Well the weather has finally decided to behave like spring, hurrah! Now that things have started to warm up, you can really get cracking on some fun family gardening projects. Dobbies Garden Centres are encouraging us all to do just that with their #SpringBlooms campaign, and they asked us to get involved and hopefully inspire you to do the same. We popped into our local Dobbies store and picked up some plants, tools and accessories from ...
Helping Britain’s bees with the Hozelock #PlantAPot campaign
You’re probably already aware that bees are in trouble, with numbers and species in quite dramatic decline. Bees play a crucial role in the pollination of plants - and not just our pretty garden plants, but also food crops. About a third of the food that we eat relies on bees for pollination, so the fact that they’re struggling is a really serious issue. The good news is that we can all help bees thrive in our gardens and outdoor spaces, by ...
Giving nature a home in our garden: sowing wildflowers
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll be aware that we’re joining forces with the RSPB 'Give nature a home in your garden' campaign. With 60% of the UK’s wildlife species seeing decline over the last fifty years, the campaign aims to encourage us all to take small, achievable steps to help nature in our own green spaces. We’re going to be sharing our experiences as we try out lots of fun family activities to make a home for nature in our own ...
Review & Giveaway: RHS I Can Grow a Sunflower
If you’re a regular visitor to my blog you’ll know that getting children into gardening is a passion of mine. Gardening fits so well with lots of the things that kids tend to automatically like: hands-on activity, exploring nature, and helping the grown-ups spring instantly to mind, not to mention getting grubby! I’m always on the lookout for products, activities and crafts that encourage a love of gardening in children, and my latest discovery ...
Review: Vine House Farm super suet fat ball bird feed
Our garden has been a hive of activity in the last couple of weeks. We’ve been reviewing some high energy bird feed from Vine House Farm, and it’s safe to say it’s been a big hit! We always make an extra effort to feed our local wild birds in winter, because this season is really tough for them. The cold weather causes wild birds to use more energy keeping warm, and also natural food sources are thin on the ground. Providing a source of ...
11. The 10 minute gardener: winter wildlife gardening
Welcome to a special wildlife gardening edition in the 10 minute gardener series. This time I’m looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule that will help your local wildlife during winter. Winter is a tough season for garden wildlife; the cold weather demands high-energy food, but natural food sources are hard to find. Because we don’t spend as much time outdoors in winter, it’s easy to forget that our local wildlife is ...
Giving nature a home in our garden: making a bird bath
Throughout this year we've been partnering with RSPB to support their ‘Give nature a home in your garden’ campaign. 60% of the UK’s wildlife species have seen a decline over the last fifty years, and the RSPB campaign aims to encourage us all to take small, achievable steps to help nature in our own green spaces. We've been having a go at some of RSPB's nature gardening activities to help support local wildlife in our garden and allotment, and ...
Garden tips for creating a winter wildlife haven
Is your garden a winter wildlife haven? We tend to spend a lot less time in our gardens during winter, but that isn’t necessarily the case for our local wildlife. As well as visiting your garden in search of food, wildlife will also use it as a place to hibernate during the colder months if you’re providing the right conditions. If you’d like to make your garden wildlife-friendly this season, check out this fab infographic from Oeco Garden ...
Exploring the UK with The Discovery Adventures by Land Rover
Isn’t autumn a fantastic time of year for getting outdoors and enjoying nature? We try to squeeze in as many outdoor adventures as we can in autumn; whether it’s a day trip to a specific location, or just a family walk in the local park, we all love the chance to really interact with everything that the season has to offer. Conker hunts and leaf collecting always feature rather heavily! I do think that it’s all too easy to let busy family life ...
Giving nature a home in our garden: making a frog and toad abode
If you read the blog regularly, you’ll know that we’re big fans of getting outdoors and enjoying nature, and also that we’re partnering with RSPB this year to support their 'Give nature a home in your garden’ campaign. 60% of the UK’s wildlife species have seen a decline over the last fifty years, and the RSPB campaign aims to encourage us all to take small, achievable steps to help nature in our own green spaces. We’ve had lots of fun this year ...