Hi everyone,
Another, very seasonal update from the wildlife garden thanks to intrepid volunteer, Peter:
The holly and the ivy... but ours are not full grown. The wildlife garden is only a couple of years old but we do have them and they will liven up the garden in winters to come. Both of these are native plants, with many wonderful varieties, all good for garden display and wildlife.
You may have a holly which bears no berries, so it is probably a male tree - or a lonely female. The berries provide food for the birds and trees are often stripped bare before Christmas, so cut branches now and put in water in a cool place away from birds and mice to keep them plump and shiny for the festive season. When no longer needed in the house put them back in the garden and watch the birds eat their fill.
As for ivy, don't worry, it does not damage healthy trees nor sound walls. For the first few years it climbs using small roots on the slender stems. Then it produces stout shoots away from the tree or wall which will flower at this time of year. These are not the most stunning flowers but are the last good source of nectar for insects, which can be seen in large numbers on warm autumn days. In late winter the black berries are produced giving the birds food at a time when there is little else to eat. Water runs off the green leaves shed like tiles on a roof, so underneath, the old dead leaves are dry providing a winter home to ladybirds and other invertebrates. In the spring, it's an ideal nest site for woodland and garden birds. In a few years, when ours are fullgrown, we will make sure we prune off unwanted growth early in the new year so as not to disturb these nesting birds.
We volunteers were very busy towards the end of November, spreading home made compost and well rotted manure on the garden's borders. We also turned the compost heap. I also helped Ben with the "soup and starlings" events - what a magic sight. And thanks, Anne, your soup was delicious, and all those vegetable peelings will be useful for our compost!
Peter
Bye for now,
Ben.