Are you feeding your garden birds this winter? These homemade bird feeders are a great way to give them a helping hand! Why it's important to feed wild birds in winter Winter is a tough time of year for wild birds, as natural food sources such as insects and berries are scarce. Also, birds need lots of energy-rich food to maintain fat reserves, which are called upon most when temperatures drop. Providing a winter food source for birds ...
Gifts for outdoor explorers and nature lovers
Welcome to my guide to Christmas gifts for outdoor explorers and nature lovers. If you're shopping for someone who likes their adventures, I've got lots of inspiration for you! Read on for lots of lovely gift ideas which are perfect for those who love supporting and enjoying the natural world and the great outdoors :) Gifts for nature lovers Let's start off with a gift with a really positive impact. Treedom is a tree planting ...
Easy Halloween crafts: spooky spider plants
We've had so much fun making these spooky spider plants! Aren't they just perfect for Halloween? I saw this easy Halloween crafts idea on the Amateur Gardening website, and thought the kids would love to have a go. We did this craft outdoors, but it would work perfectly well indoors if the weather isn't great. How to make spooky spider plants Here's what you need to make your very own spooky spider plants. Plant pots ...
The best flowers for bees, and easy ways to make your garden bee friendly
Is your garden popular with bees? If not, here are some easy ways to transform it into a bee friendly garden that these vital insects will love to visit. Why bees are important If you’re interested in gardening and nature, you’re probably aware that bees are in trouble, with numbers and species in quite dramatic decline. What you might not be aware of is just how important bees are to us, and the planet in general. Native bees ...
Nature Crafts for Kids: how to make a journey stick
Making a journey stick is such an easy, fun outdoor craft to do with the kids - and a great low-cost way to have some fun family time. We learnt what a journey stick is and how to make one at our local Skylarks nature reserve in Nottingham, which is part of the Wildlife Trusts. What is a journey stick? I'd never heard of journey sticks before, but apparently they've been around for a very long time. A journey stick (also known as a ...
Win a nature books bundle for all the family
Welcome to another brilliant book giveaway! I've teamed up with the lovely people at Welbeck Publishing again, to bring you another fab prize bundle of outdoors-y books for all the family. The bundle includes six titles, each with a nature or outdoor theme, and is worth £106. Let's take a look at each book in more detail. RHS The Rose The Rose tells the story of the world's favourite flower, through 40 of the most popular and ...
Growing sunflowers in a pot: fun gardening for kids
Are you growing plants with the kids this year? If you're looking for easy seeds to grow with children it's hard to beat growing sunflowers in a pot. And now is a great time to get planting! As well as producing seriously impressive blooms, sunflower seeds are easy for little hands to deal with, and pretty low maintenance to grow. They're also brilliant for local wildlife; the flowers are great for bees and other pollinating insects, ...
Win a bundle of nature books and bring the outdoors inside
Welcome to a lovely new giveaway! This one is perfect for nature fans and anyone who's keen to bring more of the outdoors into their home - which is pretty much all of us right now isn't it? I've got a fantastic bundle of five Paperscapes books from Welbeck Publishing worth £100 to give away to one lucky winner. The Paperscapes series of books features wonderful illustrations and lyrical text, with press-out sections that transform the ...
The importance of green space in London
Collaborative post When people first think about London, usually it is of the busy streets, the major tourist attractions, and the tube. London is a major metropolitan city, but it also has many large, beautiful green spaces which are hugely important to the capital in a number of different ways. Cleaner Air One of the main reasons that green space in London is so important is that it helps to provide cleaner air. This is vital in a ...
60 fun garden activities for when you’re stuck at home with the kids
If you're stuck at home with the kids, you're probably in need of some boredom-busting inspiration. Here's a great list of 60 fun things to do in your garden to keep kids busy and get them outside. Scroll down for online resources and recommended reads too. Things to do in the garden when stuck at home with the kids 1. Grow your own salad from Growing Family 2. Recycled garden markers from Pink Stripey Socks 3. DIY slate bunting ...