Project wildlife garden

I've never had a garden before, or so much wildlife on my doorstep, so I am going to chart my progress as I learn how to become a gardener.

The back garden is directly north facing. The front garden is south facing and probably the space I'll want to work on last. Here are pictures of the back garden. I'll try to chart the changes and pick up where the sunlight falls etc.

http://s952.photobucket.com/user/sniffysnuffles/profile/
http://s952.photobucket.com/user/sniffysnuffles/library/Where the light falls?sort=3&page=1

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner Sniffy. A north facing garden is a little more challenging than other directions but it looks like it has sunshine for at least part of the day.

We're all here to help you so feel free to ask questions along the way. Happy gardening!

 

Thank you!

I've been watching the sun and the birds. The sun tracks across in a clockwise direction, with no sun getting near the house so far. We have a plethora of birds here with mainly blue tits, house sparrows, blackbirds, wood pigeons, collared doves and kestrels (really!) visiting. We've watched kestrels hunting right by the back fence 3 mornings running.

The middle of the garden is quite a mess. http://s952.photobucket.com/user/sn...garden Dec 2013/CIMG2911_zps23503a57.mp4.html

I've been reading the excellent RSPB Gardening for Wildlife book, which is crammed with useful info. So far it all looks too huge to know where to begin, but the middle part is clearly going to be the biggest challenge.

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner

 

Sniffy, you should get more sunlight in your back garden during the summer months. It sounds like you get a good selection of birds too. Meanwhile looking at the wet patch, from a distance in your first shots it looks almost circular, I wonder if there has been a pond there in the past. Is the soil clay? That tends to hold the water and you may find you will have to dig that area up to put some drainage in, gravel perhaps. Most gardens have been saturated again this winter, so hopefully it will dry out at some point.

It may be worth having a word with your neighbours to see if they have had similar problems.

 

Thank you. Just a quick update.

There is a slight slope to the left of our garden. I'm told the garden to our left gets like ours and it seems the water drains into ours from the slight incline. Our neighbours on the right don't have this issue. We have 2 drains, one on the right, one on the left of our house, so I think there are options to get some decent drainage in should we need to do that. If it wasn't right in the centre of the garden, I'd be thinking about a bog garden there, but we have children who will need space to run in there to work around.

There's still not much in the way of light getting in there for long, but it does look like things are improving and I think it'll be okay in the summer. I haven't done anything, except watch) yet except add more bird feeders and buy a rosemary plant. I'll want a space for herbs.

The children want to grow some basic fruit and veg - rhubarb, courgettes, herbs etc, and they'd like space for games. And a wildlife pond. So, I think the advice to watch and wait was sound advice. We're slowly thinking about how we want to use space we've never had before.

We've had sparrowhawks, kestrels, a buzzard, herons, various garden birds and a woodpecker coming in so far so I want to make sure I work with the animals that already use the garden.

My next job is to try to learn how to plan the space. I have no clue at all!

 

My garden is the same (north facing).....it was sunny today so it was exciting to see a bit of direct sun getting to my plants along the south facing fence but like you say, it doesn't last long this time of year. You will notice a difference as the year progresses. There is a definite difference as March comes to an end and by May / June there will be plenty of direct sunshine.

This year, I've planted lots of spring bulbs in pots. The beauty of this is that I can move them to the part of the garden which is getting direct sunshine and then move them again to somewhere more shaded when they have finished to make way for other plants.

It is more challenging to have a north facing garden but there are some beautiful plants that like shade ....it's just a matter of working with what you've got!

 

Thanks. I spent ages this afternoon making a garden plan on a free garden design site but the whole thing crashed and I seem to be unable to edit it now. Looking for another now and will post my ideas when I have them down.

 

There are a lot of bricks about 6" under the grass. That could explain the drainage problems. I'm digging them out at the moment.

I'm hitting roots though. I'm wary of digging where I could damage next door's tree roots.

 

If the trees are mature then I wouldn't worry to much if you damage a couple of the roots, it will survive.

 

I had this problem with my garden, loads of bricks were buried as a result of an extension that was built. Be prepared to find them anywhere and everywhere. Even the bits you thought you combed over before. Invest in a pry bar and you should be able to wiggle them lose of the soil. Bricks are very brittle when they have been in the ground for a few years and so can break apart very easily.

 

Thanks. My father in law said the same thing happened in their garden too. It's making it hard work but a lot of fun and if we get enough bricks we'll do something useful with them!

 

Things are coming along. I will try to post pictures later. I'm digging up the front lawn to sow cornfield flowers (mostly poppies this year for the WWI commemorations, then mixing it up for the second year.)

I'm seeing conflicting information re what to do with the grass. I'm double digging to improve drainage. Can I dig over the under soil, then replace the top spade depth with the grass face down, break it up, mix it with compost/manure and the grass won't come back? Or should I cut the grass off? If so, how deep should I make the cut? I heard that the grass would compost down and make a good nutrient base but I also heard that it would grow back if it wasn't more than a foot deep?

 

My second question is - I'd like a central focal point. It's a fairly small area - bit enough for a small fruit tree. I'd really like to put something in the middle of the lawn that would be attractive to wildlife but wouldn't grow too high or damage the foundations of the house, or block out the light for the annual cornfield.

The front is south facing with clay soil. I'll be lining the edge of the lawn with lavender.

Any suggestions for the tree? Kilmarnock willows seem to be everywhere here but I'm looking for something taller without swamping the place.

Thanks! I can't say how much I'm enjoying this - and getting lots of exercise into the bargain!

 

Grass roots usually grow to no more than four to five inches in depth so if you slice that amount off it shouldn't grow back. Yes, you can dig over the under soil it will help drainage and aerate the soil for anything you want to grow. The grass should die off if turned upside down but if you lay it back on the soil it will be some while before you can do anything else, it takes a while for the roots to die.

Whatever you choose for a tree it would be best to avoid conifers and willows, they both have large root spreads and will go in search of water during dry periods. Conifer roots particularly can do a great deal of damage to drainage pipes and house foundations, as I have found out in recent years. Many trees have a root spread the same as there mature height, so if a tree is 15ft high fully grown then expect the roots to spread to a similar distance or more. What sort of tree are you thinking about..... height, flowering, evergreen etc.?