A wild bit in the garden

[Karl J]

I look after a friend's garden in Norwich where i have more or less free reign and I'm keen to set up an area that supports not just birds, but also butterflies, bees & whatever else wild gardens support, but don't know where to start.

It'd be good (for me !) to have a bit less maintenance as well. The area is along a border - about 60 ft by 15ft and there's already a Buddleia which i'll keep there and some bramble bushes which i keep along the fence.

What do i do from here - just leave it to go wild and see what happens ? .... Or are there certain plants / shrubs that i should think about planting out ?

[Gerry Hooper]

The Buddleia and brambles are a good start butterflies Carlos. Nettles are the next best thing for the catterpillars of Tortoiseshell and Peacock.
If you have any bare soil areas a packet of wild flower seeds would be good for insects,Foxgloves and Geraniums(Cranesbill)look good together too.
Anything with berries is good at attracthing birds, particularly Pyracantha or Cotoneaster.Honeysuckle and Ivy create a good habitat for nesting.
The best thing in my garden is the Birch tree-If there's not enough room for a full size one consider the little Japanese Weeping one.Betula pendula "youngii"
Anything but Gravel, Pots and a blue fence should be O.K.
Good Luck

[ivewalmer]

We recently visited a wild flower nursury centre type place at Letheringsett near Cley. Loads of plants there and seeds and the like. Might want to look at :

http://www.wellsweb.free-online.co.uk/Whatson/Tours/Flower.html

Ivan

[Elizabeth Bigg]

These RSPB pages might give you some ideas:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/directory/g.asp