Page 64 • The HERALD • 11th July 2024 v THE HERALD - SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES v Fred Hurst 023 8084 2191 or 07761 467217 • Grass Cutting • Garden Clearance • Hedge Cutting • Fallen Trees Cleared • Mini Digger Hire with Operator • Property Clearance • Small Demolition • Tractor Flail Cutting FULLY INSURED v FREE QUOTATIONS All Aspects of Garden Work Undertaken • Driveways • Paving • Artificial Grass • Turfing • Decking • Fencing • Hedge Cutting • Landscaping Hythe Garden Contractors Family company established 1977 For a free quotation please call 023 8084 3556 or 023 8084 0378 • HEDGE CUTTING • FENCING • PATIOS • TURFING • GARDEN CLEARANCES & MORE For a FREE quotation please call 023 8122 4550 or 07548 355262 AUTUMN LEAF GARDEN WORKS SJB Gardening Services RHS Qualified & Experienced Gardener specialising in quality hedge cutting, shaping & pruning ❀ General garden maintenance ❀ Garden clearance ❀ Hedge removal ❀ Planting ❀ Mulching ❀ Creation of new beds & borders ❀ Pruning & removal of trees to approx 8 metres ❀ Commercial properties All Work Fully insured Free quotations call Simon on 07443 649192 ✿ DOWN THE GARDEN PATH ✿ Every year the National Garden Scheme (NGS) gives visitors unique access to over 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Guernsey, and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake. Hampshire & Isle of Wight NGS guides are available at e Herald O ce, there are a lot of gardens open across the county in the coming months. Pop into e Herald O ce to grab a guide or visit the NGS website for more information: ngs.org.uk National Open Gardens Scheme 2024 large stones before digging over the soil and levelling out the plot. Mix the seeds in their packet before sprinkling in a criss-cross pattern to achieve an even coverage. Once rmed down, gently water seeds to kick-start healthy growth. As the owers bloom they will o er an attractive area for bees and allow pollinators to thrive in your garden. Idea 4: Create nesting habitats for solitary bees: Solitary bees do not live in colonies, instead building individual nests and working alone. Urbanisation, intensive agriculture, and pesticides are sadly threatening solitary bees’ natural habitats. As they are one of the most proli c pollinating insects and generally more docile than bumblebees, you should consider creating nesting habitats for them nearby. Create a bug hotel for solitary bees by drilling small holes in logs and wood blocks or tie together pieces of bamboo cane. Place the bug hotel on the side of a fence or shed in a southerly area, as solitary pollinators bene t from the extra warmth during colder months. For more top tips visit: www.haskins. co.uk/bee-friendly-plants Prospering Pollinators: How to Curate a Wildlife Haven Haskins Garden Centres’ in-house plant expert, Alasdair Urquhart, gives his tips for creating the perfect space for pollinators Bees are a crucial ally for gardeners, helping to maintain vital food systems and pollinating crops, fruit, and vegetables. You can take simple and cost-e ective steps to support pollinators while also creating abundant plots. Idea 1: Add some colour, and welcome pollinators to your garden: Colourful owers are brilliant for attracting pollinators and brightening up gardens. Bees’ vision is more sensitive to the ultra-violet spectrum, so owers with a yellow, purple, violet, or blue hue are great options. Distribute owers of these colours in the garden to attract bumblebees and create a vibrant outdoor space. Plants with compound and composite owers are pollinator friendly, for example those that are daisy-shaped or thistle-like. ese are composed by lots of smaller owers called orets that create an overall head and contain more nectar per plant than the average blossom. Idea 2: A different flavour for pollinators: Herbs are beneficial for pollinators and double up as the ideal accompaniment for a summer meal. Sage, Mint, and yme are great forage plants for bees, and all add delicious avour to dinners. Aromatic plants are excellent for bees, providing them with protein-dense pollen and energy-rich nectar to feed the young and sustain their colonies. You can also use herbs as natural pest deterrents. Organic pesticides allow gardeners to stop depending on chemical pest control methods, minimising the risk of damaging delicate ecosystems. Idea 3: Plant out seed mixes to support pollination: Encourage pollinating insects by planting a nectar bar with wild ower seed mixes and Borage. ese create long-lasting wildlife habitats that support biodiversity in the garden. When using seed mixes, remove any weeds or New Forest - A Wildlife Year Bartley Horticultural Society’s next meeting is on Thursday 18th July for a talk titled ‘Wild New Forest - A Wildlife Year’. Meetings take place on the third Thursday of the month at Copythorne Parish Hall, Pollards Moor Road, Copythorne SO40 2NW at 7.30pm. New members and visitors are always welcome. Visitors fee applies. For more information you can write to them at: Mavis Cottage, Pollards Moor Road, Copythorne, SO40 2NZ, call: 07789 352505 or visit their website: www. bartleyhs.org.uk
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