We have a large garden (more like a field), which consists mainly of grass and is not the normal neat and tidy garden with pretty flowerbeds, more like you would expect of a Yorkshire hillside. Weather permitting Ian spends his summer time mowing it.
As it had been so wet, he wasn't able to do it and it got longer and longer. By the time it was getting somewhere near dry enough to mow, Ian had second thoughts about doing it. Now was it because of all the bees, buttercups and wildflowers, the insects and other wildlife like birds, hedgehogs and frogs, or was it even the mole hills the mower bumped into?
He said he felt like a murderer! We have hundreds and hundreds of bees (honey and bumble) in the garden, I don't know the name of the shrub (it's an evergreen with red berries), but they love it, and create quite a buzz around it.
Hamish just gets lost in the garden now... much more fun for him like this! Great to spring around in.
Ian says, "save the bees!"
Is it a wildlife haven or a lazy gardener? What do you think?
Jill
Ian is not a lazy gardener Jill, this looks lovely as it is, so I say, leave it to be a wildlife garden, you never know what other species it will attract.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Christine xx
Lazy or not, why spoil Hamish's fun (or the bees). It looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteLesley
It's definately a wildlife haven Jill - but if the grass is a worry I'll send up a couple of horses to mow it for yo.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, we have areas designated purely for wildlife as we so enjoy watching all the insects, birds and animals especially on a Sunner evening (what's one of those ?)when you hear the hum of grasshoppers and pheasants calling. We keep being told our wildlife is under threat of distinction because of the UK's tidy gardens, so I think Ian is definately on the right track.
B x
Definitely a wildlife garden. Looks just like ours!
ReplyDeleteweeeeeelll... as a person who has springers (!!) and a garden which was looking exactly like yours last weekend, I would say it's perfect as it is.. The dogs loved it when it was long, rootling around and having a sniff, and enjoying the splendours of nature buzzing around, my garden had a purpose (... although still not sure what it was... ) and I was doing my bit for Bee Survival, which in turn means it's our world's survival too!! (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)
ReplyDeleteIt is now cut short and mown with a few straggly bits here and there and although it looks neater, it was bloomin' hard work! So, I vote for leave it as it is.. it dies down in winter and then refreshes next summer! lol.
This definitely has to be a wildlife haven Jill. What fantastic fun for Hamish. It's lovely to see the bees and butterflies and everything although our cats spend their lives chasing them. Not sure what they'd do if they actually caught one, but it's enterntaining watching them. Keep your bit of Yorkshire countryside just as it is!
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Thanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteDecision made, it's staying as it is:)
Jill x
Definitely good for the wildlife. You could always take a hay crop when the flowers go over.
ReplyDeleteBeryl xx
Hi, I think your wild life garden is a great idea! I am trying to grow a more bee freindly garden too. I don't have room for a wild meadow such as yours but am adding plants I know bees love to visit. Your shrub with the red berries sounds like Cotoneaster (prounounced Co-ton-ee-aster). We have 2 different varieties of these and both are visited by lots of bees. They seem to prefer the one that has tiny flowers that are pink and look like tiny buds that never seem to open, but if you look closely they are actually a full flower of the tinest petals. If you want more information on helping bees and other insect try visiting the BumbleBee Conservation Trust's web site. If you google that name you should find the web site.
ReplyDeleteThank you Phree, I will have a look at the website to learn more about bees, they need all the help they can get.
ReplyDeleteWe have 3 of the Cotoneaster plants, all the same, one is really established over our pond, not sure which type it is but will have a look and see if we can get the other type too.
Jill