h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I thought we better move out of the terrapin thread as we're not talking terrapin now.

Hello

Not able to see the link here (At work) we only seem to be able to get the BBC and a couple of other Government websites at work, will have a look when I get home.

Interested in a wildlife section for the garden so ramble on all you like, I have a plan of making different sections of the garden, a fruit picking area so little'n can go fruit picking and a nice little wildlife patch so she can watch the butterflys and likes. She already loves watching the fish swim about.

I like the idea of Roses in the garden too, working in a garden centre what one's are best?

With roses it depends on what type of rose you're looking for. If you just want the usual tea-rose that is just a bush, pick a colour and go for any that suits. If you want something a bit special, with plenty of fragrance you can't beat David Austin roses. Try and look for one with desease resistance. Beales roses are another good place to try. Both companies do mail order and online.

Making a wildlife area in your garden is pretty easy. One thing i would advise is, don't use any harmful pesticides or herbicides in that area. There are plenty of organic alternatives, but what you're hoping for is a balance between pest and predator, thats what makes a wildlife area attractive to wildlife.....if you see what i mean. Butterfly bushes as you know are great for attracting butterflies, but you need to attract other insects too. Large leaved Hebe's are fantastic for attracting bees, bee mimics, hoverflies, butterflies and moths. Maybe bug boxes for ladybirds and lace wings, whos larve feed on aphids. Bird boxes and feeding station are an idea, not forgetting a bird bath. Other plants to consider are Pyracantha for it's berries, they are good bird food. Also cotoneaster and guelder rose (virburnum opulus) also have berries. Now i know you're going to wonder if the berries are poisonous to small children. They are not toxic, but would make a child feel sick for a while. I always taught mine from an early age not to touch, rather than deny them the knowledge of knowing whats good and whats not. Not everyone wants to take that approach though.
More plants that will attract wildlife - Verbena bonariensis, michaelmas daisies (for later butterflies) Ice-plants (large sedums) Lavender, Foxgloves (very toxic if eaten).
If you wanted to create a small meadow type area, British native wildflowers are the best for attracting our native insects. If you are going to do that, could i recommend planting some Yellow Rattle, it keeps the grass at bay and gives the flowers a better chance. Oh and don't be tempted to improve the soil when planting wildflowers, they prefer poor soil.
I hope your grandaughter will grow to enjoy all the bugs and beasties that can live in a garden.
So, have i rambled enough yet?

No you did'nt ramble too much at all, was a good bit of info and inspiring ideas to get to grips with. Gardens do look good with an abundance of wildlife and hopefully she will grow to appreciate it, I just need to be a bit careful with the ponds, might have to raise them as kids normally end up at least half in a pond or trying to play about near them.

I think the Polly Tunnel blowing away might have been a blessing in disguise, went out into the garden yesterday and noticed all my small fruit trees/bushe's which had been housed in there have started spinging up more and adding new shoots on to their stems.

Was put off a bit about any types of wild berries that might be harmful as I really would want her to be picking anything that will make her sick and the plan was to get her to pick fruit when she comes round to help introduce her a bit to nature so dont want ther thinking that any berry can be picked until she knows better.

Think she would love butterflys and ladybirds though so will definatly go back through the info you put there and get those types of plants/bushe's

I thought the berries would put you off, i can understand that completely.
I have found that all kids like bugs, worms, frogs and all things slimey, regardless of whether they are girls or boys.
My grandson when he was small, about 3 insisted my daughter bring home a garden snail he saw. He kept it in a old fish tank and my daughter had to make sure it had food He used to call all snails 'eye-hurts' on account of my grandaughter poking at a snail so it's eye disappeared.
The sooner you can introduce you little one to nature the better. It's amazing how quick they learn and gain an 'eye' for noticing wildlife.

Well thats the plan to get her used to nature and the outdoors, too many kids seem to grow up nowadays without much knowledge of nature or the great outdoors. I grew up with camping and loe camping, sadly though because we did'nt always have the time and money what with the high prices campsites now charge, the kids seem to have grown up not be able to be parted from msn or a hairdyer. However we have planned on taking the Grandaughter away with us to get her a bit of nature she will also love the animals when she is a bit older.

Dont really like anything like Berries or Mushrooms in the garden, I remember my brother when we was kids eating some kind of berry from the garden and getting a touch of the toilet trouble's plus know some people who have had reactions just from touching some types of berry plant.

So, how many snow people did you make?
We had around 9 inches of the stuff here, it's still lingering around now.
I had an extra day off work Monday, as the boss decided it was'nt worth opening.

I agree with you regarding kid these days, My youngest grandson is a prime example. He's always hooked up to some machine playing games, whether its a pc, playstation or nintendo-ds. He has no idea how to make up a game like we used to when i was a kid. It's such a shame as there is so much outside to enjoy.

I have to admit to having a liking for toadstools and mushrooms. I've always found them fascinating and enjoy looking for them in Autumn. I have Stinkhorns in my garden, which spore and come back every year. I always know when they are about as the smell hits me before i reach the garden. My two would never touch them, but do like to hunt around the garden to see who can find one first.

Didn’t get a chance to make any snow people on the Monday, more to do with staying in the warm, I did attempt to get to work that day which didn’t work out as I found there was no travel in to London, and then I looked out the window on the Tuesday and just thought couldn’t really be bothered as there was still loads of snow. Most of the snow seems to have gone from around here now, it did try to snow this morning about 7 when I was on the way to work but thankfully it has held off and still will as I don’t want to get snowed in here, (it's not the nicest of places)

I think there should be more of a government imitative though with kids and at schools though of taking kids out to see more of nature, I suppose though in this day and age that is probably seen as a dodgy thing as there are so many strange people about nowadays. I still remember when I was at school going off on a Science trip looking for Grass snakes and the area we was looking in was full of Adders, something they probably wouldn’t dare do nowadays. The human rights groups and have gone so far nowadays with things that it seems everything is scared to do anything, just put the kids in a class room and let them read from the text book!

I like strange and different looking plants and with me they wouldn’t be a problem but I have to think of the bigger picture and everyone else, trying to get hold of a nice creeping plant to hopefully cover an air-raid shelter we have in the garden, sadly knocking it down is not a cheap possibility as the walls seem to be near on 2ft thick so growing something over it might brighten it up. Any suggestions?

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to reply. I havent been well recently and really havent felt like replyng to posts.

How have you been?
Spring is kinda springing here, which is lovely. I saw the first of many newts in my pond Thursday. They breed in the pond every year. It's fun to watch the males doing their dance to impress the females, though sometimes they don't seem impressed at all and chase them away. Bit like humans eh!

I guess you will have sorted a plant for your air raid shelter by now. If not how about a couple of clematis-montana, or maybe some Honeysuckle. Depends on how big an area you have to cover and what direction the place where you want to plant them faces.