Belmont gardeners, Jean and Alisa, have been busy over Winter, building and installing our new bug hotels. Insect populations are in decline, which was one of the reasons they wanted take to on this project.
The border just outside the back of the Walled Garden hasn’t been an area we have really encouraged our visitors to go but now it has been transformed. After clearing the area, they had a blank canvas to get creative with.
They have made two bug hotels using natural and recycled materials from the grounds. To build the hotels they used pallets, bricks, perforated bricks, pine cones, logs and stones. At the side of each hotel they have a log pile to support wildlife including moss, fungi and insects. They will also provide shelter to small mammals, reptiles, lizard amphibians, toads and newts.
Two living willow tunnels have been planted, which we hope our younger visitors will enjoy when they are fully grown.
This can be a very shady area, so they have planted things that will thrive in these conditions. The idea is that there will be always be something flowering throughout the year. You can expect to see snow drops, lily of the valley, ferns, house leeks and heuchera.
Insects are an integral part of a successful garden, so we hope the beasties will like their new home. Don’t forget to have a look next time you are visiting the gardens.
They are a great new addition to the garden and now Jean and Alisa are keen to move onto their next project – planting different species of Cornus commonly known as Dogwood which will really brighten the gardens up during the winter.