Out & About Spring 2018

A wild garden is a healthy garden, says WENDY TOBITT from the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust How does your garden grow? LEISURE – OUTDOORS

T here around 15 million gardens across the UK and if they could be linked together they would create an area larger than all the national nature reserves. Gardens create a network of wildlife habitats which shows just how important they are as mini nature reserves attracting bees, butterflies, hedgehogs, frogs and birds. Fundamental to all gardens, and of course the wider countryside, are earthworms. These wonderful ‘engineers’ keep our garden soils healthy so that we can grow tasty vegetables, beautiful flowers and trees, and they even help to store carbon and reduce climate change. This year The Wildlife Trusts and Royal Horticultural Society are celebrating earthworms in their Wild About Gardens campaign to encourage more people to make their gardens healthy mini nature reserves. Earthworms are the essential creatures that you rarely see. Often known as ‘nature’s ploughs’ earthworms make vertical and horizontal burrows allowing oxygen and water to keep soil healthy. They consume leaves and other vegetable

detritus to create casts, or worm poo, which releases nutrients to improve soil fertility as well as storing carbon. Earthworms may not be the most attractive of wildlife, but they are essential for a healthy garden, so let’s keep them happy by making compost heaps and then digging in the lovely compost to feed our plants for pollinators. The first butterflies to emerge from hibernation are among the charismatic wildlife that we enjoy seeing in our gardens. Red admiral, small tortoiseshell, peacock, comma and brimstone butterflies spend winter in a state of torpor underneath shelves in sheds and deep in ivy. They respond quickly to the warm sunshine and are flying now, getting ready to mate and lay their eggs, often among nettles. A patch of nettles helps to create a healthy wild garden. When caterpillars emerge from they will feed on nettle leaves before transforming into butterflies in the summer. Spring into action for your healthy garden, and get your Wild About Gardens leaflet from www.bbowt.org.uk/wildlife/ gardening-wildlife

From top: wriggly earthworms keeping your garden soil healthy; red admiral butterfly; brimstone butterfly on a bluebell

EVENTS COMING UP

Details of all BBOWT events on www.bbowt.org.uk/whats-on BBOWT Facebook handle is @bbowildlifetrust and Twitter is @bbowt 10.30am to 3.30pm Beanpole Day at the Nature Discovery Centre for pea sticks, bean poles and other supports for ornamental and vegetable plants. Tuesday 8 7.30pm to 9.30pm Evening Nightingale Walk at Pingewood, in the Kennet Valley south of Reading. MAY Saturday 5 4.30am to 7am Dawn Chorus Walk , followed by breakfast at the Lakeside Café, Nature Discovery Centre, Thatcham. Sunday 6

APRIL Wednesday 4 10.30am to 3.30pm drop in for the Springtime Scavenger Hunt at Shaw House, Newbury. 11am to 3pm Easter Eggsplorers for all the family at Paices Wood Country Park, wilderness trails to spot the eggs. Friday 6 Eggs-ploration wildlife trail and crafts, sessions throughout the day at Nature Discovery Centre, Thatcham Wednesday 11 Crocodiles of the World at the Nature Discovery Centre, Thatcham: sessions throughout the day Friday 13 Nature’s Garden on a Plate : gathering pretty petals and leaves, sessions throughout the day at Nature Discovery Centre, Thatcham Saturday 28 2.30 to 4.30pm Bluebell Walk at Moor Copse nature reserve, Tidmarsh

Pictures: Growveg.co.uk, Amy Lewis, Janet Packham

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