What's Amazing Now
Update Video: Finished protecting the area for the wild Adder snakes and slow worms One of the last update videos for you all, as from the previous video we were just about to put up the green screen to separate this wild area that has been untouched (and it will stay so) for probably 25 years. A precious habitat for our wildlife which I am protecting! Thank you for watching 😀 Donna x x x #wildlife #nature #conservation #enchantedgardenskent #addersnake #slowworm
Update Video : Creating a bed around the old Hawthorn Tree This is a round up video of start to finish of creating a bed around the old Hawthorn Tree, it was a lot of work and I am knackered but so pleased with how it has turned out. It goes to show what you can achieve even in a small area! Enjoy 😀 Donna x x x
We have been working on some of the last little projects down at EG before we are ready to open our doors! Here we have been putting up some hemp rope as a form of trellace to make a beautiful screen. I am finally releasing a Solanum Crispum Glasnevin from the pot and plastic ties it came in and can't wait to watch how she grows beautifully on the rope, Its going to be magnificant! Thank you for watching, more update videos to come! #nature #Gardeningtips #Pollinatorfriendly #whitstablekent #Organicnursery #gardeninglife #naturalgardening #enchantedgardenskent #enchantedgardens #solanum #hemprope #alternativegardening
Happy morning, everybody! 🌾☀️ I wanted to give you a morning perspective on the pasture and talk about how we are all encouraged to leave our gardens and 'meadows' wild! If we are to truly lend our gardens, however big or small, to the wildlife around us, then should we ever cut it back or mow it down? After all, precious eggs laid by insects will be all over my pasture.... Some food for thought this morning! I hope you all enjoy the video 💚 #wildlife #nature #enchantedgardenskent #conservation #teasel #gardeninglife #whitstablekent #Pollinatorfriendly #Organicnursery #Biodiversity #wildmeadow #butterflyconservation #ecosystem #naturalhabbit #naturalgardening #Nomow #meadow #wildflower #gardeningadvice #Gardeningtips
We have started to work on this wild area in a little corner that lays behind the original Hawthorn Tree. It is important to keep this area wildlife-friendly for our Adder snakes and slowworms that may be living there, and appropriately cordon it off to protect the public! Keep an eye out for more progress videos! #wildlife #nature #conservation #enchantedgardenskent #addersnake #slowworm
Hello everyone! As I have left the pasture to grow I have had this beautiful Teasel shoot up and I am so happy to have an abundance of these on the pasture. With its iridescent and shiny scales, it is a statement plant to put in any garden! This is a hardy biennial plant so it flowers every other year. Teasel is probably best known for its brown, prickly stems and conical seed heads, which persist long after the plants themselves have died back for the winter, we love them for their architectural value, but we like to leave all the decorative seed heads where they grow for as long as possible. In summer when teasels are in flower, the spiky flower heads are mostly green with rings of purple flowers. The conical flowerheads of this tall native are loved by bees, while the seedheads, which last well after the flowers have faded, are sought-after by goldfinches (and florists). A robust plant, it is a common site in grassland or roadside verges, where it will flourish in a wide range of soils. Put them in your gardens! #teasel #enchantedgardenskent #wildlife #nature #sparrows #goldfinches #birdseed #iridescent
Helping our pollinating insects keep cool 🐝🦋💦 As of recent temperatures, it has been difficult to keep ourselves cool, and staying hydrated is most important. We then have to consider what it is like for our busy pollinating insects; bees, butterflies, hoverflies, wasps, and beetles. Bees have a fury coat which would normally regulate their temperatures in our moderate climate, but with temperatures rising, they need our help more than ever. Bees need water to dilute their hunny and cool down their nests' temperature. Create your own mini oasis for them by filling a shallow dish with pebbles and stones so that they have a place to land as they CANNOT swim so please be mindful or they will drown. This is an easy and simple way to help and a brilliant activity to do with children. #bee #pollinator #saveourbees #waterforbees #waterforpollinator #nature #enchantedgardens #conservation #organic #wildlife
Happy morning everybody, Another update video for you! As you will remember from the video series 'Uncovering Rare Tree', the Hybrid Hawthorn tree has recovered well from all its surgery and has produced lots of new growth, hurray! Enjoy the video 😄 Donna x x x #enchantedgardenskent #Organicnursery #whitstablekent #Nature #whitstable #Wildlife #updatevideo #pruning #ancienttree #raretree #hawthorn
My #Cardoon is blooming marvelous right now! Growing up to 8 feet tall, a self pollinating plant which of course with it's huge purple thistle like flowers attract lots of our pollinators. The flower heads are also a great source of food in the Autumn for our birds to feed on! #pollinator #bee #pollinatorfriendly #organicnursery #organicgrowing #whitstablekent #Enchantedgardenskent #happygardening #gardeninglife #Whitstable #Conservation #Nature
It was my absolute privilege to be part of creating this memorial garden.I have sought permission from the school to be able to show you this. Ladybirds often garden with parts off the garden being created for a memorial of a beloved family member or pet, and this has always been so. Gardening is acknowledging the frailty off life and the celebration of having those we love around us. Thank you for Whitstable Junior School for inviting me to be part of this 💚
Happy Morning everybody, Dont Panic!! I have to say, that the UK is still to my dismay, using particularly serious agrochemicals. Which causes substantial and significant destruction of pollinating insects. In spite of all the good news perpetrated by the government and media, so much more could be done for the sake of our own health as well as my beloved pollinating insects. Given the recent flooded winter and flooded spring, the impact on our pollinators is noticeable. All I can say is, watch this video, stay calm, keep doing what you're doing, and keep growing what you're growing. Every time you choose not to spray in your gardens, every time you cut your lawn 1 inch higher, and every time you choose to buy organic food, you are helping, and if copious amounts of alcohol help then go ahead I will not judge you! Donna x x x #whitstablekent #organicgardening #conservation #organicgrowing #enchantedgarden #uk #weather #pollinators #pollinatorfriendly #ecosystem #butterflyconservation #Nomow
Pasture update from Donna 🌾🌸🌱 What is looking good through June and into July! Enjoy the video and stay tuned for more updates 😃 Happy gardening 🐝 #pollinatorfriendly #EnchantedGardens #enchantedgardenskent #naturalhabbit #happygardening #whitstablekent #organicgrowing #Nomow #naturalgardening #biodiversity #buddleia #malva #meadow #wildflower
Leather Jackets (Crane Fly Larvae) Friend or Fo? Another discovery whilst cleaning up and repotting my plants. In this Scabiosa plant I found a Leather Jacket grub, which will hatch into a Crane Fly in late July/August, not an immediate concern for me, I simply removed the grub and left it to it's chances on the pasture. I wanted to create a discussion around this insect as it can be the blame for lawns being eaten and a war waged agaisnt them. It's essential to remember that like all insects, they play a vital role in our ecosystem and serve as a significant food source for birds. To attract birds like starlings, crows, rooks, jays, and magpies to your garden, offer appropriate food and water. These birds will gladly help control the grubs by eating them and feeding them to their young. To lure the grubs to the surface, where birds can easily catch them, it is reccomended that you water the affected area of grass and covering it with black sheeting for 1-2 days. Happy Gardening! Donna x x x #EnchantedGardens #organicgrowing #naturalgardening #biodiversity #naturalpestcontrol #Gardeningtips #whitstablekent #gardeningadvice #pottedplants #leatherjacketgrub #cranefly
Plant of the Month of June Salvia and Rose, because they are both gorgeous! June is the month that both Roses and Salvia, in all their varieties, start to bloom and fill our gardens with their beautiful colours and scent all through the summer and can flower up until the first frost. They are also great companion plants as Salvia offers long-stems and contrast to the Rose's, they are also known to keep mildew and blackspot at bay. Single flowering Rose's are easily accessible and very attractive to our pollinators as the stamen is conveniently on show for the bee's to see and buzz down to collect their pollen. They also are much easier to navigate as there are not so many petals to deal with. These plants are a staple to any garden! Please enjoy the photos and send in ones from your own gardens! Donna x x x #salvia #rose #plantofthemonth #plantofthemonthjune #organicgrowing #pollinator #EnchantedGardens #whitstablekent #enchantedgardenskent #pollinatorfriendly #naturalgardening #gardeninginkent #gardening #companionplanting
Thinking beyond #NoMowMay The #Nomowmay initiative introduced by conservation charity Plantlife in 2019 sent a message to the nation and beyond that leaving your grass to grow through May contributes to a conservation effort you can do from your own home. Keeping your grass unmown allows native wildflowers such as daisies, dandelions, yellow rattle, field forget-me-nots, and buttercups to grow and establish themselves in your lawn, and provides an important habitat for insects to breed and pollinate. Dandelions are one of the best sources of food for our native pollinators as well as their seed heads being great for some of our bird species to feed on. With all of this being said and the many great benefits one month of not mowing has for our wildlife, I would strongly argue extending the #Nomow period and leaving your lawn unmown through June and even July. Our conservation efforts should not be restricted to a one month period, recent articles in the RTE (Raidio Teilifis Eireann, Ireland's National Public Service Media), BBC Country File, and David Attenborough in The Express have all advised gardeners to leave their lawns unmown until even the 15th July. We need to see beyond the slogans and continue the crucial conservation efforts throughout the whole year, just like a dog is not just for Christmas, Conservation is not just for May. For great year-round #Nomow advice visit the Plantlife website. Take a look at these articles: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/1905430/gardeners-mow-lawn-June-David-Attenborough https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2024/0430/1446592-no-mow-may-pollinators-nature-bees-butterflies/ https://www.countryfile.com/news/no-mow-may-why-you-should-lock-up-your-lawnmower-on-1st-may https://www.plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/your-no-mow-may-lawn-guide/
Happy Wednesday everyone! Please think twice before spraying any chemicals to try and control the aphids in your garden, here are my thoughts and tips: Aphids are small common garden insects that are also known as blackfly and greenfly, this also includes the fluffy white wooly aphid which looks like an aphid wearing a cotton wool jacket. They have many predators and are the basis for many food chains in our gardens. Whilst they can cause sooty mould and stickiness of leaves, they rarely kill a plant. Ants farm aphids for their honeydew which is excreted and protect them in return. Their natural enemies are Ladybirds, Lacewing larvae, Predatory midge larvae, Beetles, Hoverflies, Earwigs and Parasitoid wasps (Wasps have an unquenchable taste for aphids so should be seen not as adversaries but as allies in the fight against pests), and of course this time of year whilst all our Bluetits are nesting our birds need to feed their babies, so with all this on your side there is no need to spray any chemicals. So, encourage the presence of these beneficial insects by planting a variety of flowers and herbs that attract them. By maintaining a healthy, biodiverse garden is your best defense against aphid infestations, you not only protect your plants but also support the broader environmental health of your garden. Donna x x x #aphids #naturalpestcontrol #Gardening #whitstablekent #enchantedgardens #biodiversity #pollinators #happygardening #pollinatorfriendly #naturalhabbit #Gardeningtips #gardeningadvice #naturalgardening #conservation #ecosystem
Happy Monday everybody! I absolutely love this picture and wanted to share it all with you and share some fun facts on our beloved Dandelions which I adore so much. They have edible leaves rich in vitamin C and minerals. Pick the young leaves only all year round. The flowers make dandelion honey too, yum! The roots can make coffee which is caffeine free. What we find really fascinating are the common names as each county used to have its own name for flowers. So dandelions are also known as: Bum-pipe, Burning Fire, Clock Flower, clocks and watches, combs and hairpins, conquer more, devils milk plant, devils milk pail, dog-posy, fairy clocks,farmers clocks, golden suns, horse gowan, Irish daisy, lions teeth, mess-a-bed, pissimire, stink ravine,swines snout, tell-time, time flower, time-teller, wet-weed, wishes ... What do you know it as? All the names hint at its uses too!! Please share and spread the word that dandelions are not ugly looking weeds but a important and rich food for our bee's and for us too! Donna x x x #naturallawn #weeds #gardeninglife #Gardening #gardeninginkent #gardeningadvice #bee #naturalhabbit #pollinators #plantinformation #butterfly #bees #biodiversity #whitstable #naturalgardening #Gardeningtips #enchantedgardens #pollinatorfriendly #happygardening #whitstablekent #pollinator #organic #enchantedgardenskent #gardeningtips #gardensinwhitstable #Conservationuk #dandelions #dandelionhoney #dandelioncoffee #longlivedandelions
Happy Morning everybody! Just a little video I would like to share with you about this lovely Honesty plant! Enjoy, Donna x x x #Honestyplant #selfseed #honesty #enchantedgardens #enchantedgardenskent #naturalgardening #biodiversity #whitstablekent #gardensinkent #gardensinwhitstable #plantinformation #conservation #pollinator #pollinatorfriendly #bees #butterfly #earlyspringflowers
Happy Friday everyone! I have come across this very interesting and optimistic article I'd like to share with you all! 'The Future of Farming – Chemists Discover Safe Pesticide for Organic Agriculture' The article explains the research that has been done looking into using Rose essential oils as an alternative to harmful pesticides, in organic tomato production, hurray! The study finds that the essential oils " activates tomato pest-defense genes and attracts herbivore predators. Therefore, REO could be used as an environmentally friendly pesticide in organic farming" (Gen-ichiro Arimura from Tokyo University of Science (TUS), Japan) They conclude “Our study suggests a practical approach to promoting organic tomato production that encourages environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. This research may open doors for new organic farming systems. The dawn of potent environmentally friendly and natural pesticides is upon us,” (Professor. Arimura) Please give it a read, it does suggest some hope for the future of #organicfarming! Donna x x x Reference: https://scitechdaily.com/the-future-of-farming-chemists-discover-safe-pesticide-for-organic-agriculture/ Rose in the picture is a 'Gertrude Jekyll' #pesticide #organic #farming #alternative #saferfarming #rose #roseessentialoils #essentialoils #universityofjapan #biodiversity #conservation #enchantedgardens #betterfarming #pollinatorfriendly #pinkrose #gertrudejekyll #futureoffarming
Happy Monday everybody! I have come across an article explaining that 'Plant species recommended as pollinator friendly in Europe begin flowering up to a month too late in the spring to effectively contribute to wild bee conservation and how availability of early spring-blooming plants affects colony survival and queen production' They recommend in this study that Red Nettle in the UK, among other species, would be an early enough plant to provide colonies of Bees food in earlier months. I want to take this opportunity to highlight the sometimes overlooked plants like Red Nettle and our beloved Dandelion that provide important early nectar for Bees. Please leave these in your garden for our Bees and know you are providing an invaluable source of food! The articles I am referring to and the findings can be found at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2024-03-26-study-finds-bees-need-food-month-earlier-provided-recommended-pollinator plants#:~:text=New%20research%20from%20the%20Universities,contribute%20to%20wild%20bee%20conservation. https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/icad.12736 Thank you for reading! Donna x x x #earlyspringflowers #naturalhabbit #enchantedgardens #pollinator #aprilflowering #whitstablekent #gardening #conservation #pollinatorfriendly #biodiversity #habitat #blossom #naturalgardening #gardeningtips #pollinators #Conservationuk #Gardeningtips #bee #bees #rednettle #dandelion #shrillcarderbumblebee #beecolonies #rarebee
Happy Friday everybody! Here is part 3 & 4 of the series 'Pruning Crab Apple Tree'. I am sharing these videos with you as I want you all to see the journey of pruning this old lady, who was quite a mess when we first got to her. I have a video to share with you all next week of how she has come full circle and bloomed after all the hard work we have put in to give her years of life to flourish on the pasture. Thank you all for watching and I hope you can all come to see her and the ancient Hawthorn hybrid very soon! Donna x x x #gardeningtips #gardensinkent #gardening #pollinatorfriendly #enchantedgardens #biodiversity #earlyspringflowers #pollinator #aprilflowering #crabappletree #malussylvetris #naturalhabbit #update #pruning #whitstablekent #happygardening #woodsman #habitat #conservation
Happy Wednesday everyone and thank you for sending me your questions, In this Q&A I answer your queries on planting in clay, overhanging trees and boundary lines, extensive root systems and how to handle them, new housing developments and the gardens you are dealing with there, recommendations on pollinator friendly shrubs and flowers and a question about Bears Breeches and how it has taken over a garden. I also talk about the common misconceptions of mulch and the correct way to applicate it. I hope this video answers your questions and provides you with the right information to be responsible gardeners and help your gardens to thrive. Thank you for watching! Donna x x x #gardening #gardeningquestions #claysoil #plantinginclay #gardeningtips #rootsystem #overhangingtrees #boundaryline #gardeninginkent #pollinatorfriendly #gardeningadvice #enchantedgardens #bearsbreeches #invasiveplants #naturalgardening #biodiversity
Happy Tuesday everyone, Here is part 2 in the video series of pruning this beautiful old Crab Apple tree. You can see she had started to create buds ready for her blossoms (which I will post a video off). Thank you for continuing to watch and support me and the new journey I am on at my new site. Enjoy the video, more to come each week! Donna x x x DISCLAIMER ‘Please note the use of a chainsaw in this video is absolutely restricted to professionals holding a chainsaw licence, climbing licence and appropriate qualifications. I am not suggesting public use a chainsaw; please leave it to the professionals' #crabappletree #malussylvetris #habitat #pollinators #naturalhabbit #woodsman #pruning #happygardening #earlyspringflowers #enchantedgardens #conservation #Conservationuk #naturalgardening #update #gardensinkent #donnasdiary #gardening #whitstable #whitstablekent #pollinatorfriendly #gardeningtips #Gardeningtips #gardeningideas #Gardening #gardeninglife #enchantedgardenskent #biodiversity ##crabappletree #malussylvetris #habitat #pollinators #naturalhabbit #woodsman #pruning #happygardening #earlyspringflowers #enchantedgardens #conservation #Conservationuk #naturalgardening #update #gardensinkent #donnasdiary #gardening #whitstable #whitstablekent #pollinatorfriendly #gardeningtips #Gardeningtips #gardeningideas #Gardening #gardeninglife #enchantedgardenskent #biodiversity ##forestforest
Happy Wednesday everyone! Don't forget I am at the Godinton Plant Fair this Sunday 21st April! Book your tickets now and come and see me, and all my wonderful plants! It is my first show of the year and a great way to showcase what I have been able to keep and grow since my big move. Hope to see you all there, Donna x x https://godintonhouse.co.uk/events/plant-fair/ #earlyspringflowers #naturalgardening #Conservationuk #pollinatorfriendly #gardening #happygardening #conservation #whitstablekent #gardensinkent #enchantedgardens #pollinators #whitstable #gardeningideas #enchantedgardenskent #biodiversity #Godintonhouseandgardens #plantshow #whatsoninkent
