Kitchen Garden Forum

Catherine, its great you are thinking about encouraging more wildlife into your garden. I would say that it doesn't have to be a designated area of a particular size. I have worked with what I have got and interspersed piles of logs, piles of stones, a hedge instead of a fence, I leave nesting material around (I have even left my dogs hair out on the ground after clipping, & my daughters! - the birds love it), a stand of nettles for the ladybirds to breed on, home made insect overwintering houses, several compost heaps, etc.. There are many approaches to take. This link may help you.

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/?section=gardening:thismonth

Catherine, you must have a bit of dry stone wall, unless our garden is already bordered by one. They are great places for hibernating frogs, toads and newts. If you build it with wildlife in mind, I would also leave some gaps every so often for a possible wren's nest. If you can find an old mouse's nest incorporate that in the fillings/heartings and you with make it attractive to bumblebees. Plant some ivy at the base of the wall and, before long, it will grow up to cover it which will be even better for wildlife.
If you can't build a dry stone wall, at least have a pile of stones or logs as a hibernating place and for ground feeding birds to work through for little bugs. And don't be too tidy in the garden! I never cut back any herbaceous plants in autumn because insects often overwinter inside the dry stalks. Wait for a warm spring day before cutting things back and even then, leave the dry stalks lying about for a few days so that the bugs have a chance to find another abode.
There are some lovely books about with great ideas for wildlife gardens, even at the smallest scale.

This weather has it"s advantages.Save space in your refridgerators and chill wine and beer outside

Good morning one and all.

I can quite see why our ancestors used to get nervous about the sight of the sky in years long gone.
Out there this morning theres a giant moon hanging there in the North West, and in the South East the sunrise is turning the sky the most scariest shades of red, absolutely spectacular.

We have just witnessed a perigee full Moon, OH. They are about 14% wider and 30% brighter than other moons during the rest of the year. They occur because the moon has an elliptical orbit rather than a circular one and this weekend its closest approach to the earth coincides with a full moon phase. The extra brightness on a clear frosty night is truly an impressive sight.

John

Dear John, thankyou so much for the reply, i found it quite intriguing.

Don't suppose you could enlighten me a little about the red sky could you

Isn't this forum simply the best for helpfulness.

I can't help you with red sky I'm afraid ,OH. There were some spectacular evening and morning skies towards the end of last year after a volcanic eruption in a remote part of Alaska but I think these effects are much diminished now.
Keep watching!

John

Good evening OH,

Perhaps this may answer your question about red skys.

Interesting reading.

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries ... ailor.html

Dear Donedigging, thankyou for that, as you say very interesting indeed.

Snow all over Dartmoor National Park (Devon ) today. Interesting shaped clouds in many layers and the sun and blue sky topping the lot. Beautiful!!

Took me 2 hours to do 20 miles this morning trying to get to Bodmin but had to give in, turn round and come home. Which I managed without a single bump!! Must have seen about 20 cars in various sad states - some very sad! Hope the owners are ok. Both the major routes through Cornwall were closed until around 1030am.

When we first moved to Cornwall in September 1995 someone told us that at least it never freezes in Cornwall!! I remember that first winter well as we were living in a touring caravan (having got caught in the last recession and unable to sell our house in the N.E.). It was so cold the gas bottles froze - yes even propane!

At least I have managed to re-arrange my work to Friday morning so no lost funds! Can't be doing with that with the taxman awaiting at the end of the month

Hope everyone else is keeping safe and sound - and warm.