The Wildlife Gardening Co.

14/04/2026

Slow worm (Anguis fragilis), legless lizard, found next to a pond today. First one I’ve seen in all my years of gardening. 🪱

They also like compost heaps where they’ll eat slugs, worms and other invertebrates.

Very happy!

26/03/2026

This only touches the surface of the joys of watching and studying bees. It shows the diversity and characterful nature of solitary bees. Well worth a watch!

Wildlife film-maker Martin Dohrn is bee obsessed. He has found over 60 species in his Bristol garden and sets out to film them, with mind-blowing results.

21/03/2026

My first Dark-Edged Bee Fly (Bombylius major) of the year! 🐝 🪰

Whilst in flight, the females flick their eggs towards the nest holes of mining bees. They even pick up ballast in the form of bits of sand and grit to help the eggs fly more accurately. The larvae will the hatch out and crawl down the been nest where they will consume the bee larvae.

Plant primroses, violets and Muscari for the adults to feed on with their long proboscis.

05/03/2026

Juniper Shield Bug (Cyphostethus tristriatus) on daffodil. 🌼 These bugs are known for feeding on native Juniper, hence the name, but are now also using Lawson’s Cypress (seen in the back ground of the third photo). You can tell them apart from the similar looking Hawthorn Shield bug by the black “X” on their wing membrane.

Photo 3 is a bed full of my fave garden things- apple tree, Pulmonaria, twigwam, bird box, primrose. Still room for more though!

11/02/2026

A pond we built in autumn. Ready to sow some pond edge mix this spring. Fence is a ‘poultry’ attempt at keep the chickens 🐓 out but we’ll be replacing with something more rustic and effective.

There’s a massive deadhedge that goes all the way along the boundary so lots of refuge for amphibs etc 🐸 🪵

Already had reports of frog spawn in South Yorkshire so keep an eye out!

10/02/2026

Last call for cutting your hedges!

March is fast approaching. Birds are singing in preparation to start nesting. 🪺

Get them done soon or if you can leave them to get nice and bushy over summer. If you have space, a light trim is better than a hard prune every year. You’ll get more flowers and more fruit, good news for pollinators I spring/summer and birds in autumn. 🐝

05/02/2026

This week in the rain. *not totally sure why I also sound like a hobbit on helium in this video, bloody Instagram!

17/01/2026

The big clay lined pond we dug last winter is now brimming and excitingly showing signs of life. Here’s a diving beetle (pos. Agabus nebulous) suspended in the ice on top of the pond and also a water boatman under the ice.

We left the pond unplanted so that the early stages of succession (bare edges and sides) would be available to species which prefer these habitats. If you plant up a pond, you’re basically fast forwarding the pond timeline to the middle. Sometimes in a garden setting this is necessary due to aesthetics but you’re going to support a lot broader range of wildlife over the lifespan of the pond if you let it be colonised by plants naturally. 🐸 Last year the mud around the edge was being utilised by swallows, martins and solitary bees for nest building. Wonder what this year will bring.

14/01/2026

Happy new year!!! I know it’s late but in my opinion we should celebrate the new year in spring instead. It’s still far too cold to come out of hibernation. Although there are some enjoyable jobs to do on the crisp dry days. Like today, I’ve been appreciating lichens whilst pruning apples trees. 🍎 🌳 Lovely colours and shapes.

12/12/2025

Another pond almost finished. Just needs a few more plants and for the wetland edge seed to germinate. 🌼

Temporary fence to stop the chickens going for a swim 🐓. To be replaced by a more natural looking deadhedge or similar. 🪵

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10/12/2025

Holy moly this garden is a beaut! 🌳

One of the best views after a bit of pond plant thinning.

09/12/2025

Firstly, make yourself a wildlife wedge! They look great 🍕. Then when you cut it, make yourself a wildlife whirligig washing line!!!