enjoy our treats, but they also need berries, worms, grubs and insects, so we must provide an environment where such things flourish.

There were three things gardeners should avoid. Firstly, no pesticides or herbicides. Secondly, no strong lighting in the garden at night. Bright lights are disruptive to nocturnal creatures and upset their circadian rhythms. Thirdly, never seal off the soil. He expressed this as an act of ecocide, since the soil is alive. It suffocates beneath barriers of resin, weed suppressing membrane or concrete, and all the creatures within it will die.

He strives to include seven rules when designing gardens. The area should have different shapes and heights of plants, to provide habitat for many species. There should be crevices where insects can nest. Insects need foliage to eat. Decaying organic matter is needed to enrich the soil. Undisturbed areas are needed for peaceful nesting. There should be a source of water. Finally, there should be flowers, not only for the pollinators, but as a source of food for other creatures.

He finished with a brief run-down of some of the best plants for a wildlife-friendly garden, which included many beautiful natives such as hawthorn, cranesbill, woodruff and marjoram.

Gardening for wildlife doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s about relaxing into Nature, relinquishing a measure of control and learning to share our outdoor spaces.

The flower of the month competition was won by Jenny Hall with a Dicentra Spectabilis ‘Bleeding Heart’

Forthcoming Events:

Tuesday 5th May: ‘Summerdown Mint’ talk by Ian Margetts

Tuesday 2nd June: ‘Healthy Soil for Small-scale Farming’ talk by Chris Haskins