Wild Your Garden with Joel Ashton
Wild Your Garden with Joel Ashton
Welcome to my channel!
There's no better time than now to start helping wildlife, no matter how small your garden.
I've been making wildlife gardens and installing vital habitats for circa 20 years now, and in 2020 I thought I'd share my knowledge and experience with others. Here you'll find inspiration on how to create your own habitats for wildlife, helping you attract everything from beetles to birds and butterflies to bees!
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To find out more, see below:
Wild Your Garden - My latest book on how you can help wildlife in your own garden.
wildyourgarden.com/product/wild-your-garden-book/
www.hazelwoodlandscapes.com - Contact me if you would like me to build you a pond, a wildlife garden, create vital habitat or to consult.
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www.joelashton.com - consultations, talks, workshops, TV & film making
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Thank you for explaining in such detail as so many get it wrong. Also don’t worry about Guys or Gals terminology as most wordy people know that the etymology comes from Guido Faukes (unknown; neutral). Learned that from Countdown (Susie Dent)!
This is one of the best biodiversity education videos I have seen in a very long time. It's simple, easy to follow, enthusing and empowering. I work in the Water Industry, and I have been establishing 'rewilding Zones' for about 3 years with a caveat on the signage and management plans that the areas should be cut and vegetation removed from September onwards - I was trying to avoid people getting too caught up in the No mow may gimmic - it's one thing I find frustrating how much we have to 'sell' these initiatives to people with catchy names etc when the science doesn't back it up. I find the same with plastic reduction campaigns. Anyway, I really really like the tag and term #mowsaic !!!! I hope you don't mind that I use this in my company, I will be directing people to this video and ill be keeping a close eye on upcoming videos you post! Funnily enough the person who sent me this video is an environment champion / colleague of mine in a water company so we will continue to encourage others in every way we can 💚🌱
Such fun hanging with octogenarians. My career was with them and older. Amazing people that made this country what it is today. They are all heroes in my eyes. I’ve learned volumes from them all. What a blessing your neighbor must be to you! ❤
Beautiful, and music to match 😍
Thank you Anna - Summer certainly seemed apt for this one :) Best wishes, Joel
That's amazing, I'm so pleased that you are talking with PlantLife, this can only be good news for our wildlife.
Very beautiful stream, so peaceful. It's absolutely an awesome idea.
I've been doing this for nearly eight years. I only get the mower out at the end of September.
Excellent news! Keep us posted!
Thank you for this
You're very welcome, I hope it helped explain more :) Best wishes, Joel
These were the first seeds I grew in my new garden 35 years ago and have self seeded year after year all around my garden - I love them 😍
I’ve been doing this for a few years now Joel. My back garden is solely for wildlife and that in turn brings me great pleasure. Since I left the garden to Mother Nature, I have seen an increase in biodiversity, both flora and fauna. I even have wild orchids for the first time but also beautiful pendulous sedges and ferns plus numerous medicinal plants. The increase in butterflies and bees is breathtaking but also beetles and grasshoppers. Foxes come to lay in the tall vegetation along with the occasional deer. That to me is what a garden should be, not a neat and sterile space.
Fantastic to read this Steve, thank you so much. A great advert for thinking of the wildlife when gardening and of course a great testimony for all the rewards it brings. I hope a lot of people get to read your comment, best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thanks Joel but I’m only confirming what your fabulous video says, so thanks for sharing. All the very best, Steve
@@stevemcgarrett24 Experiences and evidence like yours is so very important and really does help the message Steve, thank you so much
The best way to prevent the carnage at the end of no mow May AND maximise species diversity is to get rid of the machines and use a scythe. Then mow a bit at a time throughout the summer in a patchwork. Cutting some areas at the end of May actually causes most perennials to flower again in August and September thus extending the flowering season. Leaving a whole field uncut for the whole summer is almost as bad for species diversity as mowing too much.
I have to disagree there I'm afraid, I can see that you are going to champion the use of scythes and I totally agree, a brilliant work-out too. But this video is about gardens mainly, and that was what No Mow May was set up to do, target "traditional" gardeners. I cut my meadows once a year and there has been no problem at all with biodiversity, yes of course some areas are left as you rightly mention, and that's why I speak about a #mowsaic of habitats. I have witnessed some unfortunate deaths via scythe too though, they're naturally quieter than machines of course but still a preferable way to cut a meadow, unless you're talking 5 acres plus and needing several people to do this effectively. But the main point of this message is for gardeners to NOT create temporary habitats, ie create a longer grass area and then cut it down weeks later with not only the flowers that don't get a chance to seed but the wildlife that have set up home there and laid future generations in this habitat. Some great points though, best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I agree with you on the garden situation (mostly. But I see too many people (and organisations) carrying this over into much larger areas, and especially too early in the rewilding process. All our grasslands, and the wildlife within, have evolved in conjunction with grazing animals. The job of the Scyther is to mimic this grazing activity. The British countryside, on the whole, wants to revert to scrub and much of our grassland is too fertile to support many wildflower species. Once a year mowing allows the heavy grasses and broadleaf species to dominate at the expense of diversity. If your meadows are doing well with a once a year cut then that suggests the fertility is already low. If someone wants to convert a former monoculture lawn to a wildflower meadow then they need to cut it and remove the arisings frequently (say 6 weekly) for a few years until the tall grasses are sufficiently diminished.
@@SomersetScytheSchool I did raise the point about councils and have absolutely seen the original "garden" message being dragged across to councils and other larger organisations for sure - and this misinformation and ambiguity spreading further via social media was what compelled me to do this video during my lunchbreak. I've been creating meadows for 20 years and their success is of course down to the original creation method and it's not that fertile soil doesn't support wildflowers (you'll know this) but it's that the fertile soil allows the more thuggish species to take over - so again my success is down to the preparation and that's, as you say, where a lot of people fail - akin to encouraging people to start throwing seedbombs and the like into a lawn and expecting wildflowers to compete against existing lawn etc. There's certainly a big difference between rewilding and wilding for sure, in fact I'm halfway through a video about this, but No Mow May kinda took over! 🤣 I really do appreciate your input here though, it's good to have a proper discussion about it. Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you, I agree, it’s good to discuss. All the best.
My eldest lives in Glen Forrest Perth WA, so you have reached there ! she loves the wild Aussie garden which is very much welcomed in her area, well they are lucky to have a big area and a creek which fills up in their Winter, its a haven for the little "critters", ha...I was only chatting to her this morning about my ideas for my back garden, she is over at Xmas,she said shes looking forward to my best efforts for 🐞🦗🕷🐌🐛🦋🪲🐝🐜🪰🪱🦠👍
Congratulations your channel is the best and forwarded to all family friends keep up the great work 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 🌻
Wow, thank you so much - I really do appreciate it. Wouldn't be here without all you fantastic people helping to spread the word and in turn help more people help our wildlife! Thank you again, and best wishes - Joel
i mow mine regularly and will keep doing so including winter if it starts to grow , the clover flowers feed thousands of bees miner and bumble, i have plenty of other habitat in the borders beds and hedges
Thank you - this is exactly what I have been trying to explain, shorter areas can be just as good as longer areas, and as you are already doing, it's way better than creating temporary habitats :) Best wishes, Joel
Well done Joel you deserve it😀🌼🐝
Thank you Kim, so much - and for all your support and encouraging comments, they don't go unnoticed :) Best wishes, Joel
That's absolutely brilliant Joel, congratulations!🎉 It's all down to YOU too and your tremendous love for Nature. You are a great wayshower, very genuine and humble and you make wildlife gardening accessible for so many people. Delighted to hear you are in talks with Plantlife - maybe a Flower Show collab in the future? 🤞🌿. Looking forward to you being able to celebrate 100k by the end of the year 😁👍
Thank you Joel, thank you for your passion and inspiration for wildlife. I really enjoy the knowledge you share and the skills you have in all you do for wildlife. I will email you soon with pictures of my little meadow so far. I have so much wildlife already around my garden. In the process of a wildlife pond 🦋🌺🐝☘️
That would be great, would love to see them - [email protected]. Thank you so much for all your encouragement and support, it really does make a difference and I'm very grateful - best wishes, Joel
I have struggled so much with mental health and people like yourself Joel help more than you realise, like you say buddy the more people that share etc the more habitat which fills my soul to the brim! So thank you pal 🙏🏻 you have inspired me loads over these past few years to the point I have 3 ponds, streams, meadows the works! Legend! It’s time to change this world for the better. I don’t even care if you reply Joel genuinely you must be soooooo busy all the time, I understand, just thank you and congratulations ❤
Wow, thank YOU! I absolutely understand where you're coming from, and am so grateful for you taking the time out to leave such a wonderful comment. This hasn't been an easy journey by any means (and I'm not just talking about YT!) but it has felt like I've been shouting to deaf ears for so many years and this recent upsurge in interest for gardening for wildlife has certainly kept me buoyed! Fantastic to know about the ponds and streams, it really is and I hope one day to be able to see these in person and thank you for all the encouragement and support, it doesn't go unnoticed :) Very best wishes, Joel
Plant Life and Wild With Joel.......Yey ! This collaboration will be so good for wildlife - I look forward to the results. We have a tiny courtyard garden and a small front strip which we are starting to ‘wild’ based on managing what nature is showing us it wants to provide there for the ecosystem we live in - it’s ‘edge of urban’. We are learning so much through your channel Joel and will need seeds/plants - 90% ‘wild’ we anticipate - to semi manage the small areas, (a 5m x2m back border & 5m x 3m front lawn area.) Just by having left the heavy clay soil areas totally untouched for 4 summers we are seeing very interesting plants appearing and the pollinators are consistently buzzing in our spaces so we are going to pay attention to what is happening already naturally there and enhance/manage the areas to build on what is happening but also make it enjoyable visually for us. In time many pots will compliment this system. We are going to provide plants for insects to breed on, so there is larvae /caterpillars to provide the high protein needs for bird young - habitats needs to complement this come through neighbours larger gardens & our birdboxes are being used so we need to address the larva provisions as the last 2 years the young have not survived. I read a site that said it is not enough to provide bird food as it is ok for adult feeding but not high enough in protein for the young. Could you do a video to help us learn about this Joel ? About ecosystem needs to provide what garden birds need in our gardens. Our tiny garden patches are untouched atm if you wanted subject matter 😊
Hi Maisie, just brilliant to read this! Briefly, you're absolutely right about habitat needing to provide for the birds. So many rely on us due to habitat loss in the wider countryside, and not only that but the drastic reduction in insects/caterpillars for the young. I do touch on this in a couple of older videos but you're right that it needs mentioning again. After all, 100s of years ago when no one had even thought of feeding the birds, they did just fine without us. But, having to live alongside us also means that they have lost vital habitat. Is it possible to send an email to me at [email protected], then it'll not only be easier for me to advise and help with the best way forward with what you have, we can certainly talk further - and it's way easier to keep up via email than by many YT notifications that sometimes I miss - very best wishes, and thanks again - Joel
Fantastic news! Congratulations! I am convinced that your channel will continue to grow as rewilding is becoming a hot topic!
Thank you, so much. I've been creating habitat and trying to get this message out for circa 20 years now and have certainly seen the upsurge over the last 3-4 years, which is great news! When I started out it was difficult enough to convince a client to put up a bird box 🤣but over that 20 years I have worked with some fantastic selfless clients that have wanted to make a real difference. I just hope this fashion and recent interest is long-lasting and becomes the "norm" - thanks ever so much for all your support and encouragement, it's made such a difference! Best wishes, Joel
A great start to my day Joel hearing about your subscriber numbers and Plantlife. 🙏😊👍
Thanks Paul, and I'm sincere when I say I really value all the support and encouragement you've shown me. As you know, this hasn't been the easiest few years and if it wasn't for people like you I doubt I would have been able to retain the stamina! Very best wishes, as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Always a pleasure Joel. I think that you should bottle that Stamina of yours and sell it 😉👍😊
@@PaulOutdoors If I do, you surely deserve a cut.... fancy being my "manager"?! 🤣
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton It would be an honour and a privilege Joel. Just don't tell Nikki.... yet 🤔😳🤣
Fabulous display, as a kid we played in our local wood, (aka The Shoots), there were hundreds we called them pink champion's, also " stinking onions " which now I am sure would have been wild garlic ? Ty for sharing Joel 🎉
It's heavenly isn't it? So many of our native wildflowers are overlooked and yet we know that many of our "gardener's favourites" were cultivated and bred from these originals to give us the more well known ones today. Every day I am so pleased that these forgotten wildflowers are now being appreciated by so many more people. It could well have been wild garlic, but I remember the same as a kid... coming across something and thinking "someone's growing onions in this field" and it could have been escapees from gardens many years previously of course, but could have also been a chive species. We should have your book out to you in a few days ;) Have a good day today - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton here here 💯...chatting to my postie yesterday, she said her 5yr old loves planting wild flower seeds.. So yes..I said..I know just the channel for her... yup yours !...(sharing is caring 🦋🐛🐝🐞🌾)... oooh looking forward to my shiney new book..ty Joel...
@@CheshireCat6639 🤣 You are TOO good to me! Sincerely though, thanks so much... was thinking earlier that if I ever reach 100k subscribers I should throw a massive part and invite each and every one of you that has shown me such brilliant support - it'd be a party that would have to last a few weeks though... I'll bring wine 😆🤣
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton 🤣🥂🍻...your channel is growing as fast as our wild🌾...well deserved too ! You have a loyal army who leave lovely comments,I love to read them,(thankfully no trolls that I have seen)...
I was just thinking... it's been a while since the last livestream! I can't imagine what it would be like now that you've got more than 70k subscribers! 🤯 I hope all is well, my friend. I'll reach out to you soon. 😊
This was a fascinating interview. What an inspirational man! A wonderful lifetime of conservation and sharing with others! I wish we had Spring Watch, Autumn Watch, or Winter Watch here. I love his emphasis on planting NATIVE to help wildlife! Keep up the great work, my friend! I can't wait for the next interview (would love to see you interview Isabella Tree! Her book Wilding was fantastic! I also would love to see something with Douglas Tallamy.) Well done, again! Best wishes - John
Thank you
Congratulations, my friend!!! You've earned this!!! Super happy for you! Best wishes - John
God bless you!
Congratulations! Wonderful news all around, especially about Plant Life! Wishing all the best, Jimmy
No mow anything, ever.
It means many people care about wildlife 💚. Thank you for your inspiring 😊
Hey Joel, what is best to use (which material) as fleece/underlay? They sell something that looks like it at our local construction market, but I'm not sure if it's pond safe. Thanks! I'm really enjoying your videos!
Until you become a senior you really don't understand the impact that aging has on your life in ways that you struggle with. Accepting not being able to be independent because of mobility or health issues, is difficult and financial limitations also has an impact on maintaining upkeep on a home. Asking other folks for help is not easy, when you have lived indepedently. Thank God there are people in the world that get this and are willing to help, for compassion and kindness sake. This wonderful man is one of those people, a true Earth Angel! ❤
Lovely to hear the skylark singing in the background amongst the other song birds.
Really interesting stuff with presentation to match. 🌟
A gentleman fulfilling his purpose in life. Well done!
Thank you Maureen, Eric gifted me with armfuls of forget-me-nots afterwards and they're all now in my front garden ☺
I have one with me now
Does kind of bees will bring down your house.
Joel i wonder if my orange tips land on my euphorbia plants because they look like the basal rosette of the garlic mustard, as they never mention euphorbia as being a plant they are attracted to, i would be interested in your thoughts on this, they do look so beautiful on the acid green though. Thanks for this useful video, very interesting 🙂
Absolutely outstanding. Congratulations Joel. You have done absolute wonders through your work and dedication to wildlife and wildlife habitats. I think you are absolutely legendary🙏 Fantastic news about Plantlife. Can't wait to hear how you get on. Thank you for everything that you do and for always shining a light on our wildlife and for being such an important voice. And for continuing to spread the love and joy🌻
Thank you Miche, it might sound cliche but I'm sincere when I say I couldn't have done this without a lot of other people here consistently encouraging and supporting me - and you've certainly been one of them, I'm so grateful. I will catch up with you soon and of course update everyone on progress and hope that this last 3-4 years of shouting will no longer be needed... Have a great day, best wishes as always - Joel 🥰
So when is it ok to cut our gardens?
Hi Andrew - any time is fine, but the real message here is that long grass or short, it's about not creating a temporary habitat by leaving a grassy area long for a few weeks and then cutting it down - because cutting it down will remove that habitat that many creatures will be using, and they'll be evicted, or worse cut down along with the grass. If it's a nectar lawn (short) I'd recommend cutting every 2-3 weeks to rejuvenate flowers as a fresh nectar source. I hope this explains - best wishes, Joel
Also due to you producing such brilliant content 👍
Thank you Amanda, I really am so very grateful for everyone's support and determination to make a difference in their own green spaces, the rewards are far-reaching - best wishes, Joel
Great news with your subscribers and especially the talks with Plant Life. 😊
Thank you Tracey, and thanks for being there from the off when it wasn't easy at all, and for continuing to show me such encouragement, I'm very grateful - best wishes, Joel
You deserve a TV show pal
I keep saying gardeners world need to get Joel on more often.
Thank you so much - I've appeared on a few TV programmes but to be honest YT allows me to do this totally unscripted, and without rules/time limits etc and TV is not as glamorous as it appears 🤣 But thank you, I really do appreciate all the support and encouragement, it's made a huge difference. Best wishes, Joel
@@user-fv8rn4gi3x Thank you, so much. I was approached again recently about an upcoming series in a year or two, but I quickly learned that it was more about using me to gain access to my clients and their gardens, gleaning all the info off me and then having a "celebrity" step in and take over - a celebrity that may well know about plants and a little about wildlife but certainly not creating cohesive habitat. I really don't want to be seen as blowing my own trumpet, but when you've been creating the right habitat and knee deep in wildlife and the difference it can make some of this recent bandwagon jumping really irks! 🤣 I'm just so grateful that I am my own boss and have no management or PR team to seek approval from before putting my head above the parapet - ie the recent No Mow May video, I knew it'd upset peers but I work for the wildlife and nothing else (aside from my wonderful clients who join me in creating all this of course!) - but I really do appreciate it. I fully appreciate that TV reaches a wider audience, but this YT format has proven to be the best method to get the RIGHT information out there and ensure this is not just a fad and another way of making money for some. That was longer than I intended 🤣 Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton that’s a massive eye opener for people to see Joel! Well done you for literally saying it as it is and standing for what you believe in. Social media can and can’t be a great thing you follow someone for what looks to be an honest channel to them suddenly see free greenhouses being built or free tools from suppliers etc and all of a sudden it’s a massive turnoff so much so I gave up with Facebook and instagram a long time ago, KZread is a safe place right now as it’s your channel your views and your hard work being shown to your community. Keep your good work up mate it’s been a pleasure to see this channel grow and to learn so much off you it’s all really appreciated 👍🏻
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton p.s I watched a programme a few weeks ago regarding dividing perennials, the presenter has no idea what they’re on about but the plant had conveniently been lifted already and placed back in its hole for them to do their bit 😬🤦🏻♂️
That’s Amazing Joel congratulations 🐸💚🐸
Still can't quite believe it! You've been there since the beginning when I felt I was unable to reach enough people, but with your support and encouragement it's kept me going and I'm so very grateful. Best wishes, Joel
Thanks for the advice.