...we need to invite, encourage, and celebrate the wildlife in our gardens. A recent report by Buglife and Kent Wildlife Trust confirms what we all have observed (or rather, have not observed) on our windscreens and number plates: insect numbers have declined dramatically. My friend drives to Scotland each year in August. In a Landrover. …
Blossoms and Gardens
I only had two colonies here, and neither were looking terribly strong so I wasn't surprised that neither made it. What has surprised me is the number of people with strong colonies that have become beeless this spring, (that is to say, the 4 people in my lane who keep bees) and I am hoping …
Wayward Gardening
I have been pondering how to make best use of my garden, now that the chickens are [mostly] contained, and I am very conscious of the looming supply problems we will inevitably face thanks to the Russians invading Ukraine, one of our major grain producing areas in Europe. There's also the death throes of the …
Sowing Seeds
I thought I would get ahead of the game and purchase some seeds before I actually need them, but while I still have a sporting chance of actually getting hold of some. I went to Seed Co-operative and decided to pick some bee-bird-human friendly seeds in my bid to increase natural food for my wildlife. …
Summer Garden
I've been away for a week, and come back to find the Verbascum in full flow. It's a great plant, and bees and hoverflies love the tall spikes of exquisite little flowers. The buddleia is also in flower, as are the evening primrose - currently full of pollen beetles. I have masses of bindweed all …
No Mow…at all
I don't have a lawnmower, and use my numerous guinea pigs and rabbits to keep the lawn down. I only have two guineas and one bunny now though, and the lawn has rather taken over. I say lawn but my garden backs on to intensive arable fields so it's rough grass, and years of mole …
Moths and Ducks
We have just had the solstice here, although as often happens with the longest day, the cloud cover was so pronounced it wasn't particularly obvious! There has been copious rainfall, but at least the ducks are happy. I keep ducks mainly because they are always so enthusiastic and contented with rain and mud, unlike the …
Gardening for Birds and Bees
I did my first Zoom wildlife gardening course on Saturday which went really well. It's definitely a different experience but I had a beekeeping couple join the session who live in the Netherlands with a large area of land, so obviously the advantage is that I can reach out far more with online courses. Part …
Zoom Gardening for Bees and Wildlife
Our insects and wildlife are suffering severe declines, but gardening and getting outside is the perfect opportunity to learn how we can help our bees and other insects and wildlife in these valuable spaces. If you're already a beekeeper and would like to know how best to increase the natural forage and biodiversity for your …
Ways to be Wayward this Christmas
In January last year, I attended a conference on landscape use and sustainability at Sussex University, and I took away a strong, galvanising feeling of implementing necessary change. Then - bam - the pandemic hit which actually obliged me to pursue the avenues I had pledged to consider. I thought about putting my Introduction to …
Wayward Bee 