In support of Wild About Gardens Weeks, mail order seed and plant specialist Thompson & Morgan is urging the nation’s gardeners to do their bit for biodiversity by sowing wildlife- attracting hardy annuals this autumn.
The Wild About Gardens Week, is a joint RHS and Wildlife Trusts initiative, running 15-21 September. It seeks to address a population decline in two thirds of our plant and animal
species in the past 50 years, as highlighted by the RSPB’s 2013 State of Nature Report.
The report highlights that many of our common garden species – including hedgehogs, house sparrows, starlings and common frogs – are becoming much less common.
This is where gardeners can make a difference, by making their own gardens and the green spaces in their communities more wildlife friendly.
“You don’t need to let your garden run wild to help support local wildlife,” said Thompson and Morgan Horticultural Director, Paul Hansord. “Just one square metre of ground or a few patio pots, sown with one of our wildflower species or mixes, will help draw a wide range of beneficial insects, which in turn will attract birds, amphibians and mammals to the garden.”
Autumn is the perfect time to sow a hardy annual wildflower display. The soil is still warm for quick germination, and resulting seedlings will be watered by autumn rain.
Come winter they’ll be tough enough to face the cold weather, quickly waking up in spring to put on a much stronger show than spring-sown seeds.
Establishing the right balance of wild species can be tricky. Fortunately Thompson & Morgan has taken the guesswork out of wildflowers by offering a range of ready-to-sow mixes and species – simply prepare ground, scatter the seed and rake in!
To show support, Thompson & Morgan is running a wildflower seed competition right through Wild About Gardens Week. From 15 to 21 September they’ll be giving away three packs of wildflower seeds to 50 lucky winners.
For you chance to win a honey bee seed mix (pic), Cornflower ‘Blue Diadem’ seeds and Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi) seeds, head over to www.thompson-morgan.com/wildlife-competition-2014.
Visit www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk for other ideas on how to encourage wildlife into your garden and boost local biodiversity.