Wildlife Gardening in Suffolk & Essex

Please note that I am fully booked with regular gardening clients and therefore unable to accept any new regular or occasional work at the current time.

More than ever gardens are providing important respite for birds, mammals, insects and other animals that may struggle to find suitable areas to live in the wider environment where their natural habitats are shrinking and declining in quality.

I have been a very keen birdwatcher all my life and also now take a great interest in other forms of wildlife including butterflies and wildflowers, especially orchids which I have observed all over the UK and across Europe. Before becoming a full time gardener, I also worked for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds as a warden and researcher working to restore and monitor habitats in Suffolk, Essex and other areas of the UK.

There are many ways to improve gardens for wildlife on both a small or large scale. I personally find encouraging birds, bees, butterflies, hedgehogs and as many other species of wildlife the most rewarding aspect of gardening. If you would like advice on making your garden more beneficial to wildlife or help in identifying the species already present then I would love to help!

Some ideas to think about to help to increase the diversity of wildlife that visits your garden could include gardening organically where possible, creating a pond, creating areas of the garden to benefit insects and other invertebrates, sowing an area of native wildflowers, planting more nectar rich, bee friendly plants in your existing borders and beds, planting shrubs or trees that produce berries and fruit and installing bird, bat and bee boxes. Please call or email to discuss these and any other ideas you may have.

To view recent examples of my work, please visit my Facebook Page - www.facebook.com/southsuffolkgardening

The images below show the wildlife found within my own small garden in Suffolk. I have small wildflower borders that attract butterflies such as the Small Tortoise and Holly Blue pictured below. Also shown are other some other invertebrates including a Bumblebee on a Greater Knapweed flower and a fine male Stag Beetle which is a scarce and localised species within the UK - the Suffolk Coast is a great location to find them. Birds and amphibians also find a home including this young Blue Tit on his first day out of the nest box and a beautiful Common Toad.

To discuss your requirements, please call 07421 031034, or alternatively email

southsuffolkgardening@gmail.com

If I am working on site or with a client, I may not be able to answer your call immediately, so please leave your number and a message, and I will return your call as soon as possible.