May can be a bit of a growler, and this year it has been a perfect storm of grumpiness. So far it has been the coldest, windiest and wettest May for a number of years. The weather is so unpredictable that one day it is shirtsleeves, factor 30 and a sun hat and the next […]
Croft Gardener
On the trail of the invaders
My last post was a gentle introduction to the topic of INNS (invasive non-native species) and the problems which they can have on vulnerable ecosystems. INNS affect us all and in Britain cost in the region of £1.7 billion each year. The impact of INNS on biodiversity, our environment and infrastructure are severe and growing. […]
Non-native, non-invasive
Islands are very special places and whilst their wildlife may not be as diverse as that of the nearest mainland, sometimes it has evolved to have some unique characteristics. Isolation also makes island communities very vulnerable to the arrival or introduction of non-native species, including those which may be native to the mainland. So not […]
Wordless Wednesday – Wind Ruffled Hares
Life sentence with hard labour?
I’m not sure where I went wrong, but I seem to have been the victim of a miscarriage of justice. I know that life isn’t fair and I didn’t expect my gardening career to be one of dainty peregrinations with some gentle dead heading; but why am I still shovelling hardcore or gravel, mixing cement, […]