BY JACQUIE COX
Our wildlife garden has been going for a few years now and has seen a lot of changes through our variable seasons and the railway work that goes on nearby.
It was started to carry on Reg’s amazing work in the garden, and to complement the food growing area.
The main crops grown are: gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, red currants and herbs.
The wildlife garden is divided into 3 sections in the middle:
Area 1, was completely dug over and re-planted with mainly bee and butterfly friendly plants.
Area 2, was left as it was in order to maintain the existing ecosystem.
Area 3, has been mainly left as a nettle area for butterflies and also has many wildlife friendly features such as: dead wood hedges, a hogitat, log piles, standing logs, stag beetle loggeries, a ‘bee bath’, bee shelters, a lacewing and ladybird house, a butterfly feeding station, and undisturbed brash piles. Along the top edge by the railway, after the removal of all the trees and plants by Network Rail, the area has been replanted with bird friendly plants and shrubs and a small meadow alongside 2 bird feeding stations and a variety of potted plants to support the pollinating insects. There are also small ‘plates’ with pebbles which are kept topped up with water for the bees – these also have sugar added in cold snaps.
Every year, the area changes, as the plants on the railway grow affecting the light, and the amount of rain – or lack of it - has an effect on the heavy London clay soil.
The variety of wildlife has increased greatly, and the area provides a natural corridor between the Heath, railway and nature reserve.
Birds:
Black birds, hedge sparrows, blue tits, great tits, collared doves, green finches, black caps, a tree creeper, a woodpecker, wrens and the smallest British bird, the goldcrest.
Butterflies and moths:
Whites, orange tips, red admirals, peacocks, commas, browns along with white plume moths, brimstone, garden tiger, a mix of tiny micro moths, and even Poplar hawk- moth and the amazing Hummingbird Hawk-moth.
Insects:
Squillions! From Froghoppers, to shield bugs, devil’s coach horse, lacewings, ladybirds, bee flies, hoverflies and lots of different types of bee from carders to mining bees, bumbles, and the amazingly named ‘hairy footed flower bee’.
Then when you get down to ground level, well, good luck with spotting and counting: snails yes, and slugs too – have you ever seen a leopard slug? Lots of worms, millipedes and woodlice. We are also getting a much wider variety of fungi now too – dead man’s fingers is but one!
If you want to get involved, please let Jacquie know, there’s always lots to do whatever the time of year. So why not join in, have some ‘fresh’ air and exercise and FUN.
PHOTOS BY JACQUIE COX
© Heathview Tenant's Co-operative Housing Corporation Reg. N. C2390 Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 Reg. No. 21857R
Our wildlife garden has been going for a few years now and has seen a lot of changes through our variable seasons and the railway work that goes on nearby.
It was started to carry on Reg’s amazing work in the garden, and to complement the food growing area.
The main crops grown are: gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, red currants and herbs.
The wildlife garden is divided into 3 sections in the middle:
Area 1, was completely dug over and re-planted with mainly bee and butterfly friendly plants.
Area 2, was left as it was in order to maintain the existing ecosystem.
Area 3, has been mainly left as a nettle area for butterflies and also has many wildlife friendly features such as: dead wood hedges, a hogitat, log piles, standing logs, stag beetle loggeries, a ‘bee bath’, bee shelters, a lacewing and ladybird house, a butterfly feeding station, and undisturbed brash piles. Along the top edge by the railway, after the removal of all the trees and plants by Network Rail, the area has been replanted with bird friendly plants and shrubs and a small meadow alongside 2 bird feeding stations and a variety of potted plants to support the pollinating insects. There are also small ‘plates’ with pebbles which are kept topped up with water for the bees – these also have sugar added in cold snaps.
Every year, the area changes, as the plants on the railway grow affecting the light, and the amount of rain – or lack of it - has an effect on the heavy London clay soil.
The variety of wildlife has increased greatly, and the area provides a natural corridor between the Heath, railway and nature reserve.
Birds:
Black birds, hedge sparrows, blue tits, great tits, collared doves, green finches, black caps, a tree creeper, a woodpecker, wrens and the smallest British bird, the goldcrest.
Butterflies and moths:
Whites, orange tips, red admirals, peacocks, commas, browns along with white plume moths, brimstone, garden tiger, a mix of tiny micro moths, and even Poplar hawk- moth and the amazing Hummingbird Hawk-moth.
Insects:
Squillions! From Froghoppers, to shield bugs, devil’s coach horse, lacewings, ladybirds, bee flies, hoverflies and lots of different types of bee from carders to mining bees, bumbles, and the amazingly named ‘hairy footed flower bee’.
Then when you get down to ground level, well, good luck with spotting and counting: snails yes, and slugs too – have you ever seen a leopard slug? Lots of worms, millipedes and woodlice. We are also getting a much wider variety of fungi now too – dead man’s fingers is but one!
If you want to get involved, please let Jacquie know, there’s always lots to do whatever the time of year. So why not join in, have some ‘fresh’ air and exercise and FUN.
PHOTOS BY JACQUIE COX
© Heathview Tenant's Co-operative Housing Corporation Reg. N. C2390 Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 Reg. No. 21857R
