[Misc] The Wild Gardener - BBC 2 just now

[Wardy's twin]

I know this could be in the gardening thread but thought starting a new thread will highlight it.

Colin Stafford-Johnson re-wilds a field that has been in his family for 50+ years. The guy is a famous wild life photographer/film maker in his own right and he uses his expertise to film how the field changes.

 

[Weststander]

Watching Children In Need, but I’ve recorded that. Can’t wait to watch, I try to see anything on that subject matter.

So much you can do, very quickly, with a strip of land even in a garden. A field all the better!

It takes management, especially in the early years, to prevent brambles, course grasses etc dominating.

The rewards to fauna, ecosystems are immense and immediate.

 

[Jack Straw]

I've been watching the football, so will watch this later. Looking forwards to seeing it.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I've been watching the football, so will watch this later. Looking forwards to seeing it.

Likewise and likewise

 

[Jack Straw]

Just watched the first episode. Really lovely programme, slow paced, relaxed and informative. If I was him with that size piece of land, I'd have done exactly the same. We can all do what he's done in miniature, I'm sure.
Looking forwards to watching the next one.

 

[Weststander]

Just watched the first episode. Really lovely programme, slow paced, relaxed and informative. If I was him with that size piece of land, I'd have done exactly the same. We can all do what he's done in miniature, I'm sure.
Looking forwards to watching the next one.

It was heart warming, he’s personally witnessed mankind’s destruction of wilderness. A remedy for the soul and at the same time you can really make a difference, is to get on with a wildlife project of your own.

Millions of landowners and garden owners all doing likewise, it adds up to a lot.

(In addition to all the wonderful stuff being done by philanthropists in the US, for example).

I’ve always tried to do this. Better than just being angry/sad.

 

[Wardy's twin]

IMO knocked the spots off most gardening programmes probably because it ties up with my way of thinking about gardening and wildlife. Jealous about the variety of dragon flies he has , I have had 4 types and they show little interest in my ponds though I do get various damsels that breed in them. I would also recommend his other series that cover general wildlife.

 

[Weststander]

IMO knocked the spots off most gardening programmes probably because it ties up with my way of thinking about gardening and wildlife. Jealous about the variety of dragon flies he has , I have had 4 types and they show little interest in my ponds though I do get various damsels that breed in them. I would also recommend his other series that cover general wildlife.

Ditto. But I also see so much great stuff on many gardening prog’s now eg Gardeners World’s visits to Hove’s Kate Bradbury, also meadows get a lot of coverage.

How far back did you first become aware of wildlife gardening and then start doing beneficial stuff?

For me it watching with my Dad BBC programmes by the academic Chris Baines in the early 80’s. But I had to wait until 1999 when I got my first garden.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Ditto. But I also see so much great stuff on many gardening prog’s now eg Gardeners World’s visits to Hove’s Kate Bradbury, also meadows get a lot of coverage.

How far back did you first become aware of wildlife gardening and then start doing beneficial stuff?

For me it watching with my Dad BBC programmes by the academic Chris Baines in the early 80’s. But I had to wait until 1999 when I got my first garden.

Maybe I am too harsh on the gardening programmes but some seem to focus on exotic names and I guess my interests have mainly been the wildlife and see the garden as a place that attracts them rather than nice garden and the wildlife is a bonus.

As a kid we had a large back garden - 160 feet and about 45 feet wide which was a bit simple in so much that the house was built 10 years previously on the downs in Woodingdean so little was mature and it was quite open. It was full of insect life and the occasional slow worm & frog. We built a rubbish/wild area and a large rockery which we put lizards (caught down the road). The lizards used to disappear but the slow worms stayed. We also built a small pond but the liner used was not very good and vey quickly pierced but it did leave a marshy area which the smaller frog like.

Roll forward 20 years and my 3rd garden , it is about 30 by 90 feet and did have a native frog population (from someone else's pond) and some slow worms I introduced from a building site clearance. Once the kid's were old enough I put a pond in which worked well and has a large newt community built up by a breeding programme . I now have 3 ponds (one with rescue goldfish). They are built into a rockery with a compost heap at the back. Nothing really planned and if I were doing it now I would do it differently to make it look a bit neater and easier to maintain BUT it does support a reasonable size newt community, there are frogs but they have suffered as a result of the newts success. I do get quite a few damsels that breed in the ponds.

The ponds also attract birds.....

 

[FamilyGuy]

Ditto. But I also see so much great stuff on many gardening prog’s now eg Gardeners World’s visits to Hove’s Kate Bradbury, also meadows get a lot of coverage.

How far back did you first become aware of wildlife gardening and then start doing beneficial stuff?

For me it watching with my Dad BBC programmes by the academic Chris Baines in the early 80’s. But I had to wait until 1999 when I got my first garden.

Chris Baines, got me interested too (Wildlife corridors anybody?). I have a couple of his books. What ever happened to him?

 

[Weststander]

Maybe I am too harsh on the gardening programmes but some seem to focus on exotic names and I guess my interests have mainly been the wildlife and see the garden as a place that attracts them rather than nice garden and the wildlife is a bonus.

As a kid we had a large back garden - 160 feet and about 45 feet wide which was a bit simple in so much that the house was built 10 years previously on the downs in Woodingdean so little was mature and it was quite open. It was full of insect life and the occasional slow worm & frog. We built a rubbish/wild area and a large rockery which we put lizards (caught down the road). The lizards used to disappear but the slow worms stayed. We also built a small pond but the liner used was not very good and vey quickly pierced but it did leave a marshy area which the smaller frog like.

Roll forward 20 years and my 3rd garden , it is about 30 by 90 feet and did have a native frog population (from someone else's pond) and some slow worms I introduced from a building site clearance. Once the kid's were old enough I put a pond in which worked well and has a large newt community built up by a breeding programme . I now have 3 ponds (one with rescue goldfish). They are built into a rockery with a compost heap at the back. Nothing really planned and if I were doing it now I would do it differently to make it look a bit neater and easier to maintain BUT it does support a reasonable size newt community, there are frogs but they have suffered as a result of the newts success. I do get quite a few damsels that breed in the ponds.

The ponds also attract birds.....

I love your story and work. I remember your newts conservation work and your offer when my wildlife pond is ready. It'll include a bog garden. All native pond and bog plants.

Ours in about 40' x 125', plus a front garden. I've transformed it over a long period, all my own labour (I stubborn about getting in help). It does include a couple of decent lawns, after all the hard work I'm not ready to give the best one up to being a meadow! But the borders include a planted native wildlife hedge, log piles, a mini meadow strip, countless perennials all chosen for insect life, special holes for hedgehogs in gravel boards.

Still a work in progress, I love gardening and attracting wildlife.

 

[Weststander]

Chris Baines, got me interested too (Wildlife corridors anybody?). I have a couple of his books. What ever happened to him?

Age 74 and still going strong.

I've still got the advice pamphlet the BBC sent out in 1984 if you sent a postage paid envelope and a much later book.

The wildlife corridor advice still stands now, used by local authorities in planning.

 

[zefarelly]

Watched last night, very good, and a similar ethos to ours in our ( much smaller) gardens, as well as our allotment. Particularly the pond and everything it attracts.

 

[FamilyGuy]

Age 74 and still going strong.

I've still got the advice pamphlet the BBC sent out in 1984 if you sent a postage paid envelope and a much later book.

The wildlife corridor advice still stands now, used by local authorities in planning.

I've still got that BBC Pamphlet too =0)