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Planting for wildlife (1 Viewer)

I'm planting some primroses soon. apparently birds like the seeds and insects like the nectar. also want to plant some roses, which are good for wildlife because of the berries and nectar.
 
I'm planting some primroses soon. apparently birds like the seeds and insects like the nectar. also want to plant some roses, which are good for wildlife because of the berries and nectar.

Okay never liked really all the planting, ect...But reading this has inspired me to clean my garden and get planting! Starting soon! B :)
 
I agree that generally , native planting is best. although there are some exceptions, where non-native plants are beneficial to wildlife.

Many non-native plants are very popular with certain wildlife. This is one of the things that can turn a simple non-native species into an invasive one, especially if it has berries or seeds that birds love to eat. I believe that is the case with the aforementioned Russian Olive in North America; that is also how the (native) Eastern Redceder invades grasslands so quickly in the absence of fire. I'm not too familiar with invasive species in Europe, but I'm sure there are similar situations. I know that Goldenrod is pretty popular with the birds here, and it is a common invasive in Europe; I imagine there's a connection.

To wit, non-native species that are "hardy" and "wildlife-friendly" are probably worse in the long run than finicky ornamentals.
 
Spent the whole day in the garden. Getting a small patch cleared, and soiled up. And got some big rocks to make a rockery and planted 15 viola and 6 heather's. So that was good. GOT BIG plans this year! So buzzing to get going. Thanks to this thread doe inspiring me to get out in my garden. Apart from feeding but planting.
 
Spent the whole day in the garden. Getting a small patch cleared, and soiled up. And got some big rocks to make a rockery and planted 15 viola and 6 heather's. So that was good. GOT BIG plans this year! So buzzing to get going. Thanks to this thread doe inspiring me to get out in my garden. Apart from feeding but planting.

Congratulations! Gardening is a gift.
Just don't burn yourself out.
It's Sunday, put up your feet, relax and have a beer while considering planting layouts.
Here in the US, this is the time the gardening catalogs reach their peak.
A leisurely perusal is always time well spent.
 
Congratulations! Gardening is a gift.
Just don't burn yourself out.
It's Sunday, put up your feet, relax and have a beer while considering planting layouts.
Here in the US, this is the time the gardening catalogs reach their peak.
A leisurely perusal is always time well spent.


Yes i was told never over do gardening. It's hard and never rush in to it. Think layout's before you plant. But thanks for the heads up.
 
Planted muscari, primroses and a viburnum shrub out today. anyone ever planted these?

i'm keeping all the trays and pots I buy the plants in so I can sow wildflower seeds in them sometime soon. when they have got started in the pots I'll transplant them into the garden. can't wait. I was just wondering... if you start plants off indoors, is putting them on a windowledge going to give them enough sunlight?
 
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Planted muscari, primroses and a viburnum shrub out today. anyone ever planted these?

i'm keeping all the trays and pots I buy the plants in so I can sow wildflower seeds in them sometime soon. when they have got started in the pots I'll transplant them into the garden. can't wait. I was just wondering... if you start plants off indoors, is putting them on a windowledge going to give them enough sunlight?

Hi Nature_lover,
The early start by the window approach just gave me very leggy seedlings that died outside. Guess they were trying to reach for the light.
A decent grow light is probably what is required, but that costs space and money. Or maybe one of the green thumb posters will know how to make it work more economically.
 
Glad to see you are getting into the green fingers. Theres one thing to think of when plants are on the windowledge and that is the nightime frosts. Once seeds have germinated turn frequently so they do not get leggy. When most frosts have gone you can harden the plants off by putting them outside and brining them in of a night. Gardeners world usually give good timings and it should be coming back on to the tv on friday evening soon.
 
thanks for answering both of you. I'll do some more research and give it a go , I guess I'll have to learn through trial and error.
I thought about getting a little propagator to protect the seedlings from frost outside? rather than putting them on a windowledge inside.
 
I reckon there are some annuals that don't like transplanting, so you need to sow them where they are going to flower; the packet should make it clear.
 
I have been planting a hella lot for wildlife this year. I have planted primroses and other flowering plants which I completely forgotten the names of. The main plants I have gone for is to attract insects. I am also growing seedlings in a propagator. So far I have grown butterfly attracting plants and the way I did that was I grew them on the windowsill with the propagator on, then after they have grown a bit I let them grow a bit more but this this time with the propagator off. After they grew to a decent height I have planted them in pots and placed them outside. So far they have no died but I am hoping they will grow successfully.

I also got a heck of alot of what I presume is bluebells (Confirmation needed) growing and my blossom tree (its what we call it) is started to bloom. I have seen the coal tits fiddle round with the buds, maybe insects?

Also planted a blackberry bush and raspberry (I believe) last year. These were the only two out of five that survived the cold snap we had and now I can see green growing again
 

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I have been planting a hella lot for wildlife this year. I have planted primroses and other flowering plants which I completely forgotten the names of. The main plants I have gone for is to attract insects. I am also growing seedlings in a propagator. So far I have grown butterfly attracting plants and the way I did that was I grew them on the windowsill with the propagator on, then after they have grown a bit I let them grow a bit more but this this time with the propagator off. After they grew to a decent height I have planted them in pots and placed them outside. So far they have no died but I am hoping they will grow successfully.

I also got a heck of alot of what I presume is bluebells (Confirmation needed) growing and my blossom tree (its what we call it) is started to bloom. I have seen the coal tits fiddle round with the buds, maybe insects?

Also planted a blackberry bush and raspberry (I believe) last year. These were the only two out of five that survived the cold snap we had and now I can see green growing again

wow, that all sounds great!! I want to do the same thing with the propagator.
since autumn I've been planting and so far I've planted: crocus, primrose, pansies , muscari, bluebells, snowdrops, iris, tulips, azalea & viburnum . in fact , I have just came in from planting the azalea out.
when we moved to this house the garden has a mature pussy/goat willow tree which the birds , bees, and butterflies adore. If anyones thinking of planting a sapling, I recommend it.

I frequently see birds picking at buds and catkins, and i assume it's for aphids and little critters like that?
 
I learned from watching gardners world last year how to make many plants from just the seed head of primroses and polyanthus. Wait until the flower drops off and the pos fills our, its still green at this stage then pick and the pod will have naby seeds. Put them individually into compost and they will germinate and give lots of plants. I tried it and it works, they may flower later this year but they cost nothing.
 
A patch of the garden that some previous house-owner had laid fabric down, and put blue pebbles over I have spent the afternoon pulling it all up, removing the rocks, digging over the soil, and putting a little fence round it. I have sown ox-eye daisy, poppy , and cornflower seeds in it, and am hoping that eventually it will be a min-wildflower-meadow.

i also want to get a special wildflower-meadow seed mix , with grasses in it.
 
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Make sure the bluebells are the true english ones, the foreign ones are killing off our native bluebells. These are our native species.
 

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English bluebells flower around may, the flowers are on one side, spanish are all round the stem.

The difference between English and Spanish bluebells
English bluebell

Flowers of native bluebells are narrowly bell-shaped, with straight-sided petals, deeply curled back at the tips. The majority of flowers droop from one side of the stem. The anthers are creamy-white and the leaves narrow, usually between 0.7-1.5cm wide (about ¼-¾in), although occasionally up to 2cm (¾in).
Spanish bluebell and hybrid

The bell-shaped flowers of Spanish bluebells and the hybrids between this and the English (known as H. × massartiana) open more widely than on English bluebells, with the petal tips just flaring outwards or curling back only slightly. Some flowers may droop from one side, but most are arranged all around the stem and held more erect. The anthers of Spanish and hybrid bluebells are usually pale to dark blue, and the leaves are wider, up to 3-3.5cm (about 1¼in) acros
 
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