Category Archives: Gardens

A sensory garden is a garden, or part of a garden, which is specifically designed to appeal to the five senses through the use of soft and hard landscaping. The Sensory Trust defines a sensory garden as “a self-contained area that concentrates a wide range of sensory experiences. Such an area, if designed well, provides a valuable resource for a wide range of uses, from education to recreation.”

Sensory gardens are increasingly popular for outside spaces in schools, hospitals and hospices to create a relaxing and therapeutic environment. In fact it’s been proved that sensory gardens have therapeutic value for people with visual disabilities or dementia who can enjoy connecting with nature in a safe environment. Sensory gardens can also contribute positively to emotional wellbeing and can be used as a coping strategy to improve mental, emotional and long term physical health.

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When you think of containers in the garden, it’s easy to think small; terracotta plant pots with herbs, a glazed pot for a special rose perhaps or maybe a wooden trough with pansies and primroses. So often pots are an after-thought or late addition to the garden given as a gift that then has to fit in with what’s already there. Just as you would think carefully about the accessories for a new kitchen, or soft furnishings in a living room, choosing containers and the plants to fill them can make all the difference to the look and feel of your garden and really add the Wow factor. In fact in a small garden containers can be your starting point to create key points of interest, provide colour, texture and structure as well as being a time-saving or low maintenance solution for reluctant gardeners.

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The UK’s biggest celebration of gardening is happening in April. The week will see thousands of people, as well as charities, retailers, culture and heritage organisations and groups attending, as well as hosting, their own events up and down the country. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has been holding the annual National Gardening Week since 2011, but don’t worry if you have never heard of it before, or are not a knowledgeable gardener. The theme for 2017 is ‘Help New Gardeners to Grow’; encouraging you to get more involved in your gardens. The week will aim to inspire gardeners of all levels so there’s no better time to improve your gardening skills and embrace your green fingers.

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The government is now recommending we have 10 portions of fruit and veg per day, but the costs can add up. So why not try and grow your own veg this summer? Now is the time to get plots ready and plan your crop for the summer. Over the last few years, there has been a tremendous surge in the popularity in growing your own vegetables and the demand for allotments has increased with many councils having long waiting lists. But you don’t necessarily need lots of space to grow your own vegetables, and there are some easier options to get you started if you’ve never tried to grow veg before. Whatever size or space you have whether it’s a small patch in the garden, a container, flat or raised beds getting your soil ready for planting and planning what you’ll sow is vital for success.

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Butterflies are often portrayed as the essence of nature or as representing freedom, beauty or peace. For many people, one of the first signs that spring is truly on its way is the fluttering of butterflies in the garden. Butterflies are important for so many reasons: not just aesthetically but also scientifically, for the ecosystem and for our health. We all know how important bees are to the environment but butterflies are the secret heroes, crucial in pollination and a natural form of pest control. So which species should we be looking out for?

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It’s that time of year again! Get ready for 2019’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch from 26th-28th of January! Why not spend an hour this weekend taking part in the world’s largest wildlife survey and see what you can spot. The Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s largest wildlife survey that helps to find out what wildlife is in trouble, and what’s thriving. As a result of counting birds in our garden for Birdwatch, since 1979 starlings have declined by 81% and song thrush numbers have declined by around 70%. It started out as just a bird survey, but since 2014 we’ve been asked to look out for other wildlife that visits our gardens. Through this we now know that only one in four of us see hedgehogs in the garden at least once a month. All this information adds up to create a detailed snapshot of how our wildlife is faring around the UK.

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