I work for a local authority with responsibility over sizeable areas of land. Given the loss of diversity in the UK, which is one of the nations with the poorest record on this matter, I want to do my bit for the change from traditional victorian gardening to looking at our land as an opportunity from what benefits our beautiful wildlife. This change is going to happen over time anyway, so I want to be ahead of the game. I, personally, when I was younger, was a member of the YOC. My employer has a fantastic biodiversity officer and we are working alongside them on a few projects. Your videos have enlightened me very much along with Chris Baines. Thanks Joel

@SisterDogmata

11 ай бұрын

Nice to know someone who can do something to help is going to make a difference. We really do need to rethink how we can save the land that we have left, even if that is our own gardens.

I’m still blown away with the diversity in such a small space, just imagine if everyone acted on your example we would have streets, towns, cities full of mini wildlife sanctuaries 🐝

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

It's even surprising me to an extent Mark, so much life there in such a short time and the Brimstones were the icing on the cake. Wish I could be at home more to spot the new arrivals and see what's going on, but this weekend I will be planting up the pond (and filming!) and I can't wait to add more habitat and colour. Will keep the updates coming, thanks for all the support and encouragement you've shown me - best wishes, Joel

Hi Joel, I was so inspired by your front garden that decided that I would do the same/similar to mine but my neighbour has other ideas and mowed over my piece of the front garden (not neatly I might add so they were not doing it to do me a favour) so my wild flowers are gone, then yesterday they told the contractors who were cutting the grass on the field opposite my house that 'kids had thrown a large branch in their garden' and insisted they remove it. I went outside to continue with setting up the pond to find it gone. I ran in front of the ride on mower to find out that my super large branch had been chopped up. The contractors were so apologetic and let me have my pick of wood off their trailer and put it in place for me, it doesn't look as nice but I can work around it. I took the night to calm down then phoned my landlord explaining the re-wild your garden idea I was trying to do and what had happened. Needless to say a metre high fence is being installed then I can replant my mini meadow. I have hedgehogs, foxes, frogs and even ducks visiting my front garden along with the birds and insects so I'm trying to make it a little sanctuary for them.

@hattiedraper1061

11 ай бұрын

💐

@kevinking7860

11 ай бұрын

I have a front garden that joins my neighbours on the left side Last year I adopted no mow May and this year they stopped talking to me after telling me the seeds would blow over their (scalped) lawn So to solve this ive now adopted the no mow summer policy which I will then evolve into simply no mow forever Its great to have understanding neighbours 😂

@NailahRoberts

11 ай бұрын

😂😂😂😂😂 I've adopted the no mow May and I won't be cutting the mini meadow at. Wait until I start a mini allotment on the other side of path, they'll have a stroke😂

There is nothing more satisfying than when the fruits of your labour start to work Last year grew lots from seed Yesterday a humming bird hawk moth feeding on red campion 🐝

@SisterDogmata

11 ай бұрын

My favourite moth, so beautiful!

When I saw your were in your front garden, I had to make myself comfy and enjoy the show. It just amazes me how much you have achieved in a small space and how good it looks. A lot of people are missing a trick dismissing wildlife gardens thinking it will look untidy, in fact it’s the opposite and the more it grows the more it’s going to be a hive of activity for the wildlife. I can’t get over how established it looks already and it will only get better. Amazing Joel!

3 years since i changed my lawn to a wildlife haven, had my 1st speckled wood butterfly today. I never remember seeing 1 before, so well happy. Keep up the good work.

Great end to the working day to get home and watch this! Your garden is an inspiration.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thanks Callum, so much - what a nice message to receive now I've finally arrived home myself :) Enjoy the rest of the evening, best wishes - Joel

Just wonderful. A great example of how even in the smallest of areas we can help support wildlife. You have every right to be chuffed. I hope the verge is allowed to flourish too.

An abundance and diversity of plant life in a not so large space. How rewarding to see that bee laying eggs in the insect hotel!😍 Well done!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you! I was absolutely thrilled seeing that Brimstone (and the amount of eggs meant there had been more than one visitor) - out on site so much at the moment that I'm only able to see how things progress at the weekend, but I can't wait to plant the pond up this weekend and add a little more colour too :) Best wishes, as always - Joel

Your garden looks so,so beautiful. Its full of love and joy and the wonderful presence of so much wildlife. I was smiling all the way through this video. Everything looks so alive and happy growing together. To immerse yourself among all of that beauty every single day is so good for your heart, soul and mind. I bet it has the most beautiful feel to it. I reckon you even have little delicate fairies drinking from the flowers and bathing in the shallow of the pond. How absolutely divine you have made this:)

Your videos are so inspirational, Joel!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Mark, that really means a lot and I appreciate it. Best wishes - Joel

Beautiful!! I think my front garden is maybe a little bit smaller than yours. It really is amazing just how much you can pack into small spaces. Your front porch will look fantastic when the plants climb up and over it. We have honeysuckle over ours and the wildlife love it. Thank you for showing us your own gardens, it’s a real treat to watch.

A wildlife oasis right there. Leading by example as always Joel. Thank you for being the inspiration that you are. 🙏😊👍❤️

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi Paul - thank you so much, out on site 6 days/week at the moment so trying to fit everything in, but I really appreciate this and all the support you've shown. Will try to catch up properly soon! Best wishes, Joel

@PaulOutdoors

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton It's always a pleasure Joel to watch and comment but 6 days a week... you are playing at it. Not good enough 🤣😳. I'm joking of course. There's a Wild Your Garden patchwork quilt of projects stretching up, down and across the UK improving the lot for wildlife one project at a time including the inspiration that you have and are giving others to improve their own back/front yard and that's phenomenal and something to be very, very proud of. Thank you. 🙏😊👍

Good morning Joel Thank you so much for these wonderful videos. I was petrified of lots of these wildlife insects until I watched your videos and received lots of information about them and how lots are becoming so scarce 😢 I am now doing all I can to encourage them to my Garden and can now sit amongst lots of them especially Bees which I couldn’t have done in the past 😊 Thank you again God Bless you in everything you do for this beautiful earth 🥰

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Not sure you'll know what this message means to me Catherine, it's absolutely wonderful to read this. I am so glad that the channel has helped you, and in turn helped the creatures that desperately need your space. You will be rewarded again and again, I promise :) Best wishes, Joel

It will be interesting to see if your neighbour's follow your inspiration and create their own little wildlife haven's. Its a great idea to get children interested in the subject, they can watch the development of the garden and record any new wildlife that takes up residence. Best wishes Joel from Wales.👍

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

I hope so Paul, I really do - only 2 weeks ago I saw one neighbour out on their completely slabbed front, randomly strolling about with weed killer in hand. On a better note, it does seem to be the families with children that stop by and the kids know what the bug hotel is for, and why, immediately :) Thanks for all your encouragement Paul, it really does make a difference - best wishes, Joel

It's looking lovely and beautiful already Joel, I wish it was my front garden! Can't wait to see how it progresses. When you do your next mini container pond video, can you do one for containers even smaller than a half barrel? I am trying to make a mini wildlife pond in a very small bucket, only about 25 cms tall and about 33cms wide. Like a mop bucket. I don't have the money at the moment to do anything bigger. I would love to hear your ideas and thoughts on what you would do with such a small space. 🙂

Your garden has come on so much from your last video joel it’s looking great loving the bug hotel and the flowers look amazing too well done and not to mention that amazing pond 🐸💚🐸

Hello Joel from NZ…front garden looking great in such a short time👍another twelve months will be wonderful,brimming with wildlife😃..again another encouraging video,thankyou

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi Matthew! Thanks so much. I'm hoping the pond can be planted this weekend (can't wait!) and I'll be doing a video on that and regular updates, lots of flowers to come still this year :) I really appreciate your support, best wishes - Joel

My God, Joel! That is absolutely beautiful! Well done! You are doing such wonderful work, and inspiring so many people! The world will become a better place for wildlife, one garden at a time as more people follow you lead. Keep up the great work, my friend. I’ll catch up with you soon. 😁 Best wishes - John

That butterfly and those bees!! 🥰 wonderful!!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

I am so thrilled that this garden has had such an impact in a rather short time, so many more flowers to come yet. Will be planting up the pond this weekend and filming it for you guys :) Thanks for the encouragement, best wishes - Joel

So wonderful. I have yet to leave a video not being 100% inspired to get into my garden. I am sure if my wild life could thank you it would.

That Silver Birch is amazing! Lovely for your house but also the whole street being near the pavement.

Looks fantastic, I had a bit of a setback in my gardening, I was attempting to pull out a daffodil that had never bloomed in almost 4 years and ended up breaking my wrist below my thumb. I never knew gardening was a contact sport. I had surgery last week but my so called weeds in the back are just beautiful and attracting loads of pollinators. It will probably be another 8 to 10 weeks before I can get out and do some gardening but am encouraged by your videos and updates.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

"Contact Sport" - that made me actually laugh out loud! I empathise, it can be the smallest things that bring the most pain. So glad that the channel can be a distraction and that you're getting some rest, but able to see the rewards of the garden. Wishing you better soon - Joel

Looking Great Joel! Can't wait to see the changes for each month, can't imagine how different it will look each time you film. Love your dedication!

Really interesting video, we learnt a lot, thanks Joel.

I love all the purple and pink flowers! I knew that ladybugs ate aphids but I have never seen them doing it. Thanks for showing us.

Loved this video, as others have said you always give me more ideas on how to make my garden even better for wildlife. I'm 30 and live in a row of terraces in a city, I'm the only one who gardens on almost the entire street- most are decking, patio or astroturf who might have the odd pot of bamboo or a begonia. My neighbour goes around with weedkiller and wants to use it on the ivy growing on my garden wall (I refused and instead offered to trim it back if it starts to encroach, but it's still a point of contention) anyway, I often wish I was surrounded by more wildlife gardeners but get a lot of comfort from online communities like this. In the meantime I try to lead by example. In summer when the garden is beautiful and blooming and full of bees and butterflies, it is all worth it

That looks amazing! Garden envy! 😍 can you imagine how beautiful our cities and towns would be if we all gardened this way, inspirational! 🌳🐦‍⬛🦋 I’d love to know the names of the plants there in the top of the insect hotel particularly the pink, yellow/white ones as well as the greenery it looks so pretty. 🙂

Hi Joel, your garden looks amazing, well done on all your hard work! I love the paths they are awesome! I find the best way of getting your neighbours on board, is to grow loads of flowers from seed, then hand them out to your neighbours, it’s a very good technique haha, all the best, Spencer!

Hi Joel your garden is just amazing The amount of plants you can fit in to that space I love it

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Mags, so much. I really appreciate your kind words and so glad you like it. More updates to come, more plants tomorrow.... but for the pond - and I can't wait! Enjoy the rest of the weekend, best wishes - Joel

I love it, and I am looking forward to seeing more on low growing plants 🌱

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Louise :) Have a good week - best wishes, Joel

It looks so good! The insect hotel really is amazing! And super exciting with the brimstone eggs!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

I'm so pleased about it, it's rather "grand" and over-sized but it is intentionally to make a statement for passersby and neighbours etc. Just can't wait for the pond to be planted this coming weekend :) Hope you are keeping well - best wishes, and thank you - Joel

Fabulous front garden and as always an inspiring video. I saw my first Ladybird of the year yesterday and it was a moment of joy. Even had a short conversation with it to wish it a happy life however long or short it may be!! Please tell I'm not the only one who talks to the wildlife in their gardens!! 😁 😁

Wonderful team work, creating a garden that adds so much to your neighbourhood! What an inspiring look at what can be done to bring nature home brilliantly!🐝🐸☘

Your front garden is beauriful! Any neighbors asking for their yard to be next?

Brilliant, as always, Joel 😍

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Madeleine, I really appreciate that :)

Hi Joel. This looks fantastic already.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Karen, so pleased with the visitors already and seeing it continue to thrive, so many flowers just about to open up - can't wait to plant the pond this weekend :) Hope you're well, best wishes - Joel

Wow that looks amazing well done

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you so much - I really appreciate it. Lots of updates to come - thanks for the encouragement, it's appreciated :) Best wishes, Joel

Thanks - inspirational video as always! Can't wait to see it later in the summer. Really enjoying these videos from your home gardens!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Suzanne, so much - I really do appreciate your generosity and am so glad that you're enjoying these. Regular updates to come and I'll be planting up the pond this weekend - filming it of course ;) Hope you and yours are well best wishes, Joel

Oooh, THAT is the size and shape of my garden! Thank you, Joel, for showing me just how much I can sqeez into 20m! Though I will definetly go for more wild and unruly option since I am a wild loving creture 😁

I’m watching your video on my phone as I shell fava beans in my tiny California garden. I’ve got a mixed garden with fruit trees, two vegetable patches, and native plants. A family of western scrub jays are feeding their sassy fledglings, and sparrows are splashing in one of our birdbaths. Skipper butterflies, hoverflies and native bees are flying about. My garden is in Oakland California, which is not a city that most people don’t think of as particularly green, but which contains countless secret gardens.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Wow - so good to read this Lisa, I can see it all from your brilliant description - one day I am going to travel within the US and see as many areas as I can, now Oakland is on my list and I hope I get to meet you and see these wonderful gardens. Best wishes, Joel

@lisascenic

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton there’s a great KZread channel called Bringing Back The Natives, which is part of a two day annual garden tour in the San Francisco East Bay Area. It really took off during Covid lockdown. In person yours were replaced by videos made by homeowners discussing the process of gardening with native plants. Another great KZread channel for my area is that of the California Native Plant Society. I find the different approaches to working with native plants fascinating, regardless of location. I am, however, one of your American viewer who had to put the use of purple loosestrife into context. I imagine you’d have a similar reaction to an Asian channel suggesting planting Himalayan balsam or Japanese knotweed.

Lovely garden, how wonderful you have some already calling it home. I have my fingers crossed the milkweed attracts some monarch butterflies to my garden. Look forward to seeing all the happenings in your gardens. Hope you guys have a wonderful weekend.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi Wende! Planting up the pond this weekend, and I can't wait to add more habitat and colour :) I do hope those monarchs find you, I'm sure they will be very grateful - have a wonderful weekend too, best wishes - Joel

Beautiful garden, love it!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Thao, I really appreciate it :) Have a wonderful weekend -Joel

@thaojuli

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you, it's the same to you :)

Hey Joel! Wow the garden looks amazing and how quick its establishing! Lovely to see the wildlife finding it already, it doesn't take long does it?! Great to see the Brimstone, one of my favourites, laying so many eggs! So glad you're leaving the verge, it's such a small area but every little area we can leave alone is important. So many bees using my bee boxes and the joy of orange tips everywhere today. Haven't had time to sort my front garden yet, family stuff going on, but I've left most of it wild which the finches and insects are loving but the neighbours not so much! Notice yours have the most boring garden ever haha. Best wishes to you and yours.

Loving your streams,I am still trying to convince my lawn tidy brother,he calls my garden a 🐝mess,I love it ! No quick fix but I'm getting there...ty❤

Your garden is looking fabulous 😍 Excited to hear you are going to do barrel ponds, I’ve been wanting to make one for my garden for a while.

Wonderful! I'll love seeing this as it develops.

If you're able to fit a buckthorn into that front garden, you've inspired me to get one for my garden for the brimstone I spotted out of my window last week :D

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

They'll find it! I'll be showing how these trees can be kept "under control" in future videos, but I would not be surprised if you have many visitors :) Let me know how you get on - best wishes, Joel

@31Blaize

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I will do! I'm letting the ragwort grow in the lawn again this year too: I've never had so many butterflies in my garden as I did last year visiting a patch of it 🦋😁

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

@@31Blaize Brilliant - look out for the Cinnabar moths too, you won't miss them - worth a google so you know what they are :) Keep me updated!

@31Blaize

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Yes, I do love those rugby caterpillars and the adults are stunning as well! 🤩

Yay!! This makes me so excited. I'm year 2 into gardening native.. I'm slightly impatient for them to start filling in 😂 but it will take time.

❤ the garden 🪴, just fantastic. This wouldn’t be of interest for the flipping council getting the grassy areas near my 🏡 today, decimated 😢

Just like to say, these videos are some of the best I've seen, so knowledgeable and i get so much inspiration, even though I mainly use containers at the moment 😂 Thanks Joel!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hey Joel :) Thank you, that's such a nice message to receive and I'm really grateful for your support and encouragement. Pots... I'm doing a video or two on those and how best to plant for pollinators etc, coming very soon :) Best wishes, Joel

@joelkennedy8982

11 ай бұрын

Ah that sounds great :) I've always wanting to companion plant but not sure what thrives together, a Cotoneaster with Heather for example Thanks again

Hello. I have just found your channel. Very interesting. Back in the early 80s Glasgow held a garden festival. 1 section was reserved as a wildlife area, it was absolutely beautiful. Now subscribed to your channel and looking forward to more videos. Thank you

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi there Ray, thank you and welcome to the channel! There's a great community here, and over 250 videos so far, so I am sure I can keep you amused. But lots more to come too. That sounds great re the Glasgow garden festival, let's hope this catches on again. I really appreciate your support and encouragement, best wishes - Joel

absolutely beautiful garden. I did no mow a few years ago and although it was beautiful with grasses in particular, it was quite hard work to get it back to its original short grass look. so never did again. however I'm doing a completely new project now so looking forward to the results in the coming years.

Hey man nice work on the garden, you will be glad to know I went for a walk in Ecclesall woods (sheffield) and it was bursting with English blue bells, so beautiful to see.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

There's nothing quite like it is there... the birdsong, the scent and just the carpet of blue, so glad that you appreciate this and take time out to enjoy it. Hope your weekend was good - best wishes as always, Joel

@strato-squirrel5741

11 ай бұрын

You 2 😁 and thanks.

Hi Joel, I love the design of your front garden. Looking forward to seeing it mature, I’m hoping I will have a nice wildflower area this year too, I will keep you updated.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Thank you Keith, I can't wait to plant that pond up at the weekend - it provides a wonderful mirror of the bug hotel and trees but it does need cover and colour :) Do keep me updated on the wildflower area - best wishes, Joel

Loved this Joel, so inspirational. Thank you so much for sharing 😁

Love your garden. Have your neighbors commented on it? Hope it rubs off on them. I hate to see a yard of only grass and no tress or plants

beautiful, thanks for sharing with us

Would be good to see how it looks now

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

14 күн бұрын

Hi there, I am hoping to get out into the front garden again this weekend and make an update video, I work all over the country so it's difficult seeing it regularly, but if the weather is good and the neighbours don't stop to chat, I should be able to get a good update for everyone. Thank you, best wishes - Joel

Thanks ! For your next mini pond videos, I'd love to hear your views about mosquitoes. Here in France we have way too many and the cities tell us to be really careful as not to encourage them by letting water outside. I tried this year for the first time to make 2 mini mini ponds but already lots of mosquitoes there...

@kevinking7860

11 ай бұрын

Surely having water nearby will also attract predators such as frogs and toads which will prey on the mosquitoes ?

@mypreciousgarden

11 ай бұрын

@@kevinking7860 Well my mini ponds are in containers, so even though I've put a wood board from the ground to the top of the container, I didn't see any. So now I'm thinking about adding fishes :/

Great ideas and great set of videos. I'll certainly take elements of this onboard in my garden. Whats the lovely light blue alpine on the roof of the bughotel?

Looks wonderful Joel! A formal Wildlife garden, such a brilliant idea and very well put together! I was wondering, in your book you mention cutting back newly planted shrubs to encourage bushy growth, why did you choose not to do that in this case? Will be planting up a native hedge coming winter so I'm curious.. look forward to your upcoming garden updates! Cheers

Looking great. I frantically write down all the plant names ready to start populating my own garden next year. I've had a huge (2m wide!!) thistle appear... Worth keeping or not a good use of space?

What direction should the insect hotel face ,,, great video ...

Looks really nice Joel,love the clours,Question,do insects and birds see colour

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Yes :) Insects, mostly UV, blue and green. Blue and yellow for bees - this is the colour they can easily perceive. Birds...they can apparently see more colours than humans, hence the wonderful plumage of males etc. Hope this helps, and thank you - Joel

Hi Joel worth listening to the piece on radio 4 world at one about rewilding your garden at chelsea flower show. Lots of negatives which need to be corrected. I emailed them and suggested they interview you for your opinion.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi Elizabeth - thank you :) Yes, there seems to be quite the "rush" this year to apparently include "brambles and weeds", which isn't really a good advert - trying so hard to convert our traditional gardeners where I can, ie you don't have to rip everything out, destroy your beautiful garden, just add a few touches to make some space for creatures desperately in need. I'll have a listen to that one, thank you :)

Your garden looks great! Really looking forward to seeing the pond planted. Does a “barrel garden need to be wood? Would like to use a metal farm trough to make a slightly larger wildlife pond.

@kevinking7860

11 ай бұрын

Any container that holds water can be a wildlife pond However with wooden barrels I would use a liner as I hear stories of chemicals leaching into the water from whatever they have been used for previously best be safe than sorry !

@merryhaveman353

11 ай бұрын

@@kevinking7860 Thank you!

Hi Joel, in a future video pls wud u provide more information on solitary ground nesting bees and the small red ants both of which I have in my garden and want to ensure i continue to privide habitat for.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

I will absolutely try to Elizabeth, I hope to do a video on pots for pollinators etc this weekend, but if I get 5 minutes to do another video I surely will. Best wishes, Joel

I am developing my garden to be more wildlife friendly and have a number of self seeded silver birch which are very leggy but we have inherited a self seeded black walnut tree.I am aware the roots are toxic to other plants and have lost a number of plants that I have tried in this woodland border near the walnut tree. do you know of any wildlife friendly plants that are resistant to the toxicity. It’s an East facing border which is sunny am until about 11 ish then is thrown into shade of the house. I have tried Lily of the valley, photinia, sambuca, various perennials such as the shade loving euphorbias and they all succumb

Everything is growing so fast ! . In your front pond , are all the plants going to be in baskets or is there a layer of subsoil on the bottom ?

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi Darren, they will be on shelves in baskets (with subsoil in baskets) - the pond is around 90cm deep - best wishes, Joel

How do you deal with mosquitoes and stagnant water? Or do you embrace them!? Great video, you’ve given me loads of idea for my own garden :)

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi Eleanor :) Best bit about setting up a nature friendly garden is that I don't have to worry about mosquitoes and larvae, the ponds attract birds, amphibians, bats and larger insects that all feast on any mosquitoes and of course larvae :) The ponds, if set up correctly, don't need any artificial pumps/filters - you'll see these in expensive Koi set ups purely because the fish keep adding nutrient through their waste and it's high nutrient and lack of plant cover on a pond that will encourage algae etc. Hope this helps and thank you for making a vital habitat for our creatures so desperately in need right now - best wishes, Joel

@eleanorrankin5850

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton aha! That makes a lot of sense. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond!

Your natural garden looks nice. How will you avoid the pond being full of leaves in autumn?

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi Eric, it won't be avoidable totally, but I will be using a net/rake as soon as I see any. I think I'm the only person in the street with trees in the front garden, but not sure whether that's a good or bad thing! ;) Thank you for the kind comment, best wishes - Joel

@ericlion2208

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Having trees and shrubs is always a good idea, as is the netting.👍

Great tour of the the front garden! Just had a quick question.. After watching your videos I’ve created a no mow area of my lawn.. but I’m just wondering when I should eventually mow it? Do you just mow at the beginning of spring and the end of summer? Or do you just leave it forever? Thanks for the videos, I’m now planning a wildlife pond soon aswell!

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hey Ginger :) I need to do a video on this specifically for everyone. My clients undertake "no mow summer" and choose paths around end of March, mow these and keep the same paths until end of September - this is so that insects etc don't make the longer grass "home" and a place to breed and then get mown down at the end of May for example, so much wildlife and new life/insects are lost in the summer when this happens. You've done the best thing already in creating a now mow area, the shorter grass can still provide hunting grounds for birds such as starlings etc. Hoping this link will work but you might like this short video uploaded to my Twitter page yesterday, demonstrating this: twitter.com/_JoelAshton/status/1658931200923246593 Hope this helps - and thank you. If you're in the UK and need help with pond advice etc then do drop me a line at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com as we have everything you need - Joel

@GingerFishyOfficial

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you! Yeah, that’s definitely helps!

Hi Joel is the birch the fastigate form or regular? wondering if it will cast a lot of shade on the mini meadow when grown or wether you will keep it cut smaller/copsed? (its my favourite tree and something im yet to add in my own garden...)

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi there :) It's Betula Pendula, I'm lucky with this front garden that it gets sun all day (well, when we get sun!) so the meadow will only be in shade for about an hour in a few years, I've planted it to compensate for the eventual growth but they're a pretty "fine" tree (hope that makes sense) and a lot of light passes either side of the branches and leaves, birds don't generally nest in these due to the sparse arrangement of leaves, but blue tits and other tits absolutely love foraging through them in Spring. I'd recommend it, of course :) We should have them as bare root specimens in the autumn. The boundary hedge will be coppiced on rotation, but it will be a "loose" hedge. Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel

@robertsmithshair4199

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton yes definatley an 'airy' / see through tree, There is 2 in my parents garden, one existing and one that self seeded and i grew on (must be over 20 years old now), but they have as much space as they need there, and yes your right about the TIts, had a nest box on one (before woodpeckers or squirrels destroyed it) and it was amazing watching little groups of fledglings travel up and down learning to feed. Top Tree

We have any area in our garden that’s 10m x 2m we’d love to sow wildflower seeds, but I’ve been told I need to remove all the grass. Is that correct in by your opinion?

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

You don't need to remove all the grass Tony, unless you want JUST wildflowers - but drop me a line with a photo of the strip and I'll let you know what is best - enquiries@wildyourgarden.com - Joel

That's not an insect hotel, it's an insect skyscraper!

@SisterDogmata

11 ай бұрын

Insect heaven is what it is!

Isn’t it a bad idea to plant wild garlic? I heard it spreads like mad and is very hard to remove🤔

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

No, not at all. It does naturalise, but it's not hard to keep control of. I've been doing this for a living for over 18 years now :)

Dont know how big your Silver Maple will get, but the ones in the states get enormous and are very very messy. They're weak, so when they get older, they drop all sizes of branches and limbs. 😧

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

Hi Sandra, it's ok - it's probably my accent but the tree is a Silver Birch :) Best wishes, Joel

These massive bee hotels look great but are actually a very bad idea. They create a very artificial situation and it just results in massive predation on the bees by parasites and kleptoparasites. Bin Bamboo canes and drilled logs them and go over to a design where you can harvest and clean the cocoons.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

They're not a bad idea - and I'll show how easily this is maintained and cleaned in future update videos. Nature doesn't harvest and clean the cocoons, although it would be beneficial at times no doubt. This insect hotel is to demonstrate to others how important it is to make refuge for our insects, and to demonstrate to those that don't want messy wild gardens etc - and I even say this in the video. Parasites will find bees, whether in artificial areas or not, that's how they keep their own life cycles going, they've not just started doing it due to insect hotels. There's enough space for all to ensure there's no overcrowding :) With modern "air-tight" housing, plastic sheds, habitat destruction and everything else, these refuges are vitally important.

@digsowgrow

11 ай бұрын

@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I beg to disagree. Any design that puts large amount of holes in a small area will create a huge parasite burden, within only a few years you will be looking at up to a 75% predation rate. You are right nature doesnt harvest the cocoons but nature doesnt put hundreds of holes within inches of each other, they will be spread out over a large area making it much tougher for predators and parasites to find them. If you create that artificial environment IMO it comes with an obligation to maintain it (by harvesting and cleaning the cocoons). Many bee hotels sold to the public are for money, the designs are terrible and they will do more harm than good.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

@@digsowgrow I've said there will be videos on maintenance, care - and there will be. It's clearly a vital habitat or they wouldn't be using it, to be fair. I mentioned the lack of natural spaces in gardens and my whole channel is about making space for nature and providing habitat - another example is bee bricks, in fact Falmouth University did a detailed study of these (all with close holes as I'm sure you're aware) and they said "With over 21,000 Bee Bricks sold, there are a potential 350,000 more cavities available for solitary bees to nest in within an urban environment than without the Bee Brick. This has the potential to amount to an additional 32,900 breeding solitary bees."

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

PS - I totally agree re most bug hotels sold in garden centres, shops etc are to make money and aren't viable - but there's a lot of bandwagon jumping on the "wildlife gardening" lately, I've seen it over the years - and yes, all to make money, same as bird houses designed to look like caravans, cottages etc - RSPB said magpies have realised what these contain and head straight for them, no doubt squirrels too.

@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton

11 ай бұрын

I think you put a link to the Guardian, but may have deleted it - from what I could see in the notifications it says "scientists say it *may* cause more harm than good" - but I can't click on the articles if you delete it. When these Scientists are out in the field, and undertaking conservation work for as long as I have, then I'll start listening, but until then...

Brillant joel love your channel do you have a Facebook page