Dont even think of tidying ..we like it wild!

Never mind there's always another day BB.They all look so busy you can't interrupt them lol ! Beautiful pics again :)

well that was a good days work BB well done you, deserve a stiff drink bet your so tired :o)) enjoyed the blog thanx

brilliant pics

such a shame you couldnt do anything hehehe

x xx

Wow, I'm exhausted just reading what you didn't do :)
Terrific blog, BB, and lovely photos, especially of the little robins developing their red breasts. Fascinating stuff.

fantastic photo and blog BB, your garden offers so much to wildlife, its fantastic

Fantastic Blog.BB, great photos, love it

What brilliant photos, especially of the robin, I loved your blog, especially with avoiding all that work, that's the way to do it!

He he thanks all ..thwarted at every turn whilst trying to work in the garden terrible isnt it ?

Excited about the bees reading how their numbers are reducing and to have a nest ..brilliant.

Bb I`m in total agreement you definitely must not tidy up yet,there is one stipulation tho and it keeps you and Jane busy (sorry Jane) just make sure that camera is always on standby please,we love your blogs..........

What great photos...again...thanks, Bb. The ones of the baby robin developing are fascinating. :-)

Well think i'm ready for bed reading that BB (lol)

Thanks Lincslass know it sounds somewhat scruffy but wildlife seem to enjoy the plants we would describe as weeds or invasive.

Brambles nettles ivy etc perhaps I over do it but think this trend for open plan modern developments with no shelter or cover seriously reducing our wildlife .

Thanks Spritz surprised how quickly they develop as never had a brood of robins stay in the garden for so long.
Dad getting more than a little tetchy with them now so think they will soon be moving on ..

He he Clarice sorry .. Ps if you get the chance please explain to Sandra about George Fprmby thanks my little stick of blackpool rock !

Great blog & pics BB.

It's the abundance of wildlife amongst or in our flowers that make it all that bit more special.....

Love all of it :0)

Would it be a Carder Bee they are this colour and gather moss into balls. Love the Blog lovely pictures you dont have to guess which is my favourite picture the robin of course.

No Bb its not scruffy its natural,my youngest daughter has a large garden so the bottom third where her fruit trees are has been fenced off and she is gradually introducing as many wild plants as we can find and already she has noticed a much wider variety of birds and insects, also newts as well as frogs,its brilliant........

~got a few robin babies too as well as a couple of goldfinch babies~very cute aren't they!

Kinda weird Linclass as work as a gardener and spent many years on a garden in a beautiful rural location but customer wanted a real manicured garden.

Totally unaware of the wildlife surrounding his garden buzzards stoats polecats etc but rabbits would make such a mess of his borders and lawns .

Suggested he leave a few wild areas in his acres of garden and allow natural predators to balance his rabbit problem as they would normally do in the wild.

Polecats now walk along his conservatory window in the evening and play on his lawn he s thrilled.

Thanks Morgana did a search could they be moss carders as these becoming quite rare?

Your welcome

While we were in Scotland we had little bird visitors practically everyday and one of them, as I thought, was a little fledgeling robin, it kept coming down for the bread I was tossing out, but upon reading your blog Bb and seeing your fledgeling robin I realised that I was mistaken. I have looked through my books and I think that it is probably a dunnock that we have been feeding.

I wish the council wouldnt tidy the hedgerows. I'm sure it doesn't help wildlife. It's just not needed anyway.
Great photos as usual .

~~maybe we should write to them Hywel!

Do you think they would take any notice ?

It's worth a try~particularly if we point out that it might actually save money and be environmentally friendly!

Maybe worth a try. I did put a comment about it on the Carmarthenshire website - on the page where they go on about how great they are at encouraging biodiversity but I don't know if anyone read it.
Encouraging biodiversity ! yet they cut away all the hedgerows . Yes I think I'll write to them. Thanks for the suggestion Arlene.

~I will too Hywel!I might also write to Martin Caton my MP.

Yes that's a good idea too. I'll write to mine.

Great!
Yesterday was my son's birthday and we went out for a drive to Cwm Deri Vineyard Martletwy where you can taste their wines~Elderflower,Rhubarb and Ginger etc and some turned into liqueurs such as black cherry~really nice!Also sell jam and cheeses such as Apricot and Brandy and one with Whisky added.You can buy scones teacackes etc and sit out in the sun and eat them! Nice trip out!

Great Blog BB,
Lovely photos and tremendous to see the Robin getting redder and redder. What a beauty.

Will do BB.

Lovely pics BB, interesting to see the Robin redbreast develop.

Lots of reasons to stay with the wild look ~
wonderful photos :o)

lovely blog, I also have a big patch left wild, its amazing how many different insects can be found.

great Blog..........love the Robin photos...........

Lovely blog and photos BB .. . i,m sure a lot of people don,t realise what is going on all around them if only they took the time to stop and stare !
It has been fascinating to watch your little Robin changing colour :o)

Great blog Bb...Amy is right...we should take time to look!

I've had a look in my book and reckon it could be Bombus Humilis. Not a common bee and on the edge of it's range in your area.

Forgot to say what another great blog accompanied by beautiful pics.

Thanks for all your kind comments.

Hywel and Arlene....good luck in your campaign.

Toto..thanks for the ID...googled it and am sure you are right.Didnot realised they are endangered and so thank goodness spotted them moving about! Believe the whole colony die at first frosts except the queen who will hibernate for the winter.Have plenty of rotting logs and a couple of old treestumps which hope she chooses.!

This is typical behaviour for Bumblebees Bonkers. Such a shame that they all have to die so soon but I guess nature knows best.

Agree Toto.When do you thinkit will be safe to rake it away or is it best to leave it in case they use it next year?

Not that I am shirking a bit of extra work you understand !

She will hibernate as the weather gets colder. They often use mouseholes or similar but will also use secure places on log piles, compost heaps and gaps in walls etc.
I doubt you need to leave the moss until next year but if you want to tell Jane that it is necessary for the survival of the species, I'll back you up. Not that I agree with shirking you understand.

Thanks Toto,but if I continue leaving all this mess,cannot guarantee my survival though !! Will probably rake away early winter then........

Just tell the boss that it's natures way. After all you should be able to fool a woman with you superior, male interllect.

Lol...no wonder you spend so much time in that shed Toto !

At least I don't get into trouble from the spiders or the mice.

True !

Yes I had seen it BB .. I didn,t recognise the ball , I thought it was a new one ... isn,t nature wonderful :o)

Fantastic Amy..and to think I nearly put the rake through the moss ! Ouch !

They wouldn,t have liked that BB , they might have chased you back to the house , or worse still stung you ... LOl..

Apparently Amy they send out a " regiment " to keep the intruder at bay,and the rest protect the nest...fascinating and clever !

Really enjoyed this blog, a few years ago we had a wasp nest at the end of our garden. It was fascinating watching them come and go. They used to dance in twos and threes etc, never tried to sting me. I felt honoured :-) This is the only reason my garden is a mess, helping wildlife;~/

Thanks Bornagain...at least you were aware of the location of the wasps nest.Think the problems arise when people accidently disturb one and they get angry.! Our bees are the same ..we can watch them coming and going and they never try to sting !

It happened to my husband years ago when he was digging in the front garden, he got a few stings! lol.... or perhaps not :-))

I know...and to some who suffer allergic reaction to stings can be fatal.Read yesterday of a woman who died from a single sting,and a farmer who died from multiple stings.

Bees seldom sting..its as if they know that if they do leave their sting behind they die.

Yes I read about the deaths too, I think an allergic reaction,anaphylactic shock, dreadful. For all I know I may be allergic as I've never been stung...yet... :-)

As long as it doesnt lead to mass hysteria is okay.Jane had a couple of wasp stings a while back and felt dizzy and giddy for a while and the site swelled. Tries to be philosophical but tends to panic whenone comes near.A thin line to tread.

Hi Ray/Jane .... sorry, only just seen your super blog. So pleased your teasel seeds have done OK, the gold finches will be happy :-)

Thanks Dawn will be planted out over next couple of weeks and hopefully goldfinches will enjoy next year !

:-))))

Lovely blog, BB. Although I am able to stand back and admire immaculate gardens, and respect the hard work of the gardeners involved, I must say I find them pretty 'sterile' places, all show and not much substance. Good on you for thinking 'outside the box' and daring to be less 'human-centric'. Does you a great deal of credit.

Thanks Bscott - cant really take too much credit as garden had been neglected for many years and most of the wildlife had been left undisturbed.

Just feel it the biggest compliment when they dont run or fly off because of our human presence - yes like you can admire a beautiful garden and some wonderful examples here of which owners rightly proud.

The setting and those years of neglect lent itself to considering the wildlife which we love but appreciate not to everyones taste.

Hurrah...will make my comments then read the rest. What a terrific blog...It's really affirming to find that there are others who see our gardens as NATURE...I had a similar experience to your moss pile with my shredded leaf compost pile...only it was wasps that were there..oh well...not as useful as your lovely bees but nature is busy with her work... and I've said it before but ..what the heck... I'll say it again...your robin pics are just outstanding! There are those who would say that neglect is neglect, pure and simple...but I've come to realize that neglect is nature's way... we sometimes interfere too much in some areas and not enough in others...but if we're lucky we get it right 50% of the time... Looks to me like you and Jane are at about 95%!! lol...

Seconded, Lori!

Thats so true Lori esp as the little cottage - it really is tiny - was being throttled by huge weeds .

Would dearly love to allow the lawn to become more of a meadow just worried that not such a good advert for someone who works as a gardener lol!

I really thought that corner you said had been neglected in your garden looked beautiful ..yes stung too on the neck by hornets so can sympathise apparently they eat aphid bugs always leave in the garden but can understand anyones anxiety if they nest in the house.

Thanks Bscott sincerely hope you drying out and that beuatiful area of yours returning to normal.

Visited Fowlsheugh RSPB site near Stonehaven many years ago ..wow those cliffs and noise ... just loved it .