Oxfordshire Limited Edition – August 2019

August 2019 |OxfordshireLimitedEdition| 93

HOMES INTERIORS

SheenaMarshismakingwildlifewelcomeinthegarden

EVERYTHINGINTHEGARDEN

L

astweekIlearnta

particularlypainfullesson.

Ibrokemyfingerinafutile

bidtochaseawayoneofthe

numerousvisitingrabbits

inmygarden.Thewarto

protectmypreciousflowershasbeenlost.

Peacehasbeenofficiallydeclared.

Thisexperiencehasleftmeinareflective

mood.Wildlifeinagardenaddsanextra

dimensionthatalltoooftenwegardeners

takeforgranted.Agardenwithoutbirds,

beesorbutterflieswouldindeedbeasterile

environmentandsoweneedtoembracethe

diversitythatwildlifebringsandtakeamore

relaxedattitude,dareIsay,eventowards

rabbits.

Thereissomuchpleasuretobehadfrom

watchingtheanticsoftheaerobaticbluetits

astheyswingupsidedownfromatwig,or

therobinperchedonmyspadeortheevening

songoftheblackbird.Food,waterandshelter

arethechiefattractionsforbirdsinagarden

andevenasmallgardencanofferallthree.

Alivingboundarybetweengardens,suchas

ahedge,isnotonlymorevisuallyappealing

thanafencebutmakeaperfectwildlifehaven

withouttakinguptoomuchmorespace.

Ahedgecanmakeagoodnestsite,

particularlyintruder-proofhedgessuchas

berberis,hollyorhawthorn.Ifafenceis

essential,clotheitwithvariousclimbers

tolivenitupandprovidenestingareas.

Plantsthatproduceautumnberries,suchas

cotoneasterorpyracanthaareeasytogrow

andamagnetforthrushes.

Throughoutthesummerdifferentspecies

ofbutterflywillvisitmostgardensseeking

food.Theyareeasytolurebyproviding

plentyofnectar-richblooms.Theaptly

namedbutterflybush,Buddleiadavidii,

floweringnow,isthefirstchoiceforattracting

vastnumbersofbutterflies.

Ifyouwanttomakejustoneadditionto

attractwildlifeintothegarden,makeitwater.

Evenasmallbirdbathortinypondwillbea

meccaforbirds,insects,frogsandnewts.In

somanyofourgardensatthistimeofyear

it’sprobablybesttoletnaturetakesitscourse

andsimplyenjoywatchingthevariousvisitors.