New Wild Garden: Natural-style planting and practicalities New Wild Garden combines new approaches to a more naturalistic design with the practical side of growing wildflowers and shows how to incorporate wildflowers, real meadows and a looser meadow-style planting into gardens and wild spaces. REFLECTING ECO PRINCIPLES Nature is an important aesthetic and technical role model for those of us wishing to recreate a natural environment in our gardens. When looking to natural landscapes for inspiration, we need to take into account that some, such as pristine deciduous woodland and prairie grassland, comprise the native vegetation that has evolved in that particular climate, while others, including meadow grassland, field hedgerows and coppiced woodland, which we may think of as natural, have in fact been altered and manipulated by man over thousands of years. Historically, the agricultural techniques used to create these man-made landscapes worked in sympathy with natural processes and allowed the plant communities we now cherish to evolve and adapt. But in recent years, the demands of intensive food production and use of modern machinery, along with the liberal spraying of pesticides and herbicides, have erased many of these special habitats. CREATING AN ECO GARDEN AS WELL AS CHOOSING appropriate plants, you can also make your garden more friendly to the environment by thinking carefully about how you manage, construct and develop your outdoor space. If you want to attract and care for wildlife, it is important to restrict or stop the use of pesticides. There are many other ways of controlling pests and diseases and by including plants known to be resistant to particular diseases, such as mildews, and those that won’t attract hordes of debilitating pests, you can minimise attacks. Maintaining plant health by selecting the right plant for the right place is key, and getting to know your site conditions before making your selections (see pp.47–49) will pay dividends. If you are new to your garden, take a year or so to see how the microclimate works and, if it is a mature plot, try to identify the plants as they appear and the types of wildlife they attract, so you can assess their suitability and integrate the best into your ‘wild’ designs. CREATING NEW WILD GARDEN FEATURES: Strong design can be an integral part of any wild garden scheme. URBAN WOODLAND This calm, contemporary oasis behind a terraced house in London is a symphony of green, created from creeper-clad fences, ferns and ornamental grasses shrouded in gentle shade from white-stemmed birches. Bulbs, such as alliums, and foxgloves, provide seasonal highlights. The trees hide the scale of the dwelling and the patio is screened from the windows of adjoining houses. Wildlife, particularly birds, will welcome the tree, climber and shrub cover, while bees will visit and feed from the selection of summer perennials. MODERN COTTAGE STYLE Set around a formal gravel roundel bisected by paving this small cottage-style garden is especially valuable for emerging pollinators thanks to spring bulbs and early perennials. A succession of informally grouped plants provides a succession of interest, while helping sustain wildlife into autumn. While shrubs and perennials provide structure, annuals seed into gaps to give a contrasting sense of colourful and riotous abandon. WILD WATER Here water with geometric timber decking is a major element of the design. Larger bodies of water are more resilient to changes in weather and temperature than smaller ones and enable a greater number and wider range of wildlife to set up home. Rainwater for the pool could be piped from the house via a rainwater diverter. Marginal planting seamlessly merges with the water facilitating access for wildlife. FLORAL FIREWORKS In this pond-side setting, the unusual yellow Asian daisy Arnica sachalinensis provides a vibrant contrast against pink and red primulas, which are set next to the fine-leaved sedge (Carex brizoides). Creating an area of wet or damp soil adjacent to a pond greatly expands the range of plants you can grow. You can do this artificially by laying a sheet of pond liner about 20–30cm (8–12in) below the soil surface around the edges of the pond. Make a few holes in the liner so that some water can drain out but most will be retained to keep the area damp. The water from the pool will periodically spill over the banks and into the soil in this area to create the boggy conditions required. You can also lay some capillary matting just below the soil surface, with one end dipped into the pond water. This will draw up moisture, also helping to keep the soil damp in the bog.
✔ Author(s): Ian Hodgson
✔ Title: New Wild Garden: Natural-style planting and practicalities
✔ Rating : 4.8 out of 5 base on (71 reviews)
✔ ISBN-10: 0711260095
✔ ISBN-13: 9780711260092
✔ Language: English
✔ Format ebook: PDF, EPUB, Kindle, Audio, HTML and MOBI
✔ Device compatibles: Android, iOS, PC and Amazon Kindle
Readers' opinions about New Wild Garden by Ian Hodgson
Lucy Garraway
The world-building in this book was simply phenomenal. I was transported to a different realm and felt like I was part of the characters' journey. The attention to detail made it all so immersive.
Beata Shepard
The plot twists were executed masterfully. I was left gasping at every unexpected turn, and the suspense kept me on edge throughout. Bravo to the author for keeping me guessing.
Josephine Alvarez
This is a book I'll cherish and recommend to everyone. It touched my soul and made me reflect on life's profound mysteries.
