Our HUGE garden project. Ideas on wildlife friendly plants and garden tips please

aliasojo

Yay! I can see pics. What a size! It's going to be lovely when it's all done, I'm sure.

I've got stuff to do these days so probably wont be posting here as much as before but I will be keeping an eye on this thread and I'm looking forward to seeing the progress.

Jawuk

I have 3 ponds, one large formal pond ( 18' x 26' x 6'depth) and 2 smaller and shallower wildlife ponds in a shadier area of the garden. All three have been made by under lining with a mix of old carpet, old duvets and excess loft insulation and finally lined with 3 thicknesses of black silage sheet - all 3 ponds from the one roll of sheeting. Silage sheeting is a very cheap and easy to lay pond lining and our 10 year old ponds have no leaks even after several vandalising by passing mink.

kitaj

On a much more micro note than you've previously received, you might want to look at http://www.saveourbees.org.uk/ which might give you some ideas as well as free seeds (just got mine - every little helps)!

blue_monkey_2

Thanks for all of the suggestions for plants and wildlife hotels, I have too many links to keep in my favourites now I'll be able to come back here when we are ready to start working and plantins what we need. I am really excited now and I love the wildlife hotel, yes, I think we could well have room for one of those as long as the kids do not knock it over!

As for the liner, we initially was just going to have one deep pond but now we have levels and so this is why there is loads left. We got a good deal on it on eBay, 6m x 5m for £45 and it said we needed just a little smaller than this so we thought we might as well. We got free underlay with that too. We had some liner left form last year so we have lined it with that as well so fingers crossed it'll do for a good many years. It has a 40 year guarantee on it as well.

Our little shubumkin is out in the open a lot and it is tempting to move them over but we have to let it settle. The landscaper started the decking area today but it is supposed to rain tomorrow so not sure if he is going to get much done then. No pics today as we forgot and it is now too dark.

ixwood

Glad you liked the bug hotel. I'd love one, but haven't got the space, so I'm coming up with a more compact version. 2* Self catering apartment block, rather than a 5* hotel.

I think I'm going to have some lavender plants growing on top to finish it off nicely and attract/feed the insects.

Have you considered using the rest of the liner, or is it too late? With ponds, anything is better than nothing, but as big as possible is better. You could quite easily put in an extra shallow wading and beach bit. Or if you don't want a bigger pond, you could bury the excess and use it for a bog next to the pond for a another habitat. You can have beautiful flowers in a bog, as the plants have constant access to air and water, so thrive. And frogs/toads/newts will love it.

A bog's a perfect home for carnivorous plants too if you'd find them interesting.

blue_monkey_2

Hi Ixy,

I've bought some Butterfly and Bee plants today from Poundland!! The garden is coming along quite nice but I've not got any pics today - tomorrow we should have most of the patio down (unless it rains of course), am hoping that we might be able to start planting at the weekend if I feel OK.

Got to remember to keep on top of the painkillers, felt OK so did not take them when was told to and now it feels like I've been punched, my mouth hurts so much. So I am off to wallow in self pity for a bit. I did not get any pics today as we have to rush our rats to the vets this afternoon - one has a tumour on his face and the other has a HUGE abcess that has come up in the space of 2 days, it was over his entire belly (I have one strange vet BTW, LOL) but he is resting now. So by the time the man was gone and when we got back it was dark.

blue_monkey_2

I am back again with some updated photo's. I've actually moved them all over to Picasa because I was really struggling with Photobucket. ANyway, the garden is really coming along well. Here are the links to the pics.

Garden Before

Taking Shape

I've noticed that some are a little blurry, these seem to be the ones I took from the house when it was too cold to go outside, LOL. The magpies have been loving the garden not having any grass they have been down each morning having a feast.

The chap reckons he will son be finished. I have a big stock of plants - butterfly and bee plants, tomato plants and fruit bushes - I've been buying from Poundland and I'll be putting those in at the weekend if the weather is nice.

The pond has got to be sealed around the top this weekend so we have to go that - 2 layers of waterproofer in black, and sort the liner out, then it has to be drained this weekend, then filled and allowed to settle and then we can move the fish over.

The kids have been loving to get outside and ride aorund on their scooters, there is still some paving to do and then some finishing up but it is looking great and we are really happy with it.

aliasojo

Wow, it's fairly taking shape now. What a difference. It'll be lovely come Summer with the plants in too. (Jealous)

blue_monkey_2

I've never been interested in plants and gardening but now I cannot wait. I even got some blue roses from poundland. Yesterday when we looked out and saw my son out on his scooter riding around and around we realised that all of the saving and scrimping to pay for it made it all worthwhile. He had patched up a hole in the paving were it was not quite finished so he could ride around. Bless him. It'll be even better when I am not telling him to get off the decking with the skateboard as some more paving has been done today!!

james.link08

hi friend,
Thanks to share this project with us. As you said this one is the nice idea to decorate the garden.
Good job man.