GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE
Julie Gould, wilder childhood officer, and Becky Williams, wild network officer, at Cheshire Wildlife Trust, share their passion for the magical world of winter seed heads and the wildlife they welcome.
Two years ago, Julie shook a teasel head, Dipsacus fullonum, over a patch of her garden, releasing the small brown seeds. Tis plant soon grew to seven feet tall, displaying fresh, bright green foliage. In the summer, the conical-shaped seed head was densely packed with lilac flowers, providing a rich nectar and pollen source for pollinators, such as bumblebees and a variety of our resident buterflies. Te magic of the teasel doesn’t end with summer. In winter, its sculptural seed heads become striking silhouetes, and more importantly, they provide a rich food source for wildlife. One of Julie’s fondest wildlife memories is from her kitchen window, where she spoted a charm of goldfinchesbalancing on swaying
Life in a Teasel Head
teasel seed heads. Teir long, needle-like beaks root around for the small seeds. On frosty mornings, the seed heads sparkled silver in the low light – a truly enchanting sight. Teasels are just one example of how leaving plants
standing throughout winter can benefit wildlife. From the warmth of your house, watch birds such as house sparrows feeding on flowerheads like rudbeckia. Consider delaying the cuting of your herbaceous
borders until early spring and leaving the leaf piles intact. Tis is a unique habitat that provides cover for ground-foraging birds, such as dunnocks, as well as hibernating frogs and hedgehogs. Hollow plant stems are a vital over-wintering home for invertebrates such as ladybirds, earwigs, and buterfly and moth caterpillar larvae. Uncut ivy and hedgerows also offer protection and food to a plethora of wildlife. Tis winter, resist the urge to tidy too much. A wilder garden is beter for both wildlife and our own enjoyment too. Here are Becky’s favourite seed heads to be leſt in the garden through winter:
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Cumbrian Wildlife | March 2024
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