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Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 04 9:05 pm Post subject: Garden Conservation

I was just wondering what people do in their gardens?

We've added several ponds since moving in and have had a few years of frog and toads successfully breeding and the garden was crawling with little toads this year.

My main achievement is with the end of our garden. The garden is quite long and we have room for a sitting area, a few flowers, veg patch, chicken patch, greenhouse, fruit patch and shed. There was still a reasonable area at the end of the garden. Our neighbour on one side decided to cut down his apple trees to make life easier (

) and on the other they covered the entire area with plastic, gravel and bark (

) as they don't like anything living there.

However, we looked at various books to see what grows naturally, ordered a large batch of saplings and planted a mix of hawthorn, sloe, various wild roses, hazel, field maple etc a few years ago.

In places the soil is only a few cm thick and solid chalk underneath, but the trees have done very well; I managed to lay a small strip of hawthorn hedge last winter and it's all grown this year. We've seen wood mice, voles, large groups of slow worms (a slither of slow worms?), frogs, toads, newts, and numerous other animals up there. This year we've also had wood blewits and field mushrooms move in and next year who knows. Hopefully, when we sell the house people will happily leave the patch to nature. It may be a little, but it all helps.

sean
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 04 9:41 pm Post subject:
Mostly I clear up spaniel poo. We have a small pond, which has frogs, and occasional toads. Slow worms in the compost heap. And we feed the birds.

deerstalker

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 589

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 04 9:42 pm Post subject:
Excellent work, you're forever my hero!

sean
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 04 9:53 pm Post subject:
You aren't talking about the spaniel poo, are you? Last edited by sean on Sat Nov 20, 04 10:00 pm; edited 1 time in total

deerstalker

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 589

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 04 9:57 pm Post subject:
What's a spanile?

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 04 10:00 pm Post subject:
Like a spaniel, but more stupid

deerstalker

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 589

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 04 10:10 pm Post subject:
You changed it you coward! NB My previous remark was aimed at Treacodactyl, not your spanile poo!

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Nov 20, 04 10:37 pm Post subject:

Quote:

Excellent work, you're forever my hero!

It's worth doing just to see the slow worms, fantastic little animals. I'm also trying to do it so that the area looks nice and will have a seat in it. Then, hopefully people who don't like the wild life will not realise and just like the pretty garden. The hawthorn has made a very good hedge, next doors attempt with different plants has died.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 04 7:58 am Post subject:
If you want/need to plant a hedge, now is the time to be doing it.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 04 9:29 am Post subject:

Yep, as long as the ground isn't frozen or water logged you should be able to get them in until about March. I did add some local manure and watered a couple of times an they've settled in well.

If anyone's planting a hedge or a few trees it's worth trying to get native trees if possible. Lots of people plant acers etc, but the humble field maple is just as good and grows on chalk.

They were also only small whips, about 2 foot long and have grown very well.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28234
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Sun Nov 21, 04 9:41 am Post subject:
I guess people know what I did with mine? https://www.downsizer.net/Projects/Landscaping/Deck_on_a_Hill/ jema

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