Quote:
Originally Posted by redbush
Hi,
I currently have an average sized concrete terraced yard with about 15 pot plants in. It's north facing but gets a reasonable amount of sunlight. I'm thinking about what I can do to make it "more green", and to attract more wildlife. I would like to retain the shed and decking. Currently we get visits from blue tits, robins, slugs, bees, blue bottle flies, and ladybirds in small numbers.
I would like a patch of lawn but there doesn't seem space for it. Also anything that involved digging up the concrete would probably be expensive.
Does anyone have an ideas for things such as lawns,water features,beds,particular plants that would make my yard more green?!
See attached for photos of my garden.
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I think you've got the basics all right - what you need is more of the same! I would suggest trying to replace your current containers by larger ones - they'll hold water better and not need watering so often. Improvise, or build your own.
You've obviously got more scope for trellis and climbing things up walls. But don't let things get too tall - they have an annoying habit of leaning over the edge and flowering for your neighbours and not for you!
For wildlife - avoid pesticides - the things that eat your plants are food for the birds. Think about growing british native plants, or at the very least avoid plants with double flowers.
Certainly try a small water feature - you may get some insect life in it. But make at least part of it shallow enough for the birds to splash in. We noticed a big increase in birds when we added a shallow "stream" to our pond.
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