[BobandJack]

I found a lovely big frog in my tiny, tiny pond today, I was delighted 

[poultrygeist]

That's good BobandJack.

The bigger they are, the more slugs they've eaten 

Rob

[FCG]

I have several acres of fields around me, however until recently they where mostly wild beasts with massive amounts of wildlife in. They all but a few got turned into playing fields... but I help where I can. I know that I have some butterflies on my courgettes.. they can stay

By they way one of the best thing you can do for wildlife in this country is to plant trees on waste ground. It can render a lot of land that would be exploited for financial gain for some white elephant protected after x amount of years. I personally have planted over 50 trees Some as long as 12 years ago. If you ever travel around north cheshire and the wirral and see some young conker trees well... my bad

[peapod]

Mike I understand what you mean about waste ground, but while you are doing this you are upsetting a possible ecosystem that may be saved due to wildlife using it.  What looks like waste ground isnt always- it might be a pocket of heathland that can be regenerated or home for a tiny area of bogland.  Trees are great but they arent always the answer.  There are other important ecological areas that may be destroyed by trees, and I wish people would remember that.  The best thing to do would be to check carefully for wildlife there and see if theres anything rare or unusual before you plant away.  Then the wasteland can be put to another use - not least a protected area
Sorry if you disagree!

[Yorkie]

I was at a wildlife nature reserve today and one of the points being made on the signs around was that 'wild' ground needs careful management.  In fact they have to take out lots of trees or they take too much water from the ground, destroying habitat.

[poultrygeist]

Open heathland is one of the most endangered. In Clumber Par, the national trust cleared large areas of trees years ago to return it to heath.

Rob

[Faz]

I purposefully leave weeds around the margins of my beds and round the back of the greenhouse to encourage diversity, as well as planting flowers to attract bees.

Last week I dug a pond and was very pleased to see two frogs in there the next day, saying that we have loads of frogs about anyway so it's not really a big surprise.

Best of all, I found a lizard yesterday, which is the first one I have seen this year. In the past we have seen both lizards and slowworms. I thought the very cold spell had killed both of them off, but obviously not. I am still waiting for the slowworms to reappear though.

[Elaine G]

That brings back a good memory Faz!
We dug out a pond and put in a rigid liner. It rained that night, and the next morning, in the inch of rain at the bottom, was a newt! Where did he come from?
Fortunately there are still one or two in our pond.

Elaine

[celini]

Hi everyone. I am glad I found this post. I am doing just that, in my front garden. A wild area about 10 foot long and 3 foot wide with cariouse ornamental grass, flowers that bees like, budlia for butterflies.

I also have a wild bit in the back garden for wild life like field mice, etc, They all have to make a living.

I agree you don't want them on your crop but they do need places to live because we do incroach on their space and not the otehr way around.

When My wild area is all planted up i will put pictures on to show you. but haven't finished it yet because it is quite a large area to plant ans some seeds haven't come up yet. Sown som poppies and some corn flowers too for the wild life. Because I love sitting in the front garden early in the morning and watch them.

Cheers
CC

[Ruby Red]

 Well done celini, everybody should be able to find a bit of garden to give over to helping them out.

[celini]

ty ruby. Me and hubby measured the wild bit yesterday and it is more like 25-30 foot long the length of the garden abd about 2-3 foot wide.  The grass we planted there yesterday will be perfect habitat for field mice and birds to nestin. I am going to start feeding them too so they get used to get fed here. i am usually up at the crack of dawn and get to see a lot of the wild life before people wake up. I feel more cofortable around animals than I do people most of the time.

Cheers

CC

[Rangerkris]

Working in 280 acers of country park i think i do my bit for the wild life, we carry out a range of task to help. Grassland management Woodland management and Reed management to name but a few.  We have a small pond with upto 15 frogs around at the most at the plot.