A Guide in Your Garden

27/06/2025

27/06/2025

27/06/2025

Insects are a critical part of our gardens, and particularly in our veg patches - boosting pollination, soil health and creating diverse ecosystems.

But sometimes things can get out of balance. If you have more 'pests' than you would like this summer try encouraging beneficial insects such as hoverflies, ladybirds and beetles, and small mammals and birds. Or, try some natural biological controls. In our latest blog we outline how nematodes can help and how to use them👉https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/news/biological-controls

20/06/2025

Happy Pollinator Week, Thoughtful Gardener! 😊

Here's a reminder of how important pollinators are to our planet.

No bees 🐝, no food. No pollinators, no future. 🦋

Let's plant with purpose, protect their habitat and food source.

24/04/2025

Bees are nature’s messengers
And right now, they’re telling us to change course

24/04/2025

🌱 Probably one of many people's least-favourite plants, Stinging Nettles are actually one of the most important native plants for wildlife in the UK.

Make space for a small patch in your garden and you'll attract a hug number of beneficial insect pollinators and predators - in fact, Nettles support up to 40 insect species!

🦋🐞🐦 Caterpillars of the small tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies use them as foodplants; ladybirds feast on the aphids that shelter among them; and birds eat the seeds in autumn.

24/04/2025

24/04/2025

🌿 A Mother’s Love Shouldn’t Be Poisoned 🌿

THIS IS THE HIDDEN COST OF “FAST-ACTING” RODENT KILLERS.
A mother robin’s instinct is to feed her chicks—not poison them. But rodenticides don’t stop at rats. They climb the food chain, turning beetles, worms, and even birds into innocent victims of our war on pests.

🐀 The Silent Chain of Harm:
- Rats eat poison, but rarely die instantly—they stagger outdoors, becoming easy prey.
- Birds, foxes, and pets then eat toxin-laced rodents or insects.
- 1 dose can kill an entire nest of chicks… or a family of owls.

“BUT I ONLY USED IT IN MY GARAGE!”
Poison doesn’t stay put. It seeps into ecosystems, turning gardeners’ good intentions into unintended tragedies.

💚 Safer Solutions for Gardeners:
✅ Snap traps (check daily, dispose responsibly).
✅ Secure compost bins to deter rodents naturally.
✅ Plant mint or daffodils—rodent-repelling greens!
✅ Support barn owls with nest boxes—they’re nature’s pest control.

Break the cycle. Let’s protect all lives in our gardens—not just the ones we see. 🐦💔

24/04/2025

🍄 “Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.” 🐞
― Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
― Art by Charles van Sandwyk