Fascinating thing about fertility: I tried to grow poppies in nice, fertile soil on my balcony and they HATED IT, didn't want to grow at all. Apparently they prefer nice, rocky and sandy piece of a railway embankmemt, with extra an excitement of a train passing by every half an hour or so xD
Brilliant joel just imagine if every householder had a wildflower area in the uk even if it’s an area in a small pot on a balcony in a flat how much it would help our wildlife insects bees and butterflies right now. That would be amazing 🐸💚🐸
Absolutely, and you're right, any pit-stops for pollinators, however small are vital right now and can make a huge difference to creatures desperately in need :) Hope you've had a good start to the week, best wishes - Joel
I'm glad that your method confirms my theory on how my local council cleverly creates small plots of wildflowers emerging from within the surrounding longer grass; mowing a perimeter to socially signal the intention without it looking too formal. Cheap and easy to maintain for the council while looking great to look at.
Great video as always, the problem always seems to get people past the initial 'bare garden' phase. we manged to seed a 80m2 of prime road verge a couple of years ago and this helped created local interest.. next week we launch a community project (funded by the Co-Op Local Community Fund) to get people to dip a toe in the water and 'sow a square meter'. Seed packs are free, 26 varieties included, all UK sourced and mostly from our own plant stock. lol who knows wild your garden a sq/m at a time might catch on !👍 .. looking forward to the big toys 😉
Hi Spencer! Yes, just back from Scotland and relieved to have the internet speed back ;) A few more videos to come over the next few days. I'm doing well, lots of videos to upload re Scotland and a fabulous but pretty rare sight when I was there - can't wait to share it all with you - have a great weekend, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton that’s great, I hope Scotland was good to you! Yes I expect you are, I did see your video about the slow internet speed, not the best for uploading to RUclips! That sounds very exciting, I can’t wait to see that video! Thank you, I’m in Charmouth this weekend and it’s great! Take care!
@@spencersanderson1894 Hope you had a good time and a nice break :) Have started editing the video but it's pretty lengthy, footage over 2 weeks so just trying to shorten it somewhat ;) Scotland was amazing, really missing it right now. Best wishes, Joel
Hey :) Just back from Scotland and the bird-hide is finished, just trying to edit about 100 video clips ;) But can't wait to show you the build and finished result! I will also be uploading this garden makeover when I get a chance, back there next week to plant up the pond and finish other additions - hope you're having a good weekend :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
Lovely, helpful video and so in line with where i am in terms of leaving the garden to do its thing. Going to try and get a book too. Thsnk you for taking the time to educate us!? Much appreciated. 🙏
In regards to the balcony option, i had every kind of beneficial insect regularly visiting mine. I had marigolds and some wildflowers in pots next to my tomatoes and strawberries. A small space can be beautiful if done properly
Last year i created a pond, this year i have ripped up 3/4 of my lawn and converting it into wildflower meadow, and that last 1/4 im turning into a flower lawn. Hopefully next year my garden should be a haven for wildlife more than it is now.
Another great tutorial Joel. Last year I tried to create a small 8M square area meadow from seed into bare ground and slugs ate everything. This year I repeated the sowing and every night I go out with a torch and remove the slugs averaging 20 a night. It’s paying off as most of the seed is sprouting.
Well done on your efforts and perseverance Colin! Yes, slugs prefer young tender shoots unfortunately. If you do find you have gaps then I'd recommend buying plugs and growing them on before planting or using 9cm pots as they have a better root system and are better able to cope :) Glad your efforts are being rewarded, best wishes, Joel
Such a coincidence! Saw a thick-legged flower beetle in my balcony today and didn't know what it was and now it's featured here in all its iridescent glory 😄
I love the friendly informality of these videos and the inspiration it gives. I have just returned from a garden nursery and thought I had found the ideal bee attracting plant. It was blue and had a bee on it - I can't remember what it was as I was distracted by the label saying it was half hardy. Therefore I left it...! Maybe I will change my mind!
The world would be so much better if everyone grew even a small bit of native plants on their property instead of having a useless grass lawn. (BTW Joel----we had our first visitor to our new pond today--a Damselfly, I'm so excited! :) )
Hi Joel. That will look fabulous when it has established and it won't take that long. Our son does the ground maintenance at our local tennis club and John is on the committee so we have convinced the rest of the committee members that it would look good if we left the bank along the one edge uncut and planted wild flowers. They have agreed so we have made a start. I've got plenty of seedlings that I can dig up and take!
Hi Dino, this is so good to hear - and I expect you are rewarded for your thoughtfulness, I hope it catches on in your area - keep up the good work, best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton yeah, it’s fantastic! Our whole street does a pretty good job. I’m currently working on a small pond myself and I’m hoping it’ll kick start a couple other ponds. I wanted to do a natural t lined clay bottom buuuut that wasn’t working out so I’ll go with a liner. So it goes!
We're in a severe drought here in Colorado, but in the last 24 hours we've had a late spring snowstorm. I cleared 10 inches of snow off my car this morning! As you might imagine, the moisture is desperately welcome after having no rain or snow for months. We have a wild back section in our garden and some brush piles I've strategically placed for wildlife. In normal years with more rain, we usually have all kinds of wonderful things pop up - Indian paintbrush, yarrow (pink, white and yellow), dandelions, little yellow and white daisies, Indian blanket, columbine (our state flower), tiny little violets, Rocky Mountain penstemon, Gray's biscuitfoot (Lomatium grayi), Dalmation toadflax, Lambstongue ragwort and others. With the deep water restrictions we're under from our utility company and the lack of precipitation (except for today's snowstorm - which might be the only moisture we get for months to come because of the drought), I'm not sure what will grow this year.
So sorry to hear this - I do hope you get more rain than predicted, I am sure your garden will still prove beneficial and helpful to those creatures desperately in need - wishing you all the luck, best wishes - Joel
How lovely. I'm in Colorado too. I'd love to have more of the plants you mentioned. Rocky Mountain penstemon is beautiful in the pictures. I just got shooting star bareroots. I want Rocky Mountain bee plant and sugar bowl clematis.
Interesting. In a new build neighborhood in Colorado built a few years ago, the only plant growing in my grass that isn't listed as invasive is the dandelion. I am getting some lovely native moss in the mulch. At some point it will likely be necessary to replace the grass with native grasses and flowers due to drought. I've got shooting star bareroots for the back shade garden. I'm excited.
My wildflower meadow area is small but it’s near the 4m x 2.5m wildlife pond and so far this month I’ve had plenty of damselflies hunting in the meadow area because of the abundance of insects
So good to read this Mike - a great advertisement for making suitable habitat around a pond too, a lot of amphibians will enjoy this habitat and the birds too but fantastic to hear about the damselflies :) Hope you're having a good weekend - best wishes, Joel
It's good for me too! ;) It only took 3 hours to upload last night, which is better than 14 ;) So glad this will be of help, hope you are having a good weekend - Joel
@@rbdriftin Currently sat at my desk editing more video footage since being back from Scotland but the bird-hide is now finished and I can't wait to share the build and end result with everyone :) Day off tomorrow I think, I need the rest! Take good care - Joel
Thank you very much. I’m busy transforming our city garden, and these flowers will join the rest. The dandelions are also staying from now on. Our neighbors don’t understand 😂 Since two years more tiles are being removed and enjoying it so much. Thanks from the Netherlands
You're so very welcome Saskia! So good to hear that you are making such a difference where you live. I need to get to the Netherlands soon as we have so many wonderful members of this community from your home country :) I've also been making my front garden wildlife friendly to show neighbours and passersby that they don't have to be messy ;) There will be more updates coming on that. Thanks so much for your support. Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton yes, that would be great if you could come to the Netherlands. I just received your book today and have started together with your videos. I’m going to install a pond, but a premade plastic one. I don’t have much space, but around one by one meter. You don’t talk about fish, like a goldfish. Is that not wise to include? And my neighbor can get me some goldfish and newts. Is that ok to include? I would love your advice on this. Thank you for everything.
@@saskiaverhulst2302 Hi Saskia :) Thank you so much for buying the book, it will make the plant listings easier for you and there is a lot of information in there. I don't put fish in the wildlife ponds for 2 reasons... 1) They will eat small larvae and eggs 2) Fish add nutrient to ponds through their waste, I know you are only talking about goldfish but when you see fancy Koi ponds they will always have an expensive pump/filter system set up, this is because the natural waste of the fish builds up the nutrients in the water. Newts, frogs... they are fine to add if from a neighbour but they should find you anyway. If you need any more advice (in case I don't see a notification) you are welcome to email me at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com :) Best wishes, Joel
Loving your videos having discovered you yesterday! Exactly what I’ve been looking for and so helpful and informative. We moved to a rural location last year overlooking a field and have sown a wild flower patch that is coming on well. We now want to focus on turning our front lawn into a wild flower garden and pond area. I will have to watch the rest of your videos and make a plan! Thank you so much 😊
I created my own little area(not really a wildflower meadow) about 40 foot long and about 3-7 foot wide, it's shaped like a long wide handle with a sharp blade at the end. It's an experiment of planting methods: a) direct into grass b) no dig c) sod removal/raked fine tilf. I created my own 9cm pot plants using a packets of seed in early March, then planted at the end of April and May. Last autumn I created a no dig area first, and planted a bunch of alliums, daffodils, and fritillaries where I knew yellow coloured hawkweed and dandelions would grow. My germinated seedlings this spring threw up a few surprises, there was Frilly Mustard and Lettuce amongst them. Also right in the middle of my meadow there is a huge cucumber growing 😂😂😂😂😂 There's also about 4 lettuce plants growing in the grass. It's great fun, Californian poppies have been flowering for the last few weeks along with Eruca vesicaria. Lacy Phacelia and borage started this week. It's just a mad experiment. Not a permanent wildflower meadow, but some bastardized version of one.
This sounds like the perfect habitat! You're letting things grow as they want and that's the best thing - I expect you will be rewarded many times over for this John - great to read your comment :) Best wishes, Joel
Aaaargh! I *must* get around to this soon - I haven't forgotten. Just wish I could bring it to you personally, but one day we will meet in the same country for sure :) Thank you for all your support, and please keep in touch - best wishes to you and the family, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton i wish that too. I wish to meet you when I've marked my place in conservation here , so i could feel proud , that after all the hardwork and learning stuff i finally succeeded. P.s i know you've been busy , and you being busy conserving nature is more important than anything else.
Wow, there are lots of flowers that I never knew before 😅 but all are so beautiful. Special dandelions and daisies I like so much because they were my childhood memories 😊
Hi.I am not experienced grower and I need an advice,please.I dug a deep hole in my garden and I see an orange/ginger colour soil at the bottom .Is it called a subsoil ?Is it suitable to create a meadow?
Hi Renata - apologies for the delay, I have been away in France and just catching up with everyone now. It sounds like the right colour to me, but if you wanted to send a photo of the area then I can advise - enquiries@wildyourgarden.com. But subsoil is absolutely what you will need for a successful wildflower meadow. I hope this helps, best wishes - Joel
Hi Joel. Really nice to have this explained properly and especially which flowers attract which insects. I have lots of these plants scattered around the borders but have been thinking of a proper designated area to turn to meadow. Haven't got a huge garden but big enough to do this. No mow may is a huge success. I'm definitely never going to mow the dandelion patches nor the clover patches that have emerged this year. They've attracted more birds and insects to the garden than ever before. Have a great weekend, and a rest! Just back from Jacksons coppice with the grandkids, so many damsel flies and butterflies it was beautiful. And so was the ice cream after! Best wishes to you and yours.
Hey :) Thank you, so glad this is of more help - it sounds like you are being rewarded many times for your thoughtfulness when considering the way you caretake your spaces, it's so good to read your comment. Jacksons... I've not visited there but heard good things and your report about the damselflies and butterflies confirms this - glad you are having a good start to the weekend - best wishes, as always - Joel
That was a really great comprehensive video, thanks for taking your time to explain all that 😊 I have a snapping turtle in pond, just hope he doesn’t think a cats tongue is breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Thank you Wende :) Back from Scotland now and trying to go through lots of film clips to be able to upload the next video, it does take a while, just grateful I am back home and have faster internet speed! ;) Snapping Turtle... wow! Watch where you put your fingers... have a wonderful weekend and best wishes to you and yours - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Look forward to the videos. I'm hoping to get him interested in biting something, thinking I can drag it out of there. I'm wondering too if I'll have an nymph's left.
I love a good old Enchinops Ritro or what we call shere Thistle..bees love it and is always swamped and yes, bit of a bully but fabulous for pollinators ( i have clay soil)
Can't beat them for the colour and pollen they provide for early emerging insects Andrew - so good to hear that you have these too and the benefits they've brought :) Hope you're having a good weekend - best wishes, Joel
Totally agree with you Joel 9cm pot's are far better. As you know started my Perennial wildflower meadow last year and one year on its coming on really great . I bought Bird's foot trefoil, Red clover,Oxeye daisy, Yarrow, Toadflax ,Self-healing, Common Knapweed, Primrose from your website last year after the great advice I got from you after reading your book.
Wonderful David - I'm back from Scotland now and will be looking at the schedule again and be in touch about your garden :) I can't wait to see the meadow and am so glad the advice was so helpful to you - speak soon! Best wishes, Joel
I have a busy weekend a head of me now this weekend!! 😅😂 Bought your book and it’s brilliant, thanks for another inspiring video Joel. Looking forward to seeing the up and coming videos 🥰
Me too Anna! Just back from Scotland now and already attempting to edit more videos to bring everyone, just to keep you even busier! ;) So glad that this has been helpful to you, and thank you for your kind words and encouragement, it makes a difference to me :) Best wishes - Joel
Hi Joel, don’t know how Ive only just come across you but you’re my new fav, ha. Started off watching the 1/2 acre one where you stripped the topsoil as I’m designing a meadow area for a client which is pretty rich clay soil, don’t think they’re going to go for anything that obtrusive unfortunately but the results were fantastic. Love how you talk about it all and your knowledge of all the wildlife and what plants host/feed what insects, really inspiring. Looking forward to watching and learning more from you. Cheers!
Thanks Bob, appreciated. I've been designing and installing gardens for wildlife for nigh-on 20 years now, but the recent trend and upsurge in gardening for wildlife seems to have paid off! We had one of our gardens featured on BBC Gardeners' World in 2019, which led to the Wild Your Garden book and then the RUclips channel. I'm determined to help people create vital habitats in their own gardens and YT seemed to be the best format to demonstrate how. Takes a lot of effort and work, but knowing so many more habitats are being created is reward in itself. If you need any advice or help then I do offer free tailored advice to people buying from www.wildyourgarden.com, everything is from my own specialist growers and suppliers I've used for 20 years, so guaranteed to work. Very best wishes, and good luck with the meadow. Joel
Hi Greg - such a shame that daisies seem to have become "rare" to see, compared to our childhoods when they were so abundant. However, if it helps we do have these for sale on the website in plug size and 9cm pots - if planting directly into a lawn then I'd recommend the 9cm as they have a better root system, but you could grow-on the plugs: wildyourgarden.com/product/common-daisy/ Hope this helps and that you have daisies back in no time :) Best wishes, Joel
A follow on to my previous comment - - as an example. the high temperature here yesterday was 107 degF/42degC! Today is a bit cooler but still hovering around 100 deg (and no rain in sight)
I sowed some wildflowers seeds last year I had poppies and white champion and this year there are oxyene daisies,red clover and ribwort plantain in flower I also planted lavender, honeysuckle, clematis,borage,sunflowers, calendula,yarrow,nigella, Zinnia, Cornflowers, cosmos,scabiosa and hollyhock.
A perfect combination! Well done, you'll certainly be rewarded when these all come into flower - let me know what visitors you get! Have a good weekend, best wishes - Joel
I just left my front lawn It has 7 species of wildflower and looks spectacular so many ox eyes and the bees are loving it But not sure about the neighbours with their manicured snooker tables
Another great video mate. I love it when I get the new video notification from your channel. I make sure I leave it until I can sit and watch it properly. My section of uncut lawn with wildflowers I planted 2 months ago is coming along nicely, definitely noticed the birds coming down to walk through it and look for things to eat. I also enjoy the contrast of how it looks against the short mown path section it’s next to in my garden. 😊
Thank you Craig, so much :) Another full video to come soon as I'm back from Scotland now and trying to edit the pretty epic bird-hide build there! I am so pleased that you're being rewarded for not mowing it all, and I think that an intentional mown path can make people understand the beauty of these unmown parts and that it's being done for a reason - I visited a client on the way back from Scotland in a pretty large garden and the meadow there is looking spectacular and it's not even in flower yet, but it's the way he's just cut parts of it - will try to upload a photo or two of it when I get a chance :) Hope you and yours are doing fine - best wishes, as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton completely agree with the mown part making the ‘left growing’ section looking intentional and not me being a lazy so and so ( which as you know I’m furthest thing from, ha ha ) really looking forward to that Scottish video mate . Just ordered some extra wildflowers from your Wild Your Garden website too, so looking forward to them arriving and getting them planted in. All good here thanks , hope you are . All the best Craig
Hi Dorothy - I will do my best when I get a chance, about 50 other videos to upload too but I am pretty sure I will get to this later on in the season as late summer is the best time for sowing. In the meantime, you can buy the yellow rattle plugs on our website - www.wildyourgarden.com - and the seeds too - but if buying the plug plants I would recommend growing them on in 9cm pots so that they have a good root system before planting directly into a lawn :) Best wishes, Joel
Wonderful video. Just what I needed to be inspired to get back outside and planting again. Thank you. I’ve noticed I’ve been feeding the bugs more than anything in the garden. They just love eating all my delicate cabbage and lettuce leaves
Thank you so much - this is so good to read, those bugs will encourage the birds and even larger insects like dragonflies, they don't spend all their time around water so keep an eye out :) Best wishes, and have a good weekend - Joel
Informative video, but I will be using seeds instead of pug/potted plants. I have filled the wildflower meadow patch up for 2/3th of the way, with some sand and existing soil. Today I will fill up the rest, put in some existing native plants from my friend's garden and will sow around them. Yesterday I was on a killing spree for aphits on my plants in the back garden border. Since I have layed french bark chips down with a strong smell, all the aphids have moved up into my precious climbing rose and butterfly bush. While taking care of the aphids, I had the great joy and honour to be visited by my first red-tailed bumblebee 😱🙌🏻🤘🏻🐝 It was a female and at first I was a bit intimidated by her size. She enjoyed the nectar of my allium flowers. My forest forget-me-nots are constantly being visited by smaller bees with sunny weather to and a non-native flower next to it not so much. That for me is the proof to add as much native species as possible.
With regard to Ragwort, the seeds don't spread very easily and need bare or disturbed soil in which to germinate. Unless there are horses or hay fields nearby there's absolutely no need to cut off the flowers before they seed. My Ragwort plants don't increase in number, despite the number of seeds produced, as they rarely germinate. They've not spread to neighbouring gardens or to the green outside my house. The seeds are loved by Goldfinch and it's lovely to watch them swaying on the plants taking their fill.
Thank you so much for this Sandra, Ragwort gets such a lot of bad press and here in the UK it's absolutely vital for the Cinnabar moth's caterpillars. Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton It does get bad press, and none of it is based on research. There are some 30 species that rely on Ragwort. I have Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars most years on my Ragwort. I also have the Ragwort Fly Sphenella marginata. It lays eggs singly in the flower heads of Ragwort and the larvae make a protective gall in there where they live and feed. I also have two species of beetle that I first saw this year, one being Longitarsus dorsalis and the other probably Longitarsus jacobaeae, although jacobaeae is impossible to tell apart from another Longitarsus species without microscopic examination. The adults of the two Longitarsus species live on Ragwort, eat the leaves and lay eggs in the soil around the roots. The larvae once they emerge eat the roots. There are some fantastic relationships between plants and invertebrates and it's great that so many people are beginning to plant native species now. Educating people is vital and I hope your videos will continue to reach wider audiences and enthuse gardeners to have their own area for wildlife. Even if it's just a corner of the garden it all adds up and helps.
@@sandraparkin9372 Thank you Sandra, so much. I already have footage of many insects on Ragwort when I stayed in Scotland, the tour of the 250 year old garden is on the channel recently, but it was there that I saw such huge numbers of them and I took footage, this was over a year ago now but I am going to upload the footage as a "short" - it was also at this time that I posted about Ragwort and it's importance on Twitter - the backlash from a lot of people was incredible - none believing that livestock would avoid this plant, it's only when it's carelessly lost in amongst hay that it proves a problem, otherwise they won't touch it for obvious reasons. I really appreciate your words and you've convinced me to upload that short tonight. Very best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton That sounds brilliant Joel, I shall look forward to it. I know what you mean about the backlash, I've experienced it in Facebook groups and I don't live anywhere near hay fields or horses. Another major problem is that people think the seeds spread for miles. Although research has shown that this isn't the case it's not always easy to get this across. Good luck with your videos.
@@sandraparkin9372 Thank you Sandra, you've really spurred me on today and I'm very grateful. I'd love to keep in touch, if you get a chance please do drop me an email to enquiries@hazelwoodlandscapes.com as I'd love to read more about your experiences and see all these wonderful insects enjoying the many species of Ragwort too - your garden sounds perfect! Best wishes, and thank you again - Joel
Joel, have you heard of a plant auger as mentioned in the Impatient Gardner You tube video? I think it might be useful for all the hard ground you might be planting in. Good job though! It would be fun to see that place in a couple of years.
Hi Cathy - I have indeed heard of augers, but in my personal opinion, and call me old-fashioned, you can't beat a traditional trowel/spade. I do appreciate that some people would find these easier to use but in a smaller to middle-sized garden I wonder if the investment would be worth it in the long-run :) I intend to go back to this garden (and many others) in a year or less as it will have evolved nicely by then and be the perfect wildlife garden and do an update for everyone :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
Love this! Quick question - we have a wildflower sloped bank between 2 patches of lawn, which means we're constantly having to pull out grass from the bank. If we introduce yellow rattle, will it parasitise our lawn as well?
Hi Joel, thanks so much for all your content, I'm learning so much from your videos. I read a commenter on another channel say it's good to leave off mowing a wildflower meadow till the following spring, so that you don't kill off any over-wintering larvae/creatures. I haven't read this anywhere else though - what are your thoughts? Many thanks!
Here in the US, ALL the flowering weeds in my yard insist on blooming below mower blade height so the bees are not having a hard time and my lawn looks mowed. If only I was able to mow off the dandelion flowers before they send up tall seed stalks.....but no, the flowers stay low and ALWAYS make ugly seed stalks. All along my back line, is an area I only mow once a year. And no, it has not popped up all sorts of wild flowers. It grows grasses and self seeded weed trees and thistles and other things I do not want to take over. The voles however love it and I don't want them either.
Hi Joel, amazing video again!! I have a question about gardens in urban areas: do you need to remove top soil first to prevent competing grasses from growing?
Hey Esther - sorry for the delay, just trying to catch up after a very long week and also edit and finish another video for you guys! I will have a look at this later, thank you so much for the recommendation :) Best wishes, Joel
Thanks to you Joel, I have most of these beautiful plants; most of them for my allotment plot near the pond. Having difficulty germinating cowslip from seed tho. Any tips would be most welcome! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hey Mark :) Thank you so much - Cowslip seed is one of those few that need a period of chilling to break dormancy - it's best if it's sown in late summer or autumn, then germination will take place the following spring :) I hope this helps, aside from giving you another job for autumn! ;) Hope you're doing well - best wishes, Joel
@@MarkyBigSmoke Good stuff Mark - next week I am going around the recently created ponds and doing the same, plus the marginal planting, bit of a road trip but that will be a few more finished now :) Still want to come and see you as soon as I can - take good care, Joel
I had a packet of cowslip seeds from Wild Your Garden and left them in the potting tray in the greenhouse. Must have been November time. The roof leaked and the paper packet got wet. I scraped them off the paper and separated them as best I could into a tray of potting compost and they all germinated! I pricked them out in February and I'm now potting them on into individual pots. Good luck with yours
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton , have a lot to do in the garden I’ve sectioned off . Dig a wildlife pond and sow some seeds , already seen bumble bees , honey bees and hairy footed tree bees plus all the bird life I’ve seen . Have a great weekend Joel 😊
I have an allotment and I would like to create a small meadow. I will transfer some subsoil to the meadow area.Please advice what is the best distance from the meadow to my strawberries and fruit bushes.?
I would LOVE to have a wildflower meadow, and have plenty of room on my property for one. BUT, I live in the central valley pf California and ur summers are very very hot (altho' it does cool off at night and humidity is low) and essentially never rains from late April until late October. Few of the plants you recommend would survive our summers even with irrigation, and I don't think trying to water a large meadow is a wise use of our well water. Would your book be of any help to me? Can you revetment a source that would be if not?
A question about Centaurea nigra. I love that plant as it attracts rare butterflies where I am. I really want to plant it, but I noticed it flops a lot later in the summer, can you give that plant the Chelsea chop? So it doesn't grow as tall/heavy. I spotted a Pearl-bordered fritillary on it last year, which is rare in southern Ireland where I'm located.
Hi there John, you can cut it back and should appear again, but what you could use if it's particularly fertile ground (I've known this plant reach 5ft in these conditions!) are plant "supports" - like a fine frame that you can place around them, they're not intrusive and ensure the plants keep upright - I hope this is helpful and wish you many Pearl-Bordered visits! Best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Great idea, I have clayey loam soil, it's very fertile, think I might try it in large containers with a sandy potting mix.
Just seen you crumble that soil with your hand. You’ll need a mallet to smash my heavy clay in to fine soil 😄 I’ve planted loads of Red clover from your seeds. Are white clover not as good as the red clover as I don’t hear much about them? Keep up the good work Joel 👌🏻
Lucky, considering it's a new-build site George, which of course meant a lot of rubble and bricks "hidden" in the garden by the developer :/ I believe white clover is just as good as red George, but red does tend to be mentioned more. Not sure if you have seen this video from last year... ruclips.net/video/CG_WjEtv7nA/видео.html Hope you're having a good weekend :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Blimey Joel😶 I totally forgot about that video and I commented on your blog🤦🏻♂️Even did that Design on the edges and around the Rowan tree. Losing me marbles 😬
Morning Mike - just checked and they are in stock but the website hadn't been updated - I've just spoken to my colleague Jodie and she said if you send her an email at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com she will create the order manually for you, otherwise they'll reappear in the next few days - we've let the website guys know. Thanks for alerting me to this :) Best wishes, Joel
since adding our wildlife pond we have had an owl bathing and drinking, we now have a rabbit eating the clover flowers, we have started a meadow in our front lawn and I seeded with yellow rattle in spring which has grown but other seeds I cast have not taken, what would you recommend?
Hi there Steve - so sorry for not getting back to you sooner, I've been away for 10 days in France and just trying to catch up with everyone now. So glad to hear the ponds is obviously a success and you're being rewarded for your efforts :) With a lawn I'm afraid it's best to plant 9cm pots directly into the ground, or for less expense you can get the plug plants and grow them on to 9cm pot size yourself - plug plants and indeed seed directly into the ground do have to "fight" with the grasses and their strong roots so 9cm minimum is best. You can find plug plants and 9cm, as well as seed if you really want to DIY on our online shop here, they're the exact plants etc that I use in my client gardens :) www.wildyourgarden.com Apologies again for the delay Steve, hope this helps though - best wishes, Joel
Any recommendations on the types of wild flowers for a shady spot? I started making my wild garden two years ago. However, without really thinking, I made a patch in a shady spot, that only gets the early morning sun. A sowed a few packets of mixed wild flowers, which didn't really do much to be perfectly honest. I read a mixed wild flowers in a packet, is not really the way to do. Any recommendations would be gratefully received 🙂
Hi there Mark, absolutely you can plant wildflowers there - from bluebells, to red campion, to sweet woodruff, wild garlic and others - it might be easier to drop us a line if you're in the UK, you can find our email address at www.wildyourgarden.com - we'll be happy to help. Best wishes, Joel
We have little ground birds called Juncos in our area, and they love to eat the dandelion seeds. They separate the seed from the fluff, eat the seeds, and they take the fluff to incorporate into their nests. Also, my understanding of dandelions, is that they are self-limiting, because as they draw nutrients up through their long tap root to the surface soils, they start dying out as the soil becomes more fertile. If that is true, will the dandelions begin to limit the regrowth of the other wildflowers, as well? I am finding that dandelions in a certain part of my yard that were quite dense, are becoming less so.
Sorry this is a bit off topic,but I'm interested in making some false hedges...you often put trellises against an existing fence, then have climbers growing through it . My question is ... has the timber used in the trellis been treated? I've recently bought some bat and bird boxes, these used untreated wood, same with the insect hotels. Wouldn't treated wood have insecticides and some forms of herbicides (fungicides) in it? Same with decking, if you wanted to make a pond viewing platform. Or am I overthinking or somehow confused. Thanks for all your work and advice.
Hi Ann :) No need to apologise - when I make the trellis or pond decking it is seasoned or air-dried oak that is used and it is not treated in any way. Oak is of course more expensive but it's longevity is pretty unbeatable :) I hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanks for responding. I'd have to Investigate what's available in oak round here (West Yorkshire). But I think in the garden in this video you have wires stretched for the climbers to grow up, I'm thinking that might be cheaper, so might try that first in the areas I'm doing at the moment. Thanks again, Ann.
👍🏻 Joel. Watched this video on Saturday on RUclips on my smart 📺. I just remembered to do a 👍🏻.I got some new bedding 🪴 on Friday which my hubby John planted in our front garden 🌹.i can’t remember their names & I took cracking photos of them. My 🪴 in the back are coming on 👍🏻 with the purple clover 🍀.I’ve seen a 🐝 going in a small bird box twice lately. It was used by a pair of blue tits yrs ago. Is it common for 🐝 to do that. The bird 📦 is on the wall of my 🏡 above the back livingroom 🪟. Have a nice week 😊
Hi Joel. Great advice which I'm following to build my small wildflower patch. Just wondering though are all these perennial plants and do they need cutting back in the winter, If so , what size should I cut them down to ? or do i just leave them over the autumn / winter period.
Hey! Sorry for the delay, just up in Leeds today and rest of the week so catching up with everyone now. I definitely would recommend Foxgloves and Field and Devil's bit scabious - if you haven't got them already we do sell them on the website at www.wildyourgarden.com :) Hope you're doing well - take good care, best wishes - Joel
Hi there - apologies for the delay. Making a meadow in October is absolutely fine - the same processes apply, as long as you get this done by end of October it will work. If you need any help/advice please let us know at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com - best wishes, Joel
Hi there - I would recommend that you plant 9cm pots as they will have a better root structure, if you already have an established lawn area - with seed at this time of year it probably won't establish so well and it's best to wait until September. We sell the 9cm pots and the seed here: www.wildyourgarden.com Hope this helps - if you want to email us at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com we'll be happy to provide further suggestions and help out :) Best wishes, Joel
Absolutely Paula - here it is on the UK website, assuming this applies worldwide: www.amazon.co.uk/Wild-Your-Garden-Create-sanctuary/dp/0241435811 I hope you manage to get a copy and that it is helpful to you along with the channel - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you so much! I'm binge-watching your videos these holidays lol... about to start digging the pond. Thank you so much for promoting these issues. Love your work.
Thank you Paula, I really appreciate it and I'm so glad the videos are helping and that you'll be making another vital habitat - do let me know how you get on, you can always ask for advice or send photos to me at hazelwoodlandscapes@hotmail.com if you get stuck :) Best wishes, Joel
Hi there Tom, the "Metal Marks" as they're known are worldwide and it just refers to the metallic appearance of any spots or marks on them, particularly when the sun catches them. I believe South America has the most and the UK just one - the Duke of Burgundy. Hope this helps, best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I've actually been doing some reading and apparently the males only have 4 legs (females 6) which is another distinguishing feature. Thanks for your reply!
The best wildflowers I've successfully transplanted that are resistant to drought are white clover, red clover, and butterfly milkweed. Bring those guys in by intercropping some of these native plants. If you find dandelion and thistles growing nearby, keep them around! I'm in zone 6 of the mid-west US - Missouri.
Ragwort will take down a fully grown bull by just touching it, gradually giving it kidney failure. So basically all animals are threatened by it. So i think its one thing that can be left out of a garden.
Yep, new build property and middle of the heatwave, wasn't lucky that month! ;) We did manage shrubs and small trees, I'm heading back to see this garden hopefully in a few months for an update, will be sure to film it.
Fascinating thing about fertility: I tried to grow poppies in nice, fertile soil on my balcony and they HATED IT, didn't want to grow at all. Apparently they prefer nice, rocky and sandy piece of a railway embankmemt, with extra an excitement of a train passing by every half an hour or so xD
Brilliant joel just imagine if every householder had a wildflower area in the uk even if it’s an area in a small pot on a balcony in a flat how much it would help our wildlife insects bees and butterflies right now. That would be amazing 🐸💚🐸
Absolutely, and you're right, any pit-stops for pollinators, however small are vital right now and can make a huge difference to creatures desperately in need :) Hope you've had a good start to the week, best wishes - Joel
I'm glad that your method confirms my theory on how my local council cleverly creates small plots of wildflowers emerging from within the surrounding longer grass; mowing a perimeter to socially signal the intention without it looking too formal. Cheap and easy to maintain for the council while looking great to look at.
Great video as always, the problem always seems to get people past the initial 'bare garden' phase. we manged to seed a 80m2 of prime road verge a couple of years ago and this helped created local interest.. next week we launch a community project (funded by the Co-Op Local Community Fund) to get people to dip a toe in the water and 'sow a square meter'. Seed packs are free, 26 varieties included, all UK sourced and mostly from our own plant stock. lol who knows wild your garden a sq/m at a time might catch on !👍 .. looking forward to the big toys 😉
Love your community spirit, the UK needs more likeminded people. 👏👏👏
Nothing beats the beauty of a native, species rich meadow. Greta video as always Joel, thank you. Hope you’re doing well!
Hi Spencer! Yes, just back from Scotland and relieved to have the internet speed back ;) A few more videos to come over the next few days. I'm doing well, lots of videos to upload re Scotland and a fabulous but pretty rare sight when I was there - can't wait to share it all with you - have a great weekend, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton that’s great, I hope Scotland was good to you! Yes I expect you are, I did see your video about the slow internet speed, not the best for uploading to RUclips! That sounds very exciting, I can’t wait to see that video! Thank you, I’m in Charmouth this weekend and it’s great! Take care!
@@spencersanderson1894 Hope you had a good time and a nice break :) Have started editing the video but it's pretty lengthy, footage over 2 weeks so just trying to shorten it somewhat ;) Scotland was amazing, really missing it right now. Best wishes, Joel
Great selection of native plants. What a wonderful space!
Hey :) Just back from Scotland and the bird-hide is finished, just trying to edit about 100 video clips ;) But can't wait to show you the build and finished result! I will also be uploading this garden makeover when I get a chance, back there next week to plant up the pond and finish other additions - hope you're having a good weekend :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
Lovely, helpful video and so in line with where i am in terms of leaving the garden to do its thing. Going to try and get a book too. Thsnk you for taking the time to educate us!? Much appreciated. 🙏
In regards to the balcony option, i had every kind of beneficial insect regularly visiting mine. I had marigolds and some wildflowers in pots next to my tomatoes and strawberries. A small space can be beautiful if done properly
Absolutely Tony - thank you for highlighting this, even the smallest of spaces can make a huge difference to an insect in need :) Best wishes - Joel
Last year i created a pond, this year i have ripped up 3/4 of my lawn and converting it into wildflower meadow, and that last 1/4 im turning into a flower lawn. Hopefully next year my garden should be a haven for wildlife more than it is now.
Another great tutorial Joel. Last year I tried to create a small 8M square area meadow from seed into bare ground and slugs ate everything. This year I repeated the sowing and every night I go out with a torch and remove the slugs averaging 20 a night. It’s paying off as most of the seed is sprouting.
Well done on your efforts and perseverance Colin! Yes, slugs prefer young tender shoots unfortunately. If you do find you have gaps then I'd recommend buying plugs and growing them on before planting or using 9cm pots as they have a better root system and are better able to cope :) Glad your efforts are being rewarded, best wishes, Joel
We had the same issue and it was tragic after growing everything from seed!
Such a coincidence! Saw a thick-legged flower beetle in my balcony today and didn't know what it was and now it's featured here in all its iridescent glory 😄
More untidy gardens are in great need .
Great advice and an education too . Thankyou Joel ❤
I love the friendly informality of these videos and the inspiration it gives. I have just returned from a garden nursery and thought I had found the ideal bee attracting plant. It was blue and had a bee on it - I can't remember what it was as I was distracted by the label saying it was half hardy. Therefore I left it...!
Maybe I will change my mind!
The world would be so much better if everyone grew even a small bit of native plants on their property instead of having a useless grass lawn. (BTW Joel----we had our first visitor to our new pond today--a Damselfly, I'm so excited! :) )
Hi Joel. That will look fabulous when it has established and it won't take that long. Our son does the ground maintenance at our local tennis club and John is on the committee so we have convinced the rest of the committee members that it would look good if we left the bank along the one edge uncut and planted wild flowers. They have agreed so we have made a start. I've got plenty of seedlings that I can dig up and take!
Native gardening is so satisfying and wonderful. I’m in the states but I’m real into it.
Hi Dino, this is so good to hear - and I expect you are rewarded for your thoughtfulness, I hope it catches on in your area - keep up the good work, best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton yeah, it’s fantastic! Our whole street does a pretty good job. I’m currently working on a small pond myself and I’m hoping it’ll kick start a couple other ponds. I wanted to do a natural t lined clay bottom buuuut that wasn’t working out so I’ll go with a liner. So it goes!
Hi, so sorry that in my rush I called you Dino rather than Joe! So good to hear about your street and here's to many more ponds :) Best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton haha it’s all good. You aren’t the first and won’t be the last!
We're in a severe drought here in Colorado, but in the last 24 hours we've had a late spring snowstorm. I cleared 10 inches of snow off my car this morning! As you might imagine, the moisture is desperately welcome after having no rain or snow for months.
We have a wild back section in our garden and some brush piles I've strategically placed for wildlife. In normal years with more rain, we usually have all kinds of wonderful things pop up - Indian paintbrush, yarrow (pink, white and yellow), dandelions, little yellow and white daisies, Indian blanket, columbine (our state flower), tiny little violets, Rocky Mountain penstemon, Gray's biscuitfoot (Lomatium grayi), Dalmation toadflax, Lambstongue ragwort and others.
With the deep water restrictions we're under from our utility company and the lack of precipitation (except for today's snowstorm - which might be the only moisture we get for months to come because of the drought), I'm not sure what will grow this year.
So sorry to hear this - I do hope you get more rain than predicted, I am sure your garden will still prove beneficial and helpful to those creatures desperately in need - wishing you all the luck, best wishes - Joel
How lovely. I'm in Colorado too. I'd love to have more of the plants you mentioned. Rocky Mountain penstemon is beautiful in the pictures. I just got shooting star bareroots. I want Rocky Mountain bee plant and sugar bowl clematis.
Thank you for sharing with us all 👍🏻
You're very welcome Sharron, hope it helped :)
Interesting. In a new build neighborhood in Colorado built a few years ago, the only plant growing in my grass that isn't listed as invasive is the dandelion. I am getting some lovely native moss in the mulch. At some point it will likely be necessary to replace the grass with native grasses and flowers due to drought. I've got shooting star bareroots for the back shade garden. I'm excited.
My wildflower meadow area is small but it’s near the 4m x 2.5m wildlife pond and so far this month I’ve had plenty of damselflies hunting in the meadow area because of the abundance of insects
So good to read this Mike - a great advertisement for making suitable habitat around a pond too, a lot of amphibians will enjoy this habitat and the birds too but fantastic to hear about the damselflies :) Hope you're having a good weekend - best wishes, Joel
Great video - am learning a lot! Applying mini meadow to my small front garden and love it 🥰.
Good to see this video back! I've been planning a wildflower patch in my own garden so this will be a great watch.
It's good for me too! ;) It only took 3 hours to upload last night, which is better than 14 ;) So glad this will be of help, hope you are having a good weekend - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thanks Joel, it has been good! Hope yours is too.
@@rbdriftin Currently sat at my desk editing more video footage since being back from Scotland but the bird-hide is now finished and I can't wait to share the build and end result with everyone :) Day off tomorrow I think, I need the rest! Take good care - Joel
Thank you very much. I’m busy transforming our city garden, and these flowers will join the rest.
The dandelions are also staying from now on. Our neighbors don’t understand 😂
Since two years more tiles are being removed and enjoying it so much. Thanks from the Netherlands
You're so very welcome Saskia! So good to hear that you are making such a difference where you live. I need to get to the Netherlands soon as we have so many wonderful members of this community from your home country :) I've also been making my front garden wildlife friendly to show neighbours and passersby that they don't have to be messy ;) There will be more updates coming on that. Thanks so much for your support. Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton yes, that would be great if you could come to the Netherlands.
I just received your book today and have started together with your videos.
I’m going to install a pond, but a premade plastic one. I don’t have much space, but around one by one meter.
You don’t talk about fish, like a goldfish. Is that not wise to include? And my neighbor can get me some goldfish and newts.
Is that ok to include? I would love your advice on this. Thank you for everything.
@@saskiaverhulst2302 Hi Saskia :) Thank you so much for buying the book, it will make the plant listings easier for you and there is a lot of information in there. I don't put fish in the wildlife ponds for 2 reasons... 1) They will eat small larvae and eggs 2) Fish add nutrient to ponds through their waste, I know you are only talking about goldfish but when you see fancy Koi ponds they will always have an expensive pump/filter system set up, this is because the natural waste of the fish builds up the nutrients in the water. Newts, frogs... they are fine to add if from a neighbour but they should find you anyway. If you need any more advice (in case I don't see a notification) you are welcome to email me at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com :) Best wishes, Joel
Loving your videos having discovered you yesterday! Exactly what I’ve been looking for and so helpful and informative. We moved to a rural location last year overlooking a field and have sown a wild flower patch that is coming on well. We now want to focus on turning our front lawn into a wild flower garden and pond area. I will have to watch the rest of your videos and make a plan! Thank you so much 😊
I created my own little area(not really a wildflower meadow) about 40 foot long and about 3-7 foot wide, it's shaped like a long wide handle with a sharp blade at the end. It's an experiment of planting methods: a) direct into grass b) no dig c) sod removal/raked fine tilf. I created my own 9cm pot plants using a packets of seed in early March, then planted at the end of April and May. Last autumn I created a no dig area first, and planted a bunch of alliums, daffodils, and fritillaries where I knew yellow coloured hawkweed and dandelions would grow. My germinated seedlings this spring threw up a few surprises, there was Frilly Mustard and Lettuce amongst them. Also right in the middle of my meadow there is a huge cucumber growing 😂😂😂😂😂 There's also about 4 lettuce plants growing in the grass. It's great fun, Californian poppies have been flowering for the last few weeks along with Eruca vesicaria. Lacy Phacelia and borage started this week. It's just a mad experiment. Not a permanent wildflower meadow, but some bastardized version of one.
This sounds like the perfect habitat! You're letting things grow as they want and that's the best thing - I expect you will be rewarded many times over for this John - great to read your comment :) Best wishes, Joel
Waiting for my personalised message, autographed copy of book eagerly
Aaaargh! I *must* get around to this soon - I haven't forgotten. Just wish I could bring it to you personally, but one day we will meet in the same country for sure :) Thank you for all your support, and please keep in touch - best wishes to you and the family, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton i wish that too. I wish to meet you when I've marked my place in conservation here , so i could feel proud , that after all the hardwork and learning stuff i finally succeeded.
P.s i know you've been busy , and you being busy conserving nature is more important than anything else.
Wow, there are lots of flowers that I never knew before 😅 but all are so beautiful. Special dandelions and daisies I like so much because they were my childhood memories 😊
Hi.I am not experienced grower and I need an advice,please.I dug a deep hole in my garden and I see an orange/ginger colour soil at the bottom .Is it called a subsoil ?Is it suitable to create a meadow?
Hi Renata - apologies for the delay, I have been away in France and just catching up with everyone now. It sounds like the right colour to me, but if you wanted to send a photo of the area then I can advise - enquiries@wildyourgarden.com. But subsoil is absolutely what you will need for a successful wildflower meadow. I hope this helps, best wishes - Joel
Another superb video, I hope you’ll be doing an update on this one. Really think it’s going look amazing in a few months time 🐝
Hi Joel. Really nice to have this explained properly and especially which flowers attract which insects. I have lots of these plants scattered around the borders but have been thinking of a proper designated area to turn to meadow. Haven't got a huge garden but big enough to do this. No mow may is a huge success. I'm definitely never going to mow the dandelion patches nor the clover patches that have emerged this year. They've attracted more birds and insects to the garden than ever before. Have a great weekend, and a rest! Just back from Jacksons coppice with the grandkids, so many damsel flies and butterflies it was beautiful. And so was the ice cream after! Best wishes to you and yours.
Hey :) Thank you, so glad this is of more help - it sounds like you are being rewarded many times for your thoughtfulness when considering the way you caretake your spaces, it's so good to read your comment. Jacksons... I've not visited there but heard good things and your report about the damselflies and butterflies confirms this - glad you are having a good start to the weekend - best wishes, as always - Joel
We're doing a meadow this year, our grass is super thick so will probably do the rotavator method, can't wait for that video.
I've got quite a few meadow creation videos to upload, will try to get round to them soon :) Hope you're having a good weekend, best wishes - Joel
Have a corner of yard (2 acres) in the country for wildflowers. Use farm trough for water feature.
That sounds wonderful Becky and I expect you see the rewards of this. Great use for a farm trough too :) Best wishes, Joel
Wow, impressive that you got my hero: David Attenborough!!
I am doing this on my balcony in a 1m2 sandbox. Going to start by sowing Timothy grass and once that's established wild flower seeds.
Well done! So good to read this, you will be rewarded, I promise :)
That was a really great comprehensive video, thanks for taking your time to explain all that 😊 I have a snapping turtle in pond, just hope he doesn’t think a cats tongue is breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Thank you Wende :) Back from Scotland now and trying to go through lots of film clips to be able to upload the next video, it does take a while, just grateful I am back home and have faster internet speed! ;) Snapping Turtle... wow! Watch where you put your fingers... have a wonderful weekend and best wishes to you and yours - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton
Look forward to the videos. I'm hoping to get him interested in biting something, thinking I can drag it out of there. I'm wondering too if I'll have an nymph's left.
I love a good old Enchinops Ritro or what we call shere Thistle..bees love it and is always swamped and yes, bit of a bully but fabulous for pollinators ( i have clay soil)
Yes - Southern Globe Thistle as it's known here, a great pollinator plant :) Hope you have a good weekend - best wishes, Joel
Thanks Joel, have to agree on the praise for Primrose - it’s been the star of our garden this early spring.
Ours have only just finished flowering and they started end of January! Incredible plants.
Can't beat them for the colour and pollen they provide for early emerging insects Andrew - so good to hear that you have these too and the benefits they've brought :) Hope you're having a good weekend - best wishes, Joel
Wonderful Fran - I am so glad that you have these and are being suitably rewarded :) Best wishes - Joel
Totally agree with you Joel 9cm pot's are far better.
As you know started my Perennial wildflower meadow last year and one year on its coming on really great .
I bought Bird's foot trefoil, Red clover,Oxeye daisy, Yarrow, Toadflax ,Self-healing, Common Knapweed, Primrose from your website last year after the great advice I got from you after reading your book.
Wonderful David - I'm back from Scotland now and will be looking at the schedule again and be in touch about your garden :) I can't wait to see the meadow and am so glad the advice was so helpful to you - speak soon! Best wishes, Joel
I have a busy weekend a head of me now this weekend!! 😅😂
Bought your book and it’s brilliant, thanks for another inspiring video Joel. Looking forward to seeing the up and coming videos 🥰
Me too Anna! Just back from Scotland now and already attempting to edit more videos to bring everyone, just to keep you even busier! ;) So glad that this has been helpful to you, and thank you for your kind words and encouragement, it makes a difference to me :) Best wishes - Joel
Great video!
Great video Joel and good examples of plants that can be used. Sending my best to you and yours mate 🙂
Lots of great advice again Joel.
Are you anywhere near cheltenham?
Great video, thanks a lot Joel, greetings from flanders belgium
Hi Joel, don’t know how Ive only just come across you but you’re my new fav, ha. Started off watching the 1/2 acre one where you stripped the topsoil as I’m designing a meadow area for a client which is pretty rich clay soil, don’t think they’re going to go for anything that obtrusive unfortunately but the results were fantastic. Love how you talk about it all and your knowledge of all the wildlife and what plants host/feed what insects, really inspiring. Looking forward to watching and learning more from you. Cheers!
Thanks Bob, appreciated. I've been designing and installing gardens for wildlife for nigh-on 20 years now, but the recent trend and upsurge in gardening for wildlife seems to have paid off! We had one of our gardens featured on BBC Gardeners' World in 2019, which led to the Wild Your Garden book and then the RUclips channel. I'm determined to help people create vital habitats in their own gardens and YT seemed to be the best format to demonstrate how. Takes a lot of effort and work, but knowing so many more habitats are being created is reward in itself. If you need any advice or help then I do offer free tailored advice to people buying from www.wildyourgarden.com, everything is from my own specialist growers and suppliers I've used for 20 years, so guaranteed to work. Very best wishes, and good luck with the meadow. Joel
Another amazing video.
Thank you Rebecca :) Lots more to come over the next few days - hope you have a great weekend - best wishes, Joel
This is a video about gardening and I see your lovely face throughout
I can't even grow daisies in my lawn! I've got dandelions and buttercups, but daisies have never taken. I've even planted daisy seeds with no luck
Hi Greg - such a shame that daisies seem to have become "rare" to see, compared to our childhoods when they were so abundant. However, if it helps we do have these for sale on the website in plug size and 9cm pots - if planting directly into a lawn then I'd recommend the 9cm as they have a better root system, but you could grow-on the plugs:
wildyourgarden.com/product/common-daisy/
Hope this helps and that you have daisies back in no time :) Best wishes, Joel
A follow on to my previous comment - - as an example. the high temperature here yesterday was 107 degF/42degC! Today is a bit cooler but still hovering around 100 deg (and no rain in sight)
I sowed some wildflowers seeds last year I had poppies and white champion and this year there are oxyene daisies,red clover and ribwort plantain in flower I also planted lavender, honeysuckle, clematis,borage,sunflowers, calendula,yarrow,nigella, Zinnia, Cornflowers, cosmos,scabiosa and hollyhock.
A perfect combination! Well done, you'll certainly be rewarded when these all come into flower - let me know what visitors you get! Have a good weekend, best wishes - Joel
I just left my front lawn It has 7 species of wildflower and looks spectacular so many ox eyes and the bees are loving it
But not sure about the neighbours with their manicured snooker tables
Another great video mate. I love it when I get the new video notification from your channel. I make sure I leave it until I can sit and watch it properly. My section of uncut lawn with wildflowers I planted 2 months ago is coming along nicely, definitely noticed the birds coming down to walk through it and look for things to eat. I also enjoy the contrast of how it looks against the short mown path section it’s next to in my garden. 😊
Thank you Craig, so much :) Another full video to come soon as I'm back from Scotland now and trying to edit the pretty epic bird-hide build there! I am so pleased that you're being rewarded for not mowing it all, and I think that an intentional mown path can make people understand the beauty of these unmown parts and that it's being done for a reason - I visited a client on the way back from Scotland in a pretty large garden and the meadow there is looking spectacular and it's not even in flower yet, but it's the way he's just cut parts of it - will try to upload a photo or two of it when I get a chance :) Hope you and yours are doing fine - best wishes, as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton completely agree with the mown part making the ‘left growing’ section looking intentional and not me being a lazy so and so ( which as you know I’m furthest thing from, ha ha ) really looking forward to that Scottish video mate . Just ordered some extra wildflowers from your Wild Your Garden website too, so looking forward to them arriving and getting them planted in. All good here thanks , hope you are .
All the best
Craig
Excellent video as usual 🌱
Thank you so much, your support means a lot :) Best wishes, Joel
Could you perhaps do a video of sowing yellow rattle seeds or plants into grass, to reduce the grasses? Thank you, Joel.
Hi Dorothy - I will do my best when I get a chance, about 50 other videos to upload too but I am pretty sure I will get to this later on in the season as late summer is the best time for sowing. In the meantime, you can buy the yellow rattle plugs on our website - www.wildyourgarden.com - and the seeds too - but if buying the plug plants I would recommend growing them on in 9cm pots so that they have a good root system before planting directly into a lawn :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thank you, I will do this. Many thanks Joel for your time.
Wonderful video. Just what I needed to be inspired to get back outside and planting again. Thank you. I’ve noticed I’ve been feeding the bugs more than anything in the garden. They just love eating all my delicate cabbage and lettuce leaves
Thank you so much - this is so good to read, those bugs will encourage the birds and even larger insects like dragonflies, they don't spend all their time around water so keep an eye out :) Best wishes, and have a good weekend - Joel
Looks lovely 😊
Thank you - can't wait to see this one when it's established :)
Informative video, but I will be using seeds instead of pug/potted plants. I have filled the wildflower meadow patch up for 2/3th of the way, with some sand and existing soil. Today I will fill up the rest, put in some existing native plants from my friend's garden and will sow around them. Yesterday I was on a killing spree for aphits on my plants in the back garden border. Since I have layed french bark chips down with a strong smell, all the aphids have moved up into my precious climbing rose and butterfly bush. While taking care of the aphids, I had the great joy and honour to be visited by my first red-tailed bumblebee 😱🙌🏻🤘🏻🐝 It was a female and at first I was a bit intimidated by her size. She enjoyed the nectar of my allium flowers. My forest forget-me-nots are constantly being visited by smaller bees with sunny weather to and a non-native flower next to it not so much. That for me is the proof to add as much native species as possible.
With regard to Ragwort, the seeds don't spread very easily and need bare or disturbed soil in which to germinate.
Unless there are horses or hay fields nearby there's absolutely no need to cut off the flowers before they seed.
My Ragwort plants don't increase in number, despite the number of seeds produced, as they rarely germinate. They've not spread to neighbouring gardens or to the green outside my house.
The seeds are loved by Goldfinch and it's lovely to watch them swaying on the plants taking their fill.
Thank you so much for this Sandra, Ragwort gets such a lot of bad press and here in the UK it's absolutely vital for the Cinnabar moth's caterpillars. Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton
It does get bad press, and none of it is based on research.
There are some 30 species that rely on Ragwort. I have Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars most years on my Ragwort.
I also have the Ragwort Fly Sphenella marginata. It lays eggs singly in the flower heads of Ragwort and the larvae make a protective gall in there where they live and feed.
I also have two species of beetle that I first saw this year, one being Longitarsus dorsalis and the other probably Longitarsus jacobaeae, although jacobaeae is impossible to tell apart from another Longitarsus species without microscopic examination.
The adults of the two Longitarsus species live on Ragwort, eat the leaves and lay eggs in the soil around the roots. The larvae once they emerge eat the roots.
There are some fantastic relationships between plants and invertebrates and it's great that so many people are beginning to plant native species now.
Educating people is vital and I hope your videos will continue to reach wider audiences and enthuse gardeners to have their own area for wildlife.
Even if it's just a corner of the garden it all adds up and helps.
@@sandraparkin9372 Thank you Sandra, so much. I already have footage of many insects on Ragwort when I stayed in Scotland, the tour of the 250 year old garden is on the channel recently, but it was there that I saw such huge numbers of them and I took footage, this was over a year ago now but I am going to upload the footage as a "short" - it was also at this time that I posted about Ragwort and it's importance on Twitter - the backlash from a lot of people was incredible - none believing that livestock would avoid this plant, it's only when it's carelessly lost in amongst hay that it proves a problem, otherwise they won't touch it for obvious reasons. I really appreciate your words and you've convinced me to upload that short tonight. Very best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton
That sounds brilliant Joel, I shall look forward to it.
I know what you mean about the backlash, I've experienced it in Facebook groups and I don't live anywhere near hay fields or horses.
Another major problem is that people think the seeds spread for miles.
Although research has shown that this isn't the case it's not always easy to get this across.
Good luck with your videos.
@@sandraparkin9372 Thank you Sandra, you've really spurred me on today and I'm very grateful. I'd love to keep in touch, if you get a chance please do drop me an email to enquiries@hazelwoodlandscapes.com as I'd love to read more about your experiences and see all these wonderful insects enjoying the many species of Ragwort too - your garden sounds perfect! Best wishes, and thank you again - Joel
Joel, have you heard of a plant auger as mentioned in the Impatient Gardner You tube video? I think it might be useful for all the hard ground you might be planting in. Good job though! It would be fun to see that place in a couple of years.
Hi Cathy - I have indeed heard of augers, but in my personal opinion, and call me old-fashioned, you can't beat a traditional trowel/spade. I do appreciate that some people would find these easier to use but in a smaller to middle-sized garden I wonder if the investment would be worth it in the long-run :) I intend to go back to this garden (and many others) in a year or less as it will have evolved nicely by then and be the perfect wildlife garden and do an update for everyone :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
Thanks!
You're very welcome :) Best wishes Smaran - Joel
LOVE THIS
Love this! Quick question - we have a wildflower sloped bank between 2 patches of lawn, which means we're constantly having to pull out grass from the bank. If we introduce yellow rattle, will it parasitise our lawn as well?
If you’re planting small plants into hard ground, a bulb planter is easier to use than a trowel. Makes a great, pit shaped hole
Hi Joel, thanks so much for all your content, I'm learning so much from your videos. I read a commenter on another channel say it's good to leave off mowing a wildflower meadow till the following spring, so that you don't kill off any over-wintering larvae/creatures. I haven't read this anywhere else though - what are your thoughts? Many thanks!
Here in the US, ALL the flowering weeds in my yard insist on blooming below mower blade height so the bees are not having a hard time and my lawn looks mowed. If only I was able to mow off the dandelion flowers before they send up tall seed stalks.....but no, the flowers stay low and ALWAYS make ugly seed stalks.
All along my back line, is an area I only mow once a year. And no, it has not popped up all sorts of wild flowers. It grows grasses and self seeded weed trees and thistles and other things I do not want to take over. The voles however love it and I don't want them either.
Hi Joel, amazing video again!! I have a question about gardens in urban areas: do you need to remove top soil first to prevent competing grasses from growing?
better to remove the grass so that the seeds arent competing with other growth
Joël, watch on Y.T. the Dutch Nectar Paradise. He lifted the concept "insecthotel" to whole different level.
Hey Esther - sorry for the delay, just trying to catch up after a very long week and also edit and finish another video for you guys! I will have a look at this later, thank you so much for the recommendation :) Best wishes, Joel
Thanks to you Joel, I have most of these beautiful plants; most of them for my allotment plot near the pond. Having difficulty germinating cowslip from seed tho. Any tips would be most welcome! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hey Mark :) Thank you so much - Cowslip seed is one of those few that need a period of chilling to break dormancy - it's best if it's sown in late summer or autumn, then germination will take place the following spring :) I hope this helps, aside from giving you another job for autumn! ;) Hope you're doing well - best wishes, Joel
Thanks Joel! Ahh yes, I’ll pop them in the fridge for a few months then. Just popped the hornwort into the pond today! All the best
@@MarkyBigSmoke Good stuff Mark - next week I am going around the recently created ponds and doing the same, plus the marginal planting, bit of a road trip but that will be a few more finished now :) Still want to come and see you as soon as I can - take good care, Joel
I had a packet of cowslip seeds from Wild Your Garden and left them in the potting tray in the greenhouse. Must have been November time. The roof leaked and the paper packet got wet. I scraped them off the paper and separated them as best I could into a tray of potting compost and they all germinated! I pricked them out in February and I'm now potting them on into individual pots. Good luck with yours
Wow, amazing! That’s great news! Thanks
Looks lovely , I’ve got some seeds to sow
Thank you Erik - good luck with the seed sowing, and have a wonderful weekend - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton , have a lot to do in the garden I’ve sectioned off . Dig a wildlife pond and sow some seeds , already seen bumble bees , honey bees and hairy footed tree bees plus all the bird life I’ve seen .
Have a great weekend Joel 😊
I have an allotment and I would like to create a small meadow. I will transfer some subsoil to the meadow area.Please advice what is the best distance from the meadow to my strawberries and fruit bushes.?
I would LOVE to have a wildflower meadow, and have plenty of room on my property for one. BUT, I live in the central valley pf California and ur summers are very very hot (altho' it does cool off at night and humidity is low) and essentially never rains from late April until late October. Few of the plants you recommend would survive our summers even with irrigation, and I don't think trying to water a large meadow is a wise use of our well water.
Would your book be of any help to me? Can you revetment a source that would be if not?
A question about Centaurea nigra. I love that plant as it attracts rare butterflies where I am. I really want to plant it, but I noticed it flops a lot later in the summer, can you give that plant the Chelsea chop? So it doesn't grow as tall/heavy. I spotted a Pearl-bordered fritillary on it last year, which is rare in southern Ireland where I'm located.
Hi there John, you can cut it back and should appear again, but what you could use if it's particularly fertile ground (I've known this plant reach 5ft in these conditions!) are plant "supports" - like a fine frame that you can place around them, they're not intrusive and ensure the plants keep upright - I hope this is helpful and wish you many Pearl-Bordered visits! Best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Great idea, I have clayey loam soil, it's very fertile, think I might try it in large containers with a sandy potting mix.
Just seen you crumble that soil with your hand. You’ll need a mallet to smash my heavy clay in to fine soil 😄
I’ve planted loads of Red clover from your seeds.
Are white clover not as good as the red clover as I don’t hear much about them?
Keep up the good work Joel 👌🏻
Lucky, considering it's a new-build site George, which of course meant a lot of rubble and bricks "hidden" in the garden by the developer :/ I believe white clover is just as good as red George, but red does tend to be mentioned more. Not sure if you have seen this video from last year...
ruclips.net/video/CG_WjEtv7nA/видео.html
Hope you're having a good weekend :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Blimey Joel😶 I totally forgot about that video and I commented on your blog🤦🏻♂️Even did that Design on the edges and around the Rowan tree. Losing me marbles 😬
Hi Joel, any idea when the Wild Your Garden book will be back on sale on your website?
Hey Mike - I'll ask in the morning, but I signed a fair few recently - let me find out in the morning and I'll be back to you :) Best wishes, Joel
Morning Mike - just checked and they are in stock but the website hadn't been updated - I've just spoken to my colleague Jodie and she said if you send her an email at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com she will create the order manually for you, otherwise they'll reappear in the next few days - we've let the website guys know. Thanks for alerting me to this :) Best wishes, Joel
since adding our wildlife pond we have had an owl bathing and drinking, we now have a rabbit eating the clover flowers, we have started a meadow in our front lawn and I seeded with yellow rattle in spring which has grown but other seeds I cast have not taken, what would you recommend?
Hi there Steve - so sorry for not getting back to you sooner, I've been away for 10 days in France and just trying to catch up with everyone now. So glad to hear the ponds is obviously a success and you're being rewarded for your efforts :) With a lawn I'm afraid it's best to plant 9cm pots directly into the ground, or for less expense you can get the plug plants and grow them on to 9cm pot size yourself - plug plants and indeed seed directly into the ground do have to "fight" with the grasses and their strong roots so 9cm minimum is best. You can find plug plants and 9cm, as well as seed if you really want to DIY on our online shop here, they're the exact plants etc that I use in my client gardens :)
www.wildyourgarden.com
Apologies again for the delay Steve, hope this helps though - best wishes, Joel
Any recommendations on the types of wild flowers for a shady spot? I started making my wild garden two years ago. However, without really thinking, I made a patch in a shady spot, that only gets the early morning sun. A sowed a few packets of mixed wild flowers, which didn't really do much to be perfectly honest. I read a mixed wild flowers in a packet, is not really the way to do. Any recommendations would be gratefully received 🙂
Hi there Mark, absolutely you can plant wildflowers there - from bluebells, to red campion, to sweet woodruff, wild garlic and others - it might be easier to drop us a line if you're in the UK, you can find our email address at www.wildyourgarden.com - we'll be happy to help. Best wishes, Joel
We have little ground birds called Juncos in our area, and they love to eat the dandelion seeds. They separate the seed from the fluff, eat the seeds, and they take the fluff to incorporate into their nests. Also, my understanding of dandelions, is that they are self-limiting, because as they draw nutrients up through their long tap root to the surface soils, they start dying out as the soil becomes more fertile. If that is true, will the dandelions begin to limit the regrowth of the other wildflowers, as well? I am finding that dandelions in a certain part of my yard that were quite dense, are becoming less so.
They also help to breakup compacted soil because of the long taproot. Edible too.
Sorry this is a bit off topic,but I'm interested in making some false hedges...you often put trellises against an existing fence, then have climbers growing through it . My question is ... has the timber used in the trellis been treated? I've recently bought some bat and bird boxes, these used untreated wood, same with the insect hotels. Wouldn't treated wood have insecticides and some forms of herbicides (fungicides) in it? Same with decking, if you wanted to make a pond viewing platform. Or am I overthinking or somehow confused. Thanks for all your work and advice.
Hi Ann :) No need to apologise - when I make the trellis or pond decking it is seasoned or air-dried oak that is used and it is not treated in any way. Oak is of course more expensive but it's longevity is pretty unbeatable :) I hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanks for responding. I'd have to Investigate what's available in oak round here (West Yorkshire). But I think in the garden in this video you have wires stretched for the climbers to grow up, I'm thinking that might be cheaper, so might try that first in the areas I'm doing at the moment. Thanks again, Ann.
👍🏻 Joel. Watched this video on Saturday on RUclips on my smart 📺. I just remembered to do a 👍🏻.I got some new bedding 🪴 on Friday which my hubby John planted in our front garden 🌹.i can’t remember their names & I took cracking photos of them. My 🪴 in the back are coming on 👍🏻 with the purple clover 🍀.I’ve seen a 🐝 going in a small bird box twice lately. It was used by a pair of blue tits yrs ago. Is it common for 🐝 to do that. The bird 📦 is on the wall of my 🏡 above the back livingroom 🪟. Have a nice week 😊
Hi Joel. Great advice which I'm following to build my small wildflower patch. Just wondering though are all these perennial plants and do they need cutting back in the winter, If so , what size should I cut them down to ? or do i just leave them over the autumn / winter period.
How do I encourage hedgehogs i to the garden, and will it bring the rats if I do this.
Hi Joel quick question would you recommend digitalis and wild scabious for this idea as well?
Hey! Sorry for the delay, just up in Leeds today and rest of the week so catching up with everyone now. I definitely would recommend Foxgloves and Field and Devil's bit scabious - if you haven't got them already we do sell them on the website at www.wildyourgarden.com :) Hope you're doing well - take good care, best wishes - Joel
Pity this won’t help me as I’m hoping to plant in October. Is there another video on how to plant a wildflower meadow in October?
Hi there - apologies for the delay. Making a meadow in October is absolutely fine - the same processes apply, as long as you get this done by end of October it will work. If you need any help/advice please let us know at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com - best wishes, Joel
I want to create a wildflower meadow in my north facing 2m x 3m garden - is it too late to try to establish this in June?
Hi there - I would recommend that you plant 9cm pots as they will have a better root structure, if you already have an established lawn area - with seed at this time of year it probably won't establish so well and it's best to wait until September. We sell the 9cm pots and the seed here:
www.wildyourgarden.com
Hope this helps - if you want to email us at enquiries@wildyourgarden.com we'll be happy to provide further suggestions and help out :) Best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you!
Can we buy your book on kindle?
Absolutely Paula - here it is on the UK website, assuming this applies worldwide:
www.amazon.co.uk/Wild-Your-Garden-Create-sanctuary/dp/0241435811
I hope you manage to get a copy and that it is helpful to you along with the channel - best wishes, Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you so much! I'm binge-watching your videos these holidays lol... about to start digging the pond. Thank you so much for promoting these issues. Love your work.
I'm in New Zealand by the way... in a zone 9/cool mountain area.
Thank you Paula, I really appreciate it and I'm so glad the videos are helping and that you'll be making another vital habitat - do let me know how you get on, you can always ask for advice or send photos to me at hazelwoodlandscapes@hotmail.com if you get stuck :) Best wishes, Joel
Wow - so good to know the channel is reaching the other side of the world :) I expect the scenery is absolutely breathtaking - best wishes, Joel
What is a "metal marked" butterfly?
Hi there Tom, the "Metal Marks" as they're known are worldwide and it just refers to the metallic appearance of any spots or marks on them, particularly when the sun catches them. I believe South America has the most and the UK just one - the Duke of Burgundy. Hope this helps, best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton I've actually been doing some reading and apparently the males only have 4 legs (females 6) which is another distinguishing feature. Thanks for your reply!
Snakes likes the high gr4ss too so you need to be careful.. thats a kind of dilemma I g0t in my sommer house
The best wildflowers I've successfully transplanted that are resistant to drought are white clover, red clover, and butterfly milkweed. Bring those guys in by intercropping some of these native plants. If you find dandelion and thistles growing nearby, keep them around! I'm in zone 6 of the mid-west US - Missouri.
Ragwort will take down a fully grown bull by just touching it, gradually giving it kidney failure. So basically all animals are threatened by it. So i think its one thing that can be left out of a garden.
Goodness I didn't know that,, ty
Dig dig haaa that is as dry as rock . Planting a tree wouldof been a bit of a mission
Yep, new build property and middle of the heatwave, wasn't lucky that month! ;) We did manage shrubs and small trees, I'm heading back to see this garden hopefully in a few months for an update, will be sure to film it.
I wonder how much wildlife can actually get into the average garden with so many houses surrounded by impenetrable six foot fencing 😐
My side yards attracted big lizards 😅
18:26 minutes of super rapid-fire verbose explanation of background that could have been 36 mini videos. show don't tell...
This is great for new housing estates, the soil is notoriously poor
Mine is 90% bricks to a depth of 100 miles!
my right ear is killing me
Aww you need a docs visit😮😂😂😂
Кому нужна твоя болтовня?
Минимум 50к подписчиков :)
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Где газон?
Me for one! No need to 🐝mean
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshtonexcellent reply Joel👏👏🤝