i’m one of those living in rented accommodation, and i finally set up my wildlife barrel pond last autumn. it’s already made a huge difference in supporting wildlife, but i’m very excited to see how spring and summer changes it. another thing i did last summer was keep shallow trays of water and pebbles on the ground for the invertebrates, and for the first time ever i had ladybird larvae on my fennel!! water makes such an insane difference, it’s like life just bursts when you add water to even a small urban garden like mine ☺️🌱

@slashingbison2503

Жыл бұрын

That’s great to hear (and thank you!) if we all did our bit in our space when can give nature a chance. Water trays made a massive difference for my bird population all from Joel’s tips!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

That's fantastic, it really is, I really am pleased you're reaping the rewards of thinking of nature in your garden. I've been doing my own front garden and have been filming it as I go, ready to share with you all about the different things you can fit in a small space that will make a huge difference :) Thank you and please keep us updated! Joel

I cleaned and put up my nest boxes this weekend, fingers crossed we get some House Wrens and Chickadees 😊

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Stop it! Chickadees.... swoon etc! ha! Are they Carolina Chickadees? Well done re the boxes, I cannot wait to come to see your garden :) Sounds like you had a good weekend. Catch up soon, best wishes - Joel

Amazing advice as usual joel 🐸💚🐸

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Thank you - so much. Just in from front garden again, trying to get stuff finished and planted, a little way to go now but I'm filming it all so I can share with everyone - hope you've had a good weekend, speak soon - Joel

@UkAmphibians

Жыл бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton brilliant Joel looking forward to the front garden video with the pond too 🐸💚🐸

Still 2 inches of snow here in Aberdeenshire, so our birds have 3 feeds per day! It goes as fast as I put it out for them. They sit in the trees & bushes waiting for me ❤️ Stay warm Joel!

@slashingbison2503

Жыл бұрын

Same they’ve been crazy for it, I had 3 meals a day and all the pheasants to deal with! I had a jay pair visit , always seen 1 but he returned with his mate among all the other natives and some passing goldfinches for a week.

@lynnrushton7458

Жыл бұрын

@@slashingbison2503 aww that’s great. We have a huge variety of birds who visit us…..not so many pheasants this year for some reason

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Hey Lynn! Mine really do enjoy the extra (and sometimes sole) food source and it's one of the best feelings to watch them eat and know you're helping to keep them warm, sated and in tip-top condition for breeding (and surviving!). Thanks for doing what you're doing. Best wishes, Joel

On the subject of feeding birds, I have fed sunflower hearts, suet pellets and nyjer seed for most of the year. I have found that the local house sparrow population has increased, the parents are in better condition to breed, and they use the suet pellets to supplement the feeding of young. We have had in the past siskins feeding and bringing young to our nyjer feeders.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

So wonderful to hear that the sparrow population has increased in your area. I have a pretty good sized gang of them that take refuge in a very old (and large!) buddleja in the garden and they make the most of the feeders. The two paired-up Robins have been using the hanging feeder too and I know about their "violence" with other birds around this time but the sparrows don't seem fussed and the Robins always give way to them :) Thinking about and providing for the wildlife in your garden is so very rewarding, yours is proof of that. Hope you've had a good weekend, best wishes - Joel

@slashingbison2503

Жыл бұрын

My chaffinches go mad for nyjer unless all the pheasants clear it out!

@pauldurkee4764

Жыл бұрын

@@slashingbison2503 I've never seen chaffinches go for it, mostly goldfinches and siskins.

@rigajykra3159

Жыл бұрын

I’ve had a yellow hammer feeding on my sunflower seeds last year.

@pauldurkee4764

Жыл бұрын

@@rigajykra3159 You are lucky to get a Yellowhammer in your garden, normally if there's a hard winter they come looking for food in gardens.👍

Hi Joel I have just set up my own wildlife barrel pond today inspired by you and your videos and already a robin has given it his seal of approval. Keep up the good work 👏

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Dan, thanks so much for this - comments like yours really do make a difference to me, this is so encouraging :) look out for a mate and hopefully they'll nest in the garden. Best wishes, Joel

Hi Joel 😊❤️ I feed the birds daily in my garden. I had bring a bird box for sparrows 👍👍❤️

Love your videos Joel! I'm gardening in south central New Mexico USA on a very small residential lot. It is full on Spring here. Your tips have helped me improve my garden for wildlife. Birds are singing and building nests as I type this. I noticed a Black Swallowtail chrysalis on an ocotillo and have planted carrots, dill and parsley for when it emerges. XOX

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Your comment has made my weekend! Thank you :) It sounds absolutely wonderful and if you ever get the chance/time I'd love to see a few photos of it - you can reach me on enquiries@wildyourgarden.com. Keep up the good work, the rewards are endless, I promise :) Best wishes to you - Joel

Wild bird feed has been a huge problem this year, after brexit I have found that the suppliers no longer offer mail order, coupled with the fact that most Sunflower hearts came from Bulgaria this has now pushed the price over that which people will buy, in fact Croston Mill has now stopped mail order all together, there is a lot of Sunflower seed available here,(in France), but I must make a de husker to take of the outer cases of the seed as I find finches are not as keen to attack whole seeds, we have not yet got your snow, although we had heavy falls in January! Stay safe! Chris B.

We managed to escape snow here. I was out in the garden planting some bare root echinacea. I’ve decided to clear my patch of grass and convert the area into wildflower meadow, so that’s my main project this year, I also need to refresh my barrel pond. Regards

@slashingbison2503

Жыл бұрын

I’ve taken all my grass up in my front cottage garden ready to 1kg meadow seed after this frost! Good luck!

Great advice as usual. All the best Joel.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Thank you, I really appreciate the support - best wishes to you and yours - Joel

Joel, fantastic advice as always. Thank you x

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

You're very welcome Gill, glad you enjoyed this and that it was helpful :) I really appreciate the encouragement and support, it makes a difference. Hope you've had a good weekend, best wishes - Joel x

Great video! 👋👋👋 Thank you for all the reminders 🌿💚🌱

Nice to hear that coppicing your trees is still possible. We now have the keys of our new house and there is a row of an unknown tree species, when you enter the garden. At the moment they are cut pretty formal, but I would like to coppice them, at least a few as a start. What tools do you need for that? My amount of tools are pretty low at the moment because I just started gardening 2 years ago. But my newest tool is a big kind of scissor with long arms, for cutting back my buddleja's. On march 24 we will be officially moving in and hopefully I can start planning and digging my own wildlife pond soon. There are a lot of house sparrows nearby and so far when I visited the house to bring over some stuff, I have enjoyed listening to their chirps. It is so calming to hear and it makes me feel at home on an instant😍❤🐦

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

So wonderful to read this Titia, I'm so excited for you about your confirmed move date, I know you will do wonderful things there - do document/film as much as you can as I am sure everyone here would like to see what you do and the rewards it will bring :) I've got a new email address, so do feel free to send some photos when you are moved in - enquiries@hazelwoodlandscapes.com and I'll gladly offer remote help until I find myself in your area and can visit in person :) Best wishes, as always - Joel

@titiaswildlifecottagegarden

Жыл бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton hi Joel, awesome to have received a reply from you☺️ It always makes my day. I did film some footage of the new garden and have released a new video a few days ago. It would be awesome if you and others are able to have a look🙂👍🏻 Yes, I could use some advice/help soon before digging the pond. We have a wide terrace in front of the house. And I like to dig the pond a bit in the terrace, to avoid being to close to the tree on the outer side of the garden. I could use some help in knowing how to support the pond in the terrace area. The rest of the soil is heavy clay and won't cause any problems supportive wise. Best regards, Titia

Love it.. hope you make more of, in ….. month you can do ….. for wildlife

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

That's my intention Louise, so glad you enjoyed this - there's so much we can be doing in April so I'll be sure to do an update and hopefully for every month. Thanks for the encouragement and support - best wishes, Joel

Hi Joel. Not that I'm trying to make you jealous but here in Bristol, I've hung some washing out on the line and it dried! My little tub pond is doing well. I've noticed that a plant has got new growth - I think it's a little waterlily and I've got some little water snails in there as well. I noticed I've got blanket weed so I'll have to get some more oxygenating plants. Hope you're well. Love to Frank and Luna.

@SisterDogmata

Жыл бұрын

Very jealous!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Haha! Glad to hear about the tub pond, if you need any advice/help on what to get for the pond then always feel free to ask at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com and we'll happily help, a photo is always good too :) Hope you've had a good weekend, mine has been spent in the front garden trying to demonstrate to "traditional" gardeners that wild doesn't mean messy - filming it all to share with you all later - Frank and Luna are doing fine, Siri is now 15 and showing it, just grateful for all those fun years we've had :) Take good care, Joel

@rosethorne9076

Жыл бұрын

@@SisterDogmata 😁

Once again another informative video Joel 👌🏻. Rather you than me in that snow 🥶 Now ready to watch wild isles by Sir David Attenborough. Keep up the good work Joel 👏🏻

I'm so glad you said to hang on and resist tidying! I'm gritting my teeth and doing just that🙂But I was rewarded this morning when I heard a funny sound in the garden and realised it's all the frogs (I'm assuming the males?) who are currently having a wild party with the females in our little frog pond...it was fab to hear and made it much easier to resist the 'cleaning' temptation 👍Thanks for your videos!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Hi Nina, how wonderful to not only have that sound, but to know that because of the way you are managing your green space, there is already wildlife benefiting :) I really am glad you enjoyed this video and I really do appreciate the support and encouragement, it makes a difference. Best wishes, Joel

Didn't know about a barrel pond!!Thanks!

I would LOVE to start my ponds now but the ground is still frozen so I guess I have to wait. 🙃 I also feed my birds all year. In the winter they really need that and in summer I still want to see them up close. I am also careful for the peanuts and big seeds for when they have their young. Joel, I will never get sick of you showing us awesome videos so keep them coming! I'm learning a lot.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Charlotte, your support and encouragement really does help keep me going :) Save yourself some literal back ache and wait until the ground softens, it's usually snow and frozen ground that will stop play when we are constructing ponds but of course I have mini/micro-diggers to help. There's nothing to stop you planning though and please always remember that we're happy to offer free advice over at www.wildyourgarden.com, whether that's advice on quantity/size of liner, best plants for the situation, methods etc - so always feel free to drop us a line at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com :) I'll of course continue with the videos too. Thanks for doing your bit, you certainly will be rewarded over and over again :) Best wishes, Joel

Great video as always Joel thank you for the inspiration. I had a sparrow hawk on my garden fence in Southend this week - what a beauty !

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

You lucky girl! Shows that your garden is "working" and you're being rewarded. Roll on Spring huh? I've been doing the front garden again today, tree planting and a little more on the insect "hotel" - before starting the garden I never knew how many people walked up and down this road! Some great conversations and I'm hoping that this formal but very wildlife friendly garden will encourage others to do the same and "convert" those traditional gardeners :) Hope we can bump into each other soon - best wishes, Joel

Had a wildlife pond for a whole year now , completed march last year Daily inspection before work on st Patrick’s day and we have our first frog spawn . We live in the middle of a housing estate only a 10 minute walk from our town centre so if you dig they will come ..

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Patrick, this is absolutely wonderful to hear and shows that they will find you if there are the right resources, so WELL DONE! Such a good promotion for having a pond, thank you - best wishes, Joel

Hope you've warmed up now, Joel. Turning some interesting shades of blue and pink there. Anyone who has not yet made a brash heap in their garden - they really are amazing features to attract birds intending to nest or just scout about looking for food. I've had a brash hedge (I normally call it a twig hedge) for the past 10 years and it has really helped build a thriving population of wrens. Only last week, I was adding branches to one of my two brash heaps - and a little wren popped out it to give me a good telling off. While wrens may not be quite as brave as Robins, they're never far away when I'm working in the garden.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Only just! Recently came in for a cup of tea as I'm still adding bits to the front garden and trying to get the insect "hotel" finished, and today it's like trying to construct and plant in a wind tunnel! Great advice re the brash heaps, I really hope I can come and see your garden one day soon, would love to do a video on this :) Thanks for all your help - best wishes, Joel

Hi Joel great tips as usual I regularly buy your bird seed mix & fat ball's and would highly recommend them as the Bird's in my garden love them carry on with your great work.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Thank you David, they certainly do enjoy them and I'm so pleased with the seed mix, it really is a no-mess solution :) Thank you for continuing to do more than your bit for nature, the rewards are many. Best wishes, Joel

Great tips Joel. I follow all these tips in my garden. A visiting sparrowhawk has taken a couple of birds a sparrow and a starling. Gone a bit quiet in the garden at the moment, bad weather driven it to look further afield possibly. Amazing to watch it hunting though.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

I just had 5 mins to go to your channel Tracey, sorry it's so difficult to keep in touch of late, but I know already you're one of our pioneer wildlife gardeners, and rightly so :) I've been trying to plant small trees/shrubs in the front garden and finish the insect hotel but the wind has been awful and this is the only chance I'll get before I'm back on site on jobs. Great re the sparrow hawk, just hard to watch sometimes. Best wishes, as always - Joel

@wildlifegardener-tracey6206

Жыл бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton extremely windy hope you manage to finish. As I've said I totally understand your massively busy. Take care hope spring arrives soon.

I put up a sparrow terrace today. I have to be careful as i have 3 cats. Took me a while to put it up as had to put it up nr the eves, so they are safe!

Hey Joel! Great tips and inspiration as always. So much to do and a lot to leave alone in the garden at this time of year. Nice to be planning if not yet doing, I'm sure we all feel the same and can't wait to do more for wildlife this year. My elephant Hawk Moth cocoon hatched and what a beauty emerged! Having to stop the dog from trying to eat it which is a lot of fun!!!! Best wishes.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Thank you, I really appreciate it :) About to go and watch the Wild Isles series, missed the first 15 mins as I was still clearing up the front garden after more efforts today, and the wind wasn't kind. So good to hear about the Hawk Moth, I have some photos of that Privet Hawkmoth that I found in the garden a few years ago, most of the photos had Sirius's NOSE in them where he was trying to investigate! No harm done. Planted 2 privets already, and wishing the front garden was bigger. Take good care and I'm wondering about what I keep hearing re one part of the Wild Isles series being on iplayer only due to "upsetting" some people - and of course it's the one that demonstrates how bad our land is for wildlife etc, according to what I read. Going in - catch up soon - Joel

Great tips Joel 😊

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Amir, so much.

Carolina Wren, what a tiny loud mouth they are. I have one every yr build a nest in a hanging planter, gotta love 'em tbo 😊 I have a big burn pile of branches, it's been 6 - 7 yrs since I set it on fire, too many birds & bunnies in and out of it.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

"tiny loud mouth" - that made me actually laugh out loud! I'm envious of your one visitor :) So good that your pile of brash etc is doing it's job - hope you've had a good weekend Wende, best wishes - Joel

@itsmewende

Жыл бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton It's been an ugly weekend. I'm not going to complain, the states above me, NY to Maine are dealing with blizzard conditions, it just missed Maryland. Hope you have a lovely week ahead.

@itsmewende

Жыл бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Just got back home and seen this was posted 2 days ago. Made me think what timing, thought you might like to take a listen. kzread.info/dash/bejne/pqd1p8Nsk8nOhqQ.html

Thank you Joel, for this summary. Helpful, as ever. Just a sidestep: I always have to think of you when I look at my micropond. Hope you have a good one. Curious about how the French gardenadventure will turn out. Greetings.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Hello :) Just popped in for a cup of tea, I've been planting up the front garden with small trees/shrubs and trying to finish the insect "hotel", today it's real heavy winds so it's like trying to complete stuff in a wind tunnel! ;) Two huge trees down in France when I last visited due to a pretty violent storm.... and they fell right across the river so I am having to find time to return and work out a feasible way of getting these trees back on the river bank! That's another video but will probably have a lot more action in it! ;) Hope you're doing well, best wishes - Joel

Hiya, I was hoping to get some advice - I’ve been tasked with developing an outdoor space on a roof terrace of a restaurant in the centre of Bristol. The goal is to have a green natural space that encourages wildlife. The hurdles include all plants need to be in pots, are hardy enough survive winter and relatively low maintence. We really want to create a pocket of nature in an otherwise concreted and polluted urban environment. Could you offer some tips please? Very much appreciate you and your work

Just dug a pond and Is already filled with water without a liner due to all the snow melt!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

I feel your pain Owen! A lot of works over winter for us can be held up by any hint of rain, and on occasions water coming up through the soil due to the area the client is in, having to dig test holes to see how quickly it rises etc before any thought of liner etc going in - but we manage it, don't give up yet, all your efforts will be rewarded, I promise :) Best wishes, Joel

@owenrayner6029

Жыл бұрын

And it's extremely clay soils so the water won't go away on its own any time soon!

I've just bought a squirrel box...I have 3 medium sized birch trees and a linden tree . I live on the Isle of Wight where we are fortunate enough to have red squirrels. My question is how best to attract them without attracting rats and also what height / potential placement of the squirrel box . I'd appreciate any advice 😊

Great tips, thanks Joel. What if I created a wildflower patch last year? Should it have self seeded as I had a mixture of annual and perennial seeds there. If I turn it over will I have to restart? Thanks

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Hi there Sarah. Thank you for the encouragement and support, it makes a difference :) When I sow wildflower meadows/areas I sow annual wildflowers so that they are there and provide habitat/nectar whilst the perennial wildflowers are establishing. The thing with annual wildflower meadows is that they do indeed need scarification once a year and reseeding - this was demonstrated by the millions of poppies that appeared after the battlefields were "torn up" in France, poppies need disturbance for the seeds to grow and can lay dormant for circa 50 years I believe, unless they are disturbed - hence seeing them on the edges of farmed fields etc. But that of course means that you will need to disturb the perennial plants if you are going to scarify or turn over the ground. I find the best meadows are perennial - I know that everyone's "ideal" meadows are full of cornflowers, poppies and other annuals as they are very "pretty" but of course perennial meadows provide just as much when they are established. Hope this helps, if you need any advice you can always drop us a line at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com and we'll happily help :) Best wishes, Joel

Sad to say I've had to take my bird feeders down as have noticed a couple of chaffinches and certainly a wood pigeon I have observed have developed trichomonosis (fat finch disease). Will remove them for at least 3 weeks. Have plenty trees and shrubs so won't worry about the birds not getting natural food but do miss the many species of bird that visit my garden, all for the good though.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Sorry to hear this Patsy, but you're doing the right thing. I had a chaffinch in the garden early last year that was clearly suffering but we were unable to catch it to attempt to help in any way that we could, it was awful seeing it suffer and unable to breath properly. So glad to hear though that your garden is providing natural food too - you're doing everything right :) Best wishes, Joel

Hi Joel hope your well. Do you still see sparrow I'm glasgow get load of birds but haven't seen a sparrow in years. Any idea how I can encourage them other than food I already do all that ta heather x

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Hi Heather, doing good, just in from the front garden where I've been planting native trees/shrubs and trying to finish the bug/insect hotel - keep getting stopped by passers by and neighbours but although it delays works it also relays to others that a wildlife garden doesn't mean "messy". I have a good troupe of House Sparrows here, but I do have sufficient cover here and that's one thing that helps with bird feeders - I am sure you don't do this, but I get asked by a fair few people on why they're not getting birds on their feeders and 9 times out of 10 it's because they're plonked in the middle of a lawn with no cover and leave the birds open to predation, putting them off completely. It's definitely cover and of course some bird boxes, they do like "terraces" and that's where you have one larger box with 3 holes etc, they do like to nest adjacent to each other. I really should do a video on making one of these terraces, will try to fit it in :) Hope this helps a little in the meantime. Hope you're doing well too and have had a good weekend - best wishes, Joel

Hi Joel, I feed the birds all year round 😳 should I be stopping during the nesting season.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Hi there Mark, not at all - you are doing exactly what I do. The main thing to think of when you're distributing the seed is to ensure that, come nesting/chick season that there's nothing in the seed that would be a choking hazard to the chicks. The parents are so desperate to feed that they'll try to grab most things. Of course, if there are native trees/shrubs in your garden or adjacent etc then they will choose insects and caterpillars at this time as it's the only way to get moisture to the chicks. Live mealworms are ideal for the chicks but I appreciate they can prove expensive (and some people just can't handle them, literally!). Another plug.. but the wildbird seed that we have available at www.wildyourgarden.com is ideal for birds feeding chicks, ground feeders and hanging feeders and there really is no mess with it :) Hope this helps, but know you're doing the right thing - best wishes, Joel

@markhunter2244

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Joel 👍

would fish happily thrive in a barrel pond? What’s the max number you would have? Thanks

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Hi there Dean, small goldfish will happily live in these but I'd always recommend researching native fish to your area and choosing small ones - in the UK it could be minnows, stickleback etc - always remember though that fish will add nutrient to any pond, hence koi set ups needing such expensive pumps and filtration equipment. With a couple of small fish in a barrel pond you should be ok, just keep the surface 60-70% covered with floating leaved plants as this helps combat algal growth. Hope this helps :) Best wishes, Joel

@deanjarvis4553

Жыл бұрын

Thank you,

@pauldouse9309

Жыл бұрын

Fish eat anything wild. The two don't mix unfortunately

Were do you live in UK ??

@ev1677

Жыл бұрын

He lives in Southend

Joel I made some bird boxes from old palettes (untreated) I have designed them for the sparrows or blue/great tits how high should I place them?

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Hi there, what a fantastic idea to recycle! For the sparrows, originally of course their name "house sparrow" is because they used to be able to nest in crevices etc in our old facia boards, not so easy now everything is UPVC! However, they will be ideal at 2-3 metres. For the blue/great tits they will nest from 1.8 metres upwards - if you can place them near or in cover they will be more successful of course, just ensure all the above are north or east facing so no chicks are "fried" in the hot sun. Hope this helps, so glad you are making more habitat for them :) Best wishes, Joel

Great tips I shall crush my bird nuts and try to make a pond too

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

Жыл бұрын

Great Gail, thank you :) If you need help with the pond and haven't seen the 3 part series on the channel, it will really help you plan and achieve without waste. We're happy to offer advice at www.wildyourgarden.com where we not only supply everything you need, but we're happy to give advice - enquiries@wildyourgarden.com. Best wishes, Joel