Green Mermaid Cottage

Now that I finally had my own garden I wanted to make it as welcoming as possible to wildlife, including insects and birds.  PROVIDING FOOD AND WATER FOR BIRDS  I installed a bird bath, bird feeder and a bird house as soon as I could and the previous owner had left a little ‘insect hotel’ which I kept and put on the fence.  SUSTAINABLE GARDENING I never use synthetic pesticides or peat-based compost. Instead I bought organic compost to start with and then made my own using a compost bin.  To try to deal with slugs and snails that targeted my vegetable raised bed, I used slug nematodes with some success.  Slug nematodes are microscopic worms used as an organic, natural pest control. They are safe for pets and wildlife. My longterm plan though is for my pond to attract frogs and toads to contain their numbers. I planted a wide variety of flowers, plants and shrubs to encourage bees and butterflies to visit my garden. Bees and other pollinators will thrive ...