FAQs

Does this approach mean I have to let my garden go completely wild?
No. Gardens are managed spaces, if we let one go totally wild, it ceases to be a garden and becomes an inaccessible wilderness. Nature-friendly gardening means managing your garden in a way that encourages and supports wildlife without stopping you from enjoying cultivated plants and from using the garden for socialising, relaxing, mindfulness and play. If you left your garden alone it would probably fill up with brambles and green alkanet. These would benefit a few species but would exclude many others,  including humans eventually.  

Can I apply these principles to part of my garden, but not to all of it, all of the time?
Yes! This approach can be adapted to one that is appropriate for a given person's garden, lifestyle, budget and personal preferences and circumstances. 

Will my garden still be tidy?
Truly nature-friendly gardening does mean accepting something less than perfect tidiness and letting go of manicured maintenance, but I do aim for a level of tidiness that allows for a sense that the garden is under control, because I think most of us feel better this way. It is about seeking a balance and this will be different for different garden owners.

Does nature friendly, organic gardening require a shift in mindset? 
It may do. For example, we can look at dandelions as weeds or we could choose to see them as multifunctional plants that appear on their own and cost nothing in terms of time and maintenance. They have lively, cheerful flowers that attract wildlife and the seed head 'clocks' have an ethereal beauty and are magical en masse. We could see aphids as pests to be destroyed or we could choose to accept them, and remember that they might encourage aphid-eating wildlife such as ladybirds, which are themselves a pleasure to see. 

What about weeding?
The term 'weed' is subjective and unhelpfully pejorative so I use the term 'wild plants'. I do not think it makes sense to take out every plant that was not intentionally planted just because it is on 'the weed list'. All plants contribute to soil health and diversity by having their living roots in the ground and most support wildlife in one way or another. Many wild plants are attractive and we only pull them out because that is what someone told us to do. I do remove wild plants; for example  when they are out-competing other plants, when they are threatening to take over or when clients have told me they do not like a particular wild plant species, but I do not believe it is good practice to take out every single wild plant without consideration. Embracing wild plants as welcome wildlife rather than rejecting them as 'weeds' is another way to increase biodiversity and it saves time and energy for other garden tasks. 

What about slugs and snails?
 I do not kill slugs, snails or other pests. I do not believe I have a right to kill sentient creatures in the garden in a deliberate way just because their presence is inconvenient. I also believe that killing 'pests' disrupts ecosystems and is thus counterproductive. The best way to control any species which has got out of control is to use practices that promote a healthy, complex and diverse ecosystem. It is also the case that the vast majority of the 100 or so species of slugs and snails found in the UK do not eat living plant matter. I do know the heartbreak and frustration that these creatures cause but I accept that I can't grow certain things and that I am restricted with design choices and recommendations that I make to clients.

Will I notice an increase in wildlife in my garden?
There will be more wildlife but some of it may be tricky to spot. Wildlife friendly gardening will increase soil life, most of which you can only see with a microscope. It will also increase the presence of invertebrates, which can be hard to see, especially since many are small and/or nocturnal. If you are able to spend more time sitting in or watching the garden, you will almost certainly notice an increase in birds and insects however, particularly butterflies, as these are easy to see. The more time you can spend quietly in the garden,  and the closer the attention you are able to pay to it, the more wildlife you will see. I can help you with bird, butterfly and wild plant identification so that you know what you've got. 
 
Does wildlife friendly gardening mean I have to tolerate plants I don't like or remove plants that I do like?
No. It's really important that a garden is a place of enjoyment and fun, and a place to seek calm and peace, especially in the busy area that we live in. Above all, we need to feel we can be ourselves in our gardens and that they are a truthful reflection of our personalities. You don't have to keep or buy plants just because they're good for wildlife, or remove a loved plant just because it isn't. You may have sentimental reasons for having certain plants or perhaps they simply bring you joy, which are good reasons for having them. It's not necessary for every single plant and every area of the garden to be wildlife orientated. 

What about native species plants?
I like to use these because they usually support a lot of wildlife and they should thrive because they're suited to the UK conditions. There's plenty of lovely non-native species that are great options too so I like to aim for a mix. 

What about lawns?
I do provide organic lawn care services so that you can have a pleasant, green area for relaxing, entertaining and for children and pets to use, but I do not advocate or aim for perfect, bowling green lawns. These take a lot of time, money and inputs because they require fighting nature constantly. It is swimming against the tide and I think our resources are better spent elsewhere in the garden or in life. 

Plastic 
I am not plastic free unfortunately. Most plants come in plastic pots and I  use manure and compost sometimes and it usually comes in plastic sacks. To mitigate this I keep all sacks and re-use them as waste sacks multiple times. I never need to buy rubble/waste sacks. If it is appropriate for you and your garden, I can build you a compost heap and show you how to use it. Plant pots can usually be recyled. I no longer use weed suppressing mats. 

Where do you get your plants from? 
I buy from local nurseries so as to support local business, and sometimes from well-known mail order companies, but they are not certified organic nurseries. There are organic and peat free suppliers and I prefer to use these where possible, so please do ask me about this if you're interested. Where possible, I like to split plants or use self-seeded ones, which is more environmentally friendly and saves money. 

Is wildlife-gardening more expensive and/or more time consuming?
I actually think it's cheaper and takes less time because often it means choosing not to spend time and money on a task that doesn't really need doing. It is cheaper to accept dandelions in your lawn than to pay a gardener to remove them. It is cheaper to use perennials than to buy bedding plants each year, and worrying less about having an immaculately tidy garden means more time for actually enjoying it. 

Are you 100% organic? 
I am not 100% organic, although I would love to be, because I use plastic, I use a car to get to work, I sometimes buy new tools and I buy plants that are not organically certified. I use inputs (such as bought compost) which I did not generate myself. I do seek to be as organic as I possibly can and I never use chemicals. 

Are you insured and trained? 
Yes, please me about all of this. I am very happy to provide further information, including supporting paperwork.