gb supp 2018 (1)

4
ENCOURAGE INSECTS
Hoverflies and ladybirds are good garden ‘pestcatchers’,
and hoverflies do not sting even though they
look similar to wasps. Marigolds can be planted to attract
them. But wasps themselves can also play a part – they
are good controllers of many garden 'pests', including
flies and grubs, as well as being useful pollinators of flowers.
5
BUILD A BAT BOX
By June, bats will be
breeding. While eaves and fascias
are used, you can help them and
your house by putting up bat boxes
(south-facing locations work best)
as early as possible in the spring.
Lorraine Yates/Alamy
6
TOLERATE A BIT OF MESS
Mowing your lawn half as often, or leaving a
patch completely unmown, helps insects, while weeds
only need to be removed if they’re actually harming
your other plants.
Andrew Greaves/Alamy
The Hawke Endurance ED 12-36x50 spotting scope
is the perfect compact scope, offering excellent
optical performance in a small and lightweight
package – perfect if you're planning to do some
birdwatching abroad, or if you're also carrying
photographic gear.
It boasts dielectric coatings designed to increase
light reflectivity, fully multi-coated optics to produce
sharp images, close focus down to 2.5m, BAK-4 porro
prisms for intense colour and contrast, a dual focus
knob to achieve ultra fine focusing, a stay-on soft
scope cover for maximum protection, twist-up eye
cup and pull out sunshade, and digi-scope
compatibility for use with your camera. And it all
weighs in at just 700g, and costs just £299.99.
For further details on it and Hawke's other
scopes, go to hawkeoptics.com
hawkeoptics.com
Yon Marsh/Alamy
7 GIVE REPTILES
A HIDEAWAY
Corrugated iron or plastic laid
flat on a sunny border can
provide hiding places for
reptiles. Don’t be tempted to
disturb them, though.
Oliver Smart/Alamy
Tim Gainey/Alamy
8
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, CREATE A POND!
l Give at least one side
of it a long, shallow slope, to
allow easy access for wildlife,
and on steep sides place
wooden or stone ramps. A few
large, flat stones on the sloping
side will create a perfect
habitat for amphibians/insects.
l Shading over part of the
pond helps reduce problems
with algae, but too much shade
is not good for wildlife, so keep
an eye on overhanging
vegetation.
l Mid-spring through to
early summer are the best
times for planting your
wildlife pond, as the water
will have warmed a little
and plants will have started
growing. Early autumn,
though, is the best time
for maintenance, before
amphibians go
into hibernation.
l Don’t be too hasty
about topping up the pond
during dry weather, but if
you do, try to use rainwater
from a butt.
l Around 25-35% open
water is perfect for a wildlife
pond, so don’t clear too much
vegetation or algae. Barley
straw is the best way to keep the
latter under control.
l Let the plants at the side
grow unhindered so that
frogs, toads and newts have
safe hiding places.
Take extra care when working
or mowing there.
The National Trust Photolibrary/Alamy*
18 Create the Perfect Bird Garden 2018