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Gardening for Wildlife

The Course will have five interconnected parts.

1. Organic Growing

2. Growing Vegetables and Salads

3. Encouraging wildlife to help in the organic garden

4. Basic plant science

5. Practical Gardening skills

1. Organic Growing

• the soil, how to improve it;

• Soil fertility;

• Composts;

• Coping with weeds;

• Pests and how to live with them.

2. Growing Vegetables and Salads

• How to use the site effectively;

• Brassica crops;

• Root crops;

• The onion family;

• Peas and beans (Legumes);

• Potatoes;

• Salad crops;

• Unusual crops

3. Encouraging Wildlife into the garden

• Some useful principles;

• How to recognise some useful species of plants and animals plus those that are not so useful;

• How to create small ponds, woodland and meadow areas;

• How to attract and help different species in the garden.

More on wildlife gardening course content

4 and 5. Basic plant science and practical gardening skills.

• These will occur when we discuss and actually plant the food crops.

• We'll grow a selection of all the vegetables and salads mentioned in 2 above.

Remember, you'll be able to take some seedlings and plants home as we're almost certain to grow more than we have space for.

Wildlife gardening course content by week

Week 1 Observtions - what is already there? What is being developed? How will we garden to protect existing wildlife? Looking at newly planted hedgerow and mulching. Preparing soil to sow seed. Collection of salvaged materials for wildlife home.

Week 2 Looking at plants for wildlife - Discovering what is native-Natural history postcode website for native species. Creating a herbaceous border for bees - discuss nectar plants that will attract bees/ butterflies -planting up border.

Week 3 Making a wildlife shelter home from reclaimed materials. Creating bee homes. Bird boxes, willow sculptures feeders for shy birds.

Week 4 Making a hedgehog home and preparing the garden for your slug eater!

Week 5 Sculptural log piles - what to do with your garden waste - leaves, prunings, stones. Creating new habitats for wildlife.

Week 6 Trees for wildlife - Pruning and planting including bird boxes and creating ground cover and climbing cover for shy birds. Plants for bird food.

Week 7 Prairy style planting - using grasses, low maintenance plants for wildlife. How to create a wildflower meadow and maintenance.

Week 8 Ponds - creating an aquatic wildlife habitat, choosing native aquatic plants- maintenance of ponds. How to create a pond from a reclaimed wheel barrow

Week 9 Practical gardening techniques to avoid disturbing wildlife- discussion on use of machinery, bonfires, pruning. Creating a diversity of areas for wildlife, lawns, bird baths, paths.

Week 10 Observation of site, What wildlife has been introduced? Wildlife photography techniques. Tools to observe nature Reflection/discussion/questions.

More information

If you have any queries regarding the course, Contact ecodyfi on 01654 703965.