David Domoney

Category: Blog

Blogs, guides, and gardening ideas from TV Gardener and Chartered Horticulturalist David Domoney.

  • National Wildlife Week – Attracting bees and butterflies

    National Wildlife Week – Attracting bees and butterflies

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    Bugs have very simple requirements when they’re looking for a home: somewhere nice and damp with lots of mess and a bit of added mould for good measure.
    Insects will use man-made structures to lay their eggs in, or to hibernate in through the winter, either as an adult or as larvae. These range from woodpiles, garden canes and furniture to holes in brickwork and garden sheds.

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    Pollinator-friendly plants

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    There are many garden plants and shrubs that attract bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects to help increase their numbers. Popular plants include hebe, sedum, yarrow, heather, foxglove, buddleja, allium, scabious, pulmonaria and flowering cherry.

    Click here to see the full RHS list of plants for pollinators.

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    Or, if you have space, why not create an area in the garden for wild native plants to flourish among protective plants like bramble?

    Wildflower seeds are available at garden centres to create this type of mini-habitat. Simply spread the seeds by hand over the soil, and press them in by lightly standing on them. You can also buy specific bee-friendly flower seeds from the British Beekeepers Association.

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    Make a butterfly feeder

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    You will need:

    • A pan and some water
    • Granulated sugar
    • A shallow container (such as Tupperware)
    • Plenty of paper towels or a piece of sponge
    • Brightly-coloured kitchen scourers

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    How to make the feeder:

    • In the pan, mix four parts water and one part sugar, and boil for several minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Let it cool
    • Fill the bottom of the container with the paper towels, and pour over the mixture until they are saturated
    • Any extra solution may be stored in the fridge for up to a week, and added gradually to the feeder
    • Pop the scouring pads on top of the paper towels to attract the butterflies and give them somewhere dry to land
    • Put the feeder in the garden among the nectar flowers. The best place is on a post about six inches above the tallest flowers

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    Spring is here, see my post on spring pollinators:

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    Or check out my Pinterest board for more ideas:

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link=”https://new.daviddomoney.com/10-best-early-spring-flowers-pollinating-insects/” text_transform=”” title=”” target=”_self” link_attributes=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”custom” button_gradient_top_color=”rgba(1,149,51,0)” button_gradient_bottom_color=”rgba(1,149,51,0)” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”#0e540f” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”#0e540f” accent_color=”#0e540f” accent_hover_color=”#ffffff” type=”” bevel_color=”” size=”large” stretch=”yes” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” border_color=”#0e540f” border_hover_color=”#ffffff”]Spring pollinators[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column_inner][fusion_builder_column_inner type=”1_6″ layout=”1_6″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” 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animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]https://new.daviddomoney.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Spring-board-pinterest.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_separator style_type=”none” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” sep_color=”” top_margin=”30px” bottom_margin=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” /][fusion_button link=”https://www.pinterest.co.uk/daviddomoney/winter-garden/” text_transform=”” title=”” target=”_self” link_attributes=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”custom” button_gradient_top_color=”rgba(1,149,51,0)” button_gradient_bottom_color=”rgba(1,149,51,0)” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”#e22626″ button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”#e22626″ accent_color=”#e22626″ accent_hover_color=”#ffffff” type=”” bevel_color=”” size=”large” stretch=”yes” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” border_color=”#e22626″ border_hover_color=”#ffffff”]Pinterest Board[/fusion_button][/fusion_builder_column_inner][fusion_builder_column_inner type=”1_6″ layout=”1_6″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”true” border_position=”all” element_content=”” border_sizes_top=”0″ border_sizes_bottom=”0″ border_sizes_left=”0″ border_sizes_right=”0″ first=”false”][/fusion_builder_column_inner][/fusion_builder_row_inner][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • St Patrick’s Day

    St Patrick’s Day

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    Factfile

    Who: St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland

    Feast Day: 17 March

    Life: Born c. 385 AD, Died 461 AD

    Symbol: Shamrock

    History

    St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain into a wealthy family: his father Calphurnius was a deacon, his mother Conchessa was a relation of St. Martin of Tours and his grandfather was a priest. At the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken back to the west coast of Ireland, possibly Mayo, as a slave.

    According to his later confession, Patrick escaped from his master after God told him in a dream to flee his captivity. He returned to Britain and began studying to be a priest. In 432, he returned to Ireland as a bishop to spread the message of Christianity and convert people away from paganism.

    He founded 375 churches across Ireland, each of which contained a school for teaching the practices to the next generation. After his death in 461, many people made pilgrimages to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin.

    [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible” type=”legacy”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” align_self=”flex-start” border_sizes_undefined=”” first=”true” last=”true” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_testimonial name=”” gender=”” company=”” link=”” target=””]Did you know? There is no consensus over exactly what is a “true” shamrock. Opinion is divided mostly between two species: the lesser clover and the white clover.[/fusion_testimonial][fusion_text]

    Today

    Saint+Patrick+Shamrock St. Patrick’s Day became a national holiday in Ireland in 1903, and feasts, festivals and religious celebrations are held across Ireland and the rest of the world every year. People wear green and attach shamrocks to their clothes.

    Communities also hold Céilí, public parades featuring Gaelic folk music, with plenty of singing and dancing.

    The Lenten restrictions on consuming food and alcohol are also lifted for the day, which has encouraged the party atmosphere.

    Symbol

    Trifolium_repens_Leaf_April_2,_2010

    According to legend, St. Patrick used the shamrock in his preaching as a metaphor for the Christian Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Today the shamrock is used to symbolise both the saint and Ireland more generally.

    [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none” align_self=”flex-start” border_sizes_undefined=”” first=”true” last=”true” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all”][fusion_testimonial name=”” gender=”” company=”” link=”” target=””]Interesting Fact: Last year even the astronauts in the International Space Station celebrated the day by wearing green. [/fusion_testimonial][fusion_text]

    640px-Chris_Hadfield_in_the_Space_Station_on_Saint_Patrick's_Day

    Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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  • Celebrating Garden Re-Leaf Day with Millbrook

    Celebrating Garden Re-Leaf Day with Millbrook

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    Meeting staff at Millbrook
    Meeting staff at Millbrook

    I spent Sunday 16 March at Millbrook Garden Centre in Gravesend to raise money for Garden Re-Leaf Day and Greenfingers charity!

    I gave talks on therapeutic gardening and creating a sensory, stimulating garden that encourages wildlife to flourish, plus walking talks of the garden centre’s new, award-winning wildlife area, which includes a wildflower meadow, bird hide and insect hotel.

    It was a delight to give some time and visit Millbrook for Garden Re-Leaf Day to raise money for Greenfingers charity, and meeting customers to talk about sensory gardening techniques and just how much plants enhance our lives was a pleasure to do.

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    Giving a talk
    Giving a talk

    The money raised from the event will go to Greenfingers’ Rosy Cheeks Appeal, which aims to raise £750,000 over two years to fund the creation of at least ten more unique children’s hospice gardens.

    We also gave away free goody bags filled with exclusive giveaways including free tickets to the Ideal Home Show, an Ernest Charles seed blend from Gardman and a Watering Starter Kit from Hozelock. There was also a raffle to win a Beckbury three seat wooden bench by Hartman worth £249.99!

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    Picking the lucky raffle ticket
    Picking the lucky raffle ticket for the bench (in the background)

    I also had great fun running an interactive children’s workshop with seed planting activities for children and grown-ups alike to get stuck in. It was so encouraging meeting the kids and their parents  – and there was mud and compost everywhere by the end!

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    Getting our hands dirty
    Getting our hands dirty

    Millbrook also hopes to inspire children to get involved with the Rosy Cheeks Appeal and ran a competition asking local schoolchildren to suggest ideas that they would like to see in a garden for sick children. Here is the winning design from Longfield Academy!

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    The winning design
    The winning design

    Thanks for a great day raising plenty of money for a very good cause!

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