one-day course wildlife gardening

location: nr Thornbury, South Gloucestershire

Introduction: This one day course covers the general principles of wildlife gardening and is suitable for anyone with an interest in the wildlife in their garden.  It aims to give you a background to the ecology of your garden, emphasising the importance of the plants you grow as well as the habitats you create.

The Course: The tutor will cover a wide range of topics including the creation of specific habitats including wildlife ponds and wildflower meadows, but will also look at how your existing garden can be easily adapted to make it more wildlife friendly.  We will also look at ways to attract butterflies, bees and other insects to the garden as well as birds, mammals and amphibians.   There will be opportunities throughout the day to ask questions and to look at specific examples around the grounds.

Part One - Getting Started: What is a wildlife garden?  We will see that a garden created and managed for wildlife is not just a muddle of overgrown long grass can be as beautiful, if not more beautiful, than a conventional garden.  We also look at the kinds of wildlife that would make their home in your garden.

Part Two - Grass is good:  In this session we will look at wildlife meadows, flowery lawns and how to reduce your lawn maintenance.  We will look in more depth at how to create a stunning wildlife meadow from scratch, adapt an existing lawn or create a colourful area of cornfield flowers.

Part Three - Cultivation: Water is essential in a wildlife garden.  We look at wildlife pond creation and maintenance from a large pond teaming with life to a mini barrel pond where birds can drink and bathe.

dates: see 'book online' below

more on wildlife gardening

the venue is a 12-acre smallholding in the Vale of Berkeley, just north of Bristol