Bee Happy's Plants for Pollinator's- Page for friendly advice,suggestions & links

Info and links


Where is the best place to put a bird box?
Height from the ground should be 3 metres - small-hole boxes are best placed 1-3m above ground on tree trunks, but avoid sites where foliage obscures the entrance hole. If there are no trees in your garden, the next best option is to place your box on the side of a shed or wall.
Which direction should you face a bird box?
Unless there are trees or buildings which shade the box during the day, face the box between north and east, thus avoiding strong sunlight and the wettest winds. Make sure that the birds have a clear flight path to the nest without any clutter directly in front of the entrance.

Siting a nestbox

Help and Advice - Bug Box Positioning
The positioning of insect colonies and boxes is virtually the most important thing you can do to ensure occupation of your bug box.

It is easy to locate a bug box in the wrong position, in fact that is the most frequent case for poor occupancy of bug boxes. During the day most winged insects are out and about in the sunshine finding food and eating plants, laying eggs and so on. But when they have finished they look for a dark, quiet place, away from predators.

The best way to find the ideal spot for your bug box is to go out into your garden and look in the shadows, find the coolest, darkest place that has lots of cover, that will be a good place to start. Take a look around the area, are there any predators, birds, snakes, rats etc? if no signs of these things then look for a place to fix the box to. A tree trunk, or fence post is most likely, find somewhere that catches the sun in the morning and in the dappled shade all day and face the box that way. Check that the rain can't get to the bug box in a direct line, a drip is fine, but too much rain and the occupants may drown. Fix the bug box firmly to the tree trunk or post.

Leave the box for a week or so then go and have a look inside and find out what creatures are around in your garden. If you are disappointed, then the location is not right, take another look around and find another dappled shady spot and re-locate your bug box. Leave for another week and try again, eventually you will find some interesting bugs to inspect and identify

British Bird Food

 

@martin-f Arrrh the promise of Spring and all our plans its a wonderful time as we near the end of the year to sit , plan, ponder and wish the days away -so we can get back out in the garden to see how everything's returning - just like old friends i say Your garden has already made such a difference to your wonderful visitors,lots of homes for them to overwinter in - and as you say 2018 is going to be even better - the joys of gardening theres no finer pastime

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Yes I'm really enjoying it, its still work in progress but ive come along way in the last five years


Ill will be happy when I get to a stage of just gardening but ive still got lots to do, two more seating areas both roofed more sleeper work new paths and finish's things ive all ready started, hopefully two more years then I can spend all my garden time on plants happy days,

I made this for the larger solitary bees last year. a fair few have spent nights here and I have a few nests, very easy to make just a few scraps of wood.

 

@martin-f The transformation when you put up the before and after pics is even more apparent- such tranquil seating area , you must be so pleased with your yourself .....all your hard work has rightly paid off- you will get the time to stand and stare and smell the Roses - and not too far off judging by your sheer determination

Those boxes are fab and as you say homemade so even better as you know exactly what there made of -so natural and much better for the visitors and they've obviously given them the thumbs up by using them

 

Thank you BH, I only have a small garden so I'm breaking it up into little parts, I think it will make it feel like a larger garden, all the wood work has shaded certain areas,

This year I put the same plant in every border all at the same time, now I can see what parts of the garden is getting the most sun and parts getting the least, I can plant areas according to light levels next year now,

Only the one in last picture is home made the others was from the pound shop ive not seen anything use them, ive faced them pointing east.

 

Yes,I've done the same as i needed to buffer the wind -also it gave me more time to decide and concentrate on specific planting too but i agree i think it does give an illusion of making things appear on a bigger scale - as i suppose your eye cant see all the garden so each turn makes for another interseting spot to view - it definately slows you down when looking at the garden and you tend to stroll thru
Good idea re the border planting
Shady areas are great planting opportunities for these very early flowering beauties,
Epimedium "Pink Elf"
Epimedium | Claire Austin
so a great addition to the garden for early risers in the Pollinators- such as if we have a warmish winter again and find drowsy hungry bumbles about or Butterflies - i intend to get some more - also around your pond area not under water but can cope with it damp another beauty for pollinators is Snakeshead Fritillaries
snakeshead fritillaries - Google Search
Interesting that they have only used your homemade Bug House- they obviously have good taste for bespoke craftsmanship
they may use the others once there more weathered perhaps. Time will tell

 

If it has been there unused for years it is probably poorly sited. I would move it, preferably to a north or east facing wall with a clear flight line.

Edit: oops, just noticed @BeeHappy has already provided a useful link for siting bird boxes.

 

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What a fantastic thread @BeeHappy . Some very interesting reading.

@Martin- f your garden is just amazing

I am still trying to make my garden into a wildlife haven. If I am honest I'm just not that good at gardening . Although I have had some successes a lot of things I attempt never turn out the way I imagine. I look at pictures of wildlife gardens and they look so wonderful. BeeHappy its a shame you don't live near me, you could come and design my garden for me . On a brighter note I have lots and lots of Dandelions . And the Bee/Butterfly plants that I do have are very popular. I bought two pots of Lithodora earlier in the year and they were beseiged by the Bees . Also bought two pots of Erigeron ' Sea Breeze ', which have also been very popular, more so with the Bees, but do get a few Butterflies. The pink and blue Scabious are well loved by both. The most popular of all my plants this year for the Bees are the hardy Fuchsias, Mrs Popple and Fuchsia Berry.

 

Awwww bless you @luciusmaximus for your kind words yes its a pity were not nearer for helping advice we need an island that we're all living on together then we could natter and garden away together all day - just think, with all the wonderful GC members gardening skills and know how we'd be self-sufficient

And @martin-f OH YES

And don't beat yourself up about your skills we are all learning every day ...i always think about my garden as a new holiday every year as I've little or no idea what I'll be seeing and experiencing ...so embrace the unknown and unexpected ... its what makes gardening so interesting ...challenging yes but never dull or predictable ....or your garden itself - as my own garden this year due to the strange weather we've experienced has been less than aesthetically pleasing to myself but the wildlife visits have been in abundance this year.
so i measure success on that - my garden is not for a pat on the back to me..."It's not an ego boost" -
its to create a safe haven for all of, nature's wonderful creatures that we are all privileged to live with
And you've already had that success with as you've mentioned ALL your garden visitors so you are doing right

And most of all never forget that Mother Nature will guide us and






being a woman




she always has the last word

 

*Please be mindful that*
Heliotrope although extremely beautiful, beneficial and wonderfully scented - is HIGHLY toxic to pets (and humans)- so always if planting it in your garden ensure that it cannot be consumed or handled in any way ​

 

Hi Beehappy .

What a fantastic thread.

Thank you for sharing all your " insider " knowledge.

Can i add Salvias and Centauria to your list of perennials please.

PS , as you know. I grow a lot of Fuchsias and this year the insects have been really busy, i've never removed so many berries in my life.

Well done

 

YOUTUBE VIDEO
This is a great chap he uploads a lot of really useful and well-explained easy to follow ....and more importantly straight to the point video's - One i recommend to subscribe to


This one has footage of BENEFICAL VISTORS TO OUR GARDENS so if it's raining .....pull up a chair grab a cuppa and enjoy

 

@KFF for such lovely comments- so glad you're enjoying the thread... and yes please add as much info as you can that's why the thread was created -its everyone's thread
to add, share,inform and enjoy
We would all love to see your BEE Utiful Fushias - as you know like yourself -im a Fushiaholic
too
Salvias Salvias - Google Search are also a fav here as indeed Centauria centaurea plant - Google Search

- oh heck ....let's be 'fair....

what don't i like