Wilder Kent Blog

Here are some of Penny and Peter's favourite plants for providing that all-important pollen and nectar for the insects in their garden.

Seeing and hearing bees and other insects in our garden is one of the joys of spring and summer. Recently Peter and Penny have been delighted by solitary bees nesting in their bug homes. Here they share their experience of what did and didn't work to encourage bees and bugs to their garden, and offer some handy tips ahead of National Insect Week.

Penny and Peter were inspired to create a patch of wilder lawn about fifteen years ago when they first noticed the leaves of a common spotted orchid in the grass at the bottom of their garden. In this blog, they share their practical experience of turning that part of their lawn into a mini-meadow.

It’s a gardener’s greatest joy, to watch the bees visit their flowers in the spring and to hear the loud buzzing of summer all around. Sadly, supporting our bees is not as straight forward as planting lots of lovely flowers.

Shy reptiles have a real sense of the wild about them, but did you know they can be found in many garden settings?

Gardeners often ask Wild About Gardens advisors (WAGAs) how they can protect their plants from slugs and snails without using harmful chemicals, and still encourage the wildlife that feeds on them such as hedgehogs and thrushes.

Slugs are often seen as enemies, even by the most dedicated wildlife gardeners. However, they can be the gardener’s friend, not just a hated foe. Read on to discover how Penny and Peter Brook have become more reconciled to sharing their garden with them.

Penny and Peter Brook were awarded Gold by Wild about Gardens in 2012 and since then they have worked as volunteers for the scheme. They love gardening for wildlife and want to encourage others to do likewise to reap the personal benefits of a greater connection with nature and to help create a Wilder Kent.