10/05/2026
Deciduous Azalea, a plant that is a great for pollinators in early Spring, particularly bees 🐝.
This is in my own garden, where wildlife, bugs and beasties are welcomed as part of the natural cycle. I don't use sprays of any kind (w**d killers or insecticides) and prefer natural methods of pest control where necessary (let's face it, here on the West Coast there's an army of slugs munching even the most resistant plants). There are many natural methods you can use and in combination work perfectly well enough, and sometimes you just have to concede that you are providing a Michelin starred food source to the slugs and snails (I have learnt the hard way what to plant and when and where). Weeds are pulled and composted, thus feeding back into the soil.
Weeding by hand also means that you can be selective about what you w**d out, leaving food sources and habitats in place for the beasties.
The best gardens are those that not only look good but that are also full of a variety of plants and are beneficial for all who enjoy and use it, from bugs, reptiles, birds, small mammals, canine friends and humans 🌿
