homes & gardens INDEX
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR
BIRDBATHS – MAKING A SPLASH!
Birds need water for drinking and bathing – it is particularly important during the hot, dry summer weather when water can be hard to fi nd, as well as in the winter when natural supplies may be frozen. Birds have no sweat glands, so they need less water than mammals. However, they do lose water through respiration, and in their droppings. Most small birds need to drink at least twice a day. Water to bathe in is just as important
for birds as it is essential that they keep their feathers in good condition, and bathing is an important part of feather maintenance. Dampening the feathers loosens the dirt and makes their feathers easier to preen. When preening, birds carefully rearrange their feathers and spread oil from their preen gland so they remain waterproof and trap an insulating layer of air underneath to keep them warm. There are many ways of providing
water for birds in the garden – the simplest being a birdbath. This is essentially a dish of water that needs to be functional – the
WATER AND WILDLIFE
If there is one garden feature that provides the best possible habitat for wildlife, it has to be the pond. Almost any permanent standing water body within a garden has some wildlife value – even if it is just drinking water for birds. Even if you install just a tiny pond it will be colonised quickly. You are likely to see pond-skaters, beetles, snails, dragonfl ies and damselfl ies, frogs, toads and newts within a matter of days or a few short weeks. Try to ensure you have easy access and exit points
from your pond as wildlife can’t always cope with steep sides. Also plant some groundcover around your pond to provide hiding places for amphibians.
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WOODLANDS? Question: which is the most densely wooded part of England? Would it surprise you to learn that the High Weald, spanning West Kent, North Sussex and a small part of Surrey, has three times more woodland than the national average? Remarkably, 70% of this is Ancient Woodland – woodland that has been in existence continuously since 1600 or before and contains rare gills. To celebrate this fact, the High
aesthetic aspects are there to please us, not the birds, and the hand-made stone bird baths, designed by Chilstone of Tunbridge Wells, will make a pleasing focal point in any garden.
The Penshurst Father Time Birdbath,
designed to represent one of our local historical villages, is exclusive to Chilstone. Priced at £199, excluding delivery, it stands at 91cm. The Sands Of Time Birdbath, launched this year by Chilstone, is priced at £149, excluding delivery, and stands at 77cm tall. • Call Chilstone of Tunbridge Wells on 01892 740866, visit
www.chilstone.com or email offi
ce@chilstone.com
Weald AONB Unit has produced a guide to Woodlands in the Weald, which looks at how humans and nature have combined to create a unique wooded landscape that is a refuge for wildlife, rich in archaeology and valued for rural crafts, commerce and recreation. “Ancient woodland is especially important, as it is land that has been continuously wooded for many centuries,” says Matthew Pitt, the High Weald AONB’s Cultural Landscape Advisor. “Ancient semi-natural woodland is made up of native tree species and is the most ecologically rich and diverse habitat type in the UK.” Much of the ancient woodland in Kent, Sussex and Surrey has been managed for centuries by skilled workers, using a rotational coppice system. This ensured that a renewable supply of wood was always available. Traditional coppicing is an important woodland management technique as it creates a habitat that has vital biodiversity benefi ts. • The guide also highlights the woodland accessible to the public. For a free copy, call 01580 879960 or email
info@highweald.org
DIARY DATE Shoreham Garden Safari
Combine your love of gardens with a day out during a visit to the Shoreham Village Garden Safari on 14th and 15th June. Situated in the North Downs in Kent on the banks of the River Darent, the safari includes a variety of interesting historical properties with a diversity of gardens and plantings in different styles. At least 18 gardens will be opening their gates to visitors during the weekend – all within relatively easy walking distance between them, and with parking available at various points. Refreshments are available at several venues.
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