RHS The Little Book of Wild Gardening: How to work with nature and create a beautiful, sustainable wildlife haven

by The Royal Horticultural Society

Overview

A natural, sustainable approach to gardening for plots both big and small

The Little Book of Wild Gardening is a guide for anyone wanting to garden in a more sustainable, natural way. Working with nature benefits not just the garden, but also the gardener, wildlife and the wider environment. Divided into chapters for different garden areas - including lawns, flower beds, edibles, trees and water features - The Little Book of Wild Gardening details how to embrace a natural approach to gardening for plots large and small.

Introductory chapters explain how garden ecosystems can work, and how a healthy garden can mean savings in both work and resources for the gardener. There are plant profiles providing a variety of choices for a wilder approach, plus design tips and expertise in sustainable and wildlife-friendly gardening. From a sustainable veg patch to wildflower meadows, and from bat boxes to gravel gardens, the book includes projects and plants in a range of sizes and timescales so gardeners can create a bountiful and enjoyable haven that will benefit themselves, their local area, and all kinds of wildlife.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784728335
Publisher:	Octopus Books
Publication date:	08/02/2022
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	1,096,614
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

The Royal Horticultural Society, founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Yorkshire), Rosemoor (Devon) and Bridgewater (Greater Manchester); flower shows including the Chelsea Flower Show, Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, Tatton Park Flower Show and Cardiff Flower Show; community gardening schemes; Britain in Bloom and a vast educational program. It also supports training for professional and amateur gardeners.

Table of Contents

Introduction 6

How to use this book 8

Chapter 1 Principles of Wild Gardening 10

What is working with nature?

A wilder approach to the garden 12

Good for the gardener and the garden 14

Good for wildlife and the planet 16

Does wild mean weeds? 18

Gardening with nature

All gardens can be wild gardens 20

Design considerations 22

Wildlife-friendly garden maintenance 24

Gardening sustainably 26

Wildlife corridors and connections 28

The garden ecosystem 30

Creating and maintaining a healthy soil 32

Choosing the right plant 34

Successful planting 36

Sustainable water in the garden 38

Installing a water butt 39

Composting 40

Wildlife-friendly pest and disease maintenance 42

Garden wildlife to spot 44

Chapter 2 The Wild Garden 50

Beds and borders

Planting for year-round nectar 52

Flowers to attract insects 54

Flowers to grow for birds 58

Wildlife-friendly shrubs 60

Dry gardens 62

Ideal plants for a dry garden 63

Container gardens

Wildlife in small spaces 64

Wild garden paths and paving 66

Low-growing plants for paths and paving 67

Wild balconies and windowsills 68

Pot plants for pollinators 70

Wildlife-friendly edibles in containers 72

Water in a wild container garden 74

Plants for a container pond 75

Trees, hedges and edges

The benefits of trees 76

Trees for blossom, berry, seed and shelter 78

Growing trees large and small 82

The benefits of hedges 84

Plants for a wild-garden hedge 86

Vertical growing: climbing plants and green walls 88

Natural climbers 89

Wilder garden buildings 90

Lawns

Sustainable and wildlife-friendly lawns 92

Adding wildflowers to a lawn 94

Wildflower meadows from seed and turf 96

Wildflowers: annuals and bulbs 97

Wildflowers: perennials 98

Small-scale meadows and lawns 100

Mowing and maintenance 102

Edible gardens

A sustainable veg patch 104

Winning plant combinations 106

Herbs to attract bees and butterflies 108

Edible forest gardens 109

Other ways to grow food 110

Ornamental edibles and edible ornamentals 112

Water

Water for wildlife 114

Creating a pond 116

Making a pond wildlife-friendly 118

Plants for healthy ponds 120

Chapter 3 Helpful Habitats 122

Adding extra food to the garden 124

Bird nesting boxes and materials 126

Bug hotels 128

Bee hotels 130

Bat boxes 131

Log piles and dead hedges 132

Rockeries and amphibian dens 134

Monitoring garden wildlife 136

Glossary 138

Further resources 140

Acknowledgements 141

Index 142

Image credits 144