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Order Snowdrops in the green Snowdrops in February sunshine With spring rapidly approaching there are still a couple of weeks left to buy...

August sees the first signs of autumn with the first migrant birds departing our shores. One of the first and more obvious garden birds to leave are swifts and by the middle of the month most birds will have gone, their screaming calls no longer filling the air on warm summer evenings. Many of our resident birds meanwhile, enter a period of moulting at this time, in which they shed their breeding feathers and develop an often-drabber new plumage for the winter. This can be se

As summer arrives, wildlife takes on an altogether more relaxed approach and by the end of the month birds appear noticeably quieter as the main breeding season draws to a close. The sound of birdsong and the dawn chorus is replaced by the begging calls of fledglings. On very hot days you may even notice a blackbird seemingly sunbathing on a lawn or rockery. No one is really sure of the reason for this behaviour which frequently sees them lying with outstretched wings and tai

The Wildflower Garden in May As spring moves steadily towards summer, the breeding season is now in full flow for many of our resident birds. By mid month the dawn chorus will reach a peak and a very early morning walk in deciduous woodland provides an unforgettable experience. A visit to old woodland in May can also be a source of inspiration to the Wildflower gardener. In certain woods, vast swathes of Bluebell still exist and can be found flowering this month, along with m

The Wildflower Garden in April An unpredictable month weather wise, often with showers and sun but with the days lengthening and the ground starting to warm, April is the month that sees many of our native trees coming into leaf. Resident birds will already be egg laying and migrant birds such as swallows and warblers will be arriving into the country in huge numbers by the end of the month, the exact timing often affected by the various weather systems. In the Wildflower gar

Wild Daffodils With spring just round the corner, March is a month of great activity in the garden. An increase in the volume of birdsong is a sure sign that many of our resident birds are already busy defending territories and indeed nest building. Frogs, toads and newts will also be breeding now. Frogspawn will normally appear first, followed by toad spawn with newts normally laying their eggs last. In the Wildflower garden, yellow is the theme, with Wild daffodil, Primrose

The Wildflower Garden in January Although traditional gardeners often dread mid winter, a wildflower garden can be a place of fascination at this time of year. By early month it should already be possible to hear great tits singing. Their song, a repetitive and metallic “tea cher” “tea cher” is one of the first signs that spring is approaching. As the days slowly lengthen, Mistle thrushes can also be heard singing high in the treetops. They are one of our first birds to breed

Holly berries The Wildflower garden in December is a quiet place, with many plants and trees now fully dormant and creatures such as frogs and hedgehogs in hibernation. However a close inspection of the soil may already reveal the first signs of spring with Bluebells and Snowdrops putting out their first shoots by mid-month. Other more conspicuous plants this month include Holly and Mistletoe and both have berries that will be fully ripened in time for Christmas. Slightly les

Guelder Rose Wildflower garden ideas November is the month when everything falls silent in the wildflower garden. The early part of the month is dominated by the wide array of autumn colours that appear in our woodlands and hedgerows. The exact timing and degree of colouration is dependent on weather conditions, with frost, rainfall and autumn gales all playing a part. Good native species to include in the garden for autumn colour include Rowan (orange/brown), Field maple (ye

Wild Service Tree against autumn sky With summer now officially at an end, October is the month of misty mornings and colder nights when plant growth slows down. Many of our native species enter a period of dormancy by shedding their foliage and survive the winter by holding their resting buds under the soil in preparation for the following spring. The numbers of Wildflowers still in bloom in October are few and far between with Autumn Crocus, Common Toadflax, Herb Robert and

During September the pace of life in the wildflower garden begins to slow down. With days shortening, many birds frantically feast on the last few insects in an attempt to put on as much weight as possible before the long journeys that they will soon face. On warm days, look out for Swallows and House martins gathering on south facing rooftops in an attempt to absorb some of the heat. Swallows are the first to leave but House martins always seem more reluctant, with most hang

August sees the first signs of autumn with the first migrant birds departing our shores. One of the first and more obvious garden birds to leave are swifts and by the middle of the month most birds will have gone, their screaming calls no longer filling the air on warm summer evenings. Many of our resident birds meanwhile, enter a period of moulting at this time, in which they shed their breeding feathers and develop an often-drabber new plumage for the winter. This can be se