Hi – it’s Jane here, from the Wild Bunch. As we enter July and the height of summer, it’s a great time to spend a few moments sitting back in your garden or local green space and just enjoying what the summer has brought. If you were able to take some small steps towards supporting our wildlife over the spring, now they – and you – will reap the benefits. Flowers for pollinators planted earlier in the year should be in full bloom, full of insects buzzing and birds feasting. Birdboxes may have hosted one or even two broods of bluetits or robins, or tree bumblebees may have taken up residence. If you have been able to establish a little wild area of long grass, perhaps by following ‘No Mow May’, you may be rewarded with new wildflowers – as I was when a Pyramidal Orchid appeared in my garden for the first time. What a summer delight!
There is one simple action we can all take to help support wildlife through summer heat, as it can be every bit as demanding as cold winter weather. At the height of summer, access to water is essential for all of us, including mammals, birds and insects. Hedgehogs in particular need ready access to drinking water as dehydration can quickly be fatal for them, so ground-level water is a real lifesaver on hot summer days. If you are lucky enough to have a wildlife pond, make sure there is an easy way for hedgehogs to exit, since they may make their way in seeking a drink, and then struggle to clamber out if water levels become low as the summer progresses. A little ramp or ladder can be a real lifesaver for them. If you have a birdbath, try to do a daily top-up of water. If no pond or birdbath, pop a shallow dish of water on the ground, along with a few flattish pebbles where insects, birds and mammals can drink.
Finally, summer is a good time to reflect on what we might set up or change for the following year. Do you have space for more bird boxes? Or might there be a shady spot that could be turned into a wild corner this autumn, with twigs and dry leaves to provide winter shelter? A little planning now could mean that this time next year you would have even more wildlife delights to enjoy in your garden or local green space.
If you would like to find out more about gardening for wildlife, do come along to one of the free, quarterly Wild Bunch gatherings. Go to www.bit.ly/frome-wild-bunch to book your space, to find out more about the Wild Bunch or to sign up for the e-newsletter with updates on events and gatherings. The next gathering will be on Thursday 16 July from 1.30 to 3pm in Rodden Meadow, when with the help of a butterfly expert we shall be out learning how to identify different species. We hope to see you there.
