Herald - Issue 411

v FOR GOOD ADVICE, ASK YOUR LOCAL SPECIALISTS v 26th August 2021 • The HERALD • Page 49 A J GLEESON BUILDING & GROUNDWORK DRIVEWAYS EXTENSIONS BRICKWORK GROUNDWORK BLOCK PAVING Colours & Designs to suit your requirements Local Work Available to View CALL FOR A FREE QUOTATION New Forest & Southampton 023 8084 4180 Mobile: 07770 771475 Bramdene, Main Road, Dibden, Southampton | DOWN THE GARDEN PATH | SPADEWORK Family Landscaping & Fencing Team ] Decking & Natural Sandstone Paving ] Patios ] Driveways ] Block Paving ] Turfing ] All Types of Domestic & Commercial Fencing ] Security Fencing Supplied & Fitted Tel: (023) 8089 4909 Mobile: 07703 566814 u F ree E stimates u F ully I nsured Exbury Gardens in the New Forest has joined an important national network of wildlife hotspots for dragon ies, and will now be encouraging visitors to attract the insects into their own back gardens. e local visitor attraction has been designated a Dragon y Hotspot by the British Dragon y Society thanks to its new Dragon y Pond learning zone which has been o cially opened by naturalist and broadcaster Nick Baker. e launch coincided with the start of Dragon y Week (17th-25th July). Dragon ies are crucial bio-indicators of the health of the UK’s rivers, canals and ponds but modern-day development, drainage and pollution have meant dragon y numbers have fallen dramatically. Designed with the help of the UK’s leading dragon y experts, the new pond area at Exbury boasts info boards lled with dragon y facts and take- away tips on how visitors can attract the wonderful creatures into their gardens. An existing, large ornamental pond at Exbury has been adapted for the insects with dragon y-friendly, native aquatic and marginal plants. Floating pontoons allow visitors to get close to the wildlife action, an outdoor shelter has been built to act as a classroom for local groups and school children, and Exbury’s popular Rhododendron Line steam railway has a new Dragon y Halt platform to make it easy for more people to explore the area. Exbury Gardens is now one of six Dragon y Hotspots in England, and the rst in Hampshire. Nick Baker said: “Most people think of ponies when they think of the New Forest, but I think of dragonflies. Exbury Gardens is a Dragonfly Hotspot so what better place to come to know your dragonflies!” Experts and dragon y ambassadors Ruary Mackenzie Dodds and Kari de Koenigswarter have helped Exbury with the project. Ruary said: “The Dragonfly Pond at Exbury will hopefully inspire more people to build their own wildlife ponds at home as pollution and loss of habitat has caused real issues for these wonderful creatures which are so vital for our ecosystem. Dragonflies spend most of their lives as aquatic larvae so need ponds to survive. You don’t require EXBURY GARDENS RECOGNISED WITH ‘DRAGONFLY HOTSPOT’ STATUS Naturalist and Broadcaster Nick Baker at Exbury Gardens dragonfly pond can provide opportunities for local communities to get involved with dragon y conservation and events. For more details on Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway visit: www.exbury. co.uk lots of space or a big budget to install a pond at home and you’ll be rewarded with beautifully coloured insects that will add a new dimension to your garden.” Dragon y Hotspots are special places, carefully chosen by the British Dragonfly Society because they support a good variety of dragon y and damsel y species, are easy to access, and SEPTEMBER - LATE SUMMER PROGRESSES INTO AUTUMN September is generally a cooler, gustier month than August and the days are noticeably shorter. While there’s not as much to do in the ornamental garden at this time of the year, if you have a fruit or vegetable patch, you’ll be busy reaping the rewards of harvest. It’s also time to get out and start planting spring-flowering bulbs for next year and you can collect seeds for next summer’s colour too. Make the most of the remaining warmth while you can! Top 10 jobs this month 1. Divide herbaceous perennials. 2. Pick autumn raspberries. 3. Collect and sow seed from perennials and hardy annuals. 4. Dig up remaining potatoes before slug damage spoils them. 5. Net ponds before leaf fall gets underway. 6. Keep up with watering of new plants, using rain or grey water if possible. 7. Start to reduce the frequency of houseplant watering. 8. Clean out cold frames and greenhouses so that they are ready for use in the autumn. 9. Cover leafy vegetable crops with bird-proof netting 10. Plant spring flowering bulbs