Good gardens for everyone
Building on our two award-winning projects, the bird, bee and butterfly garden at Ham Library and the allotments at Grey Court school, this project aimed to create more “Good Gardens” - residential gardens that are environmentally kind as well as attractive to look at - in our community over the course of one year.
We promoted the ideas and expertise on wildlife-friendly and resource-saving practices in a changing climate through a series of events (workshops and guided walks) and our existing communications channels (newsletters, website, social media, the Ham & Petersham Magazine, etc).
The project ran from July 2021 to June 2022.
Summaries of events
Click on the hyperlinks to read summaries of the events in this project:
Improving your garden for wellbeing and wildlife. Talk by Alison Marsden. - 28th June 2022
Growing good. A walk and talk on sustainable food and flower growing with Ham House gardeners Vanessa Park and Janette Slack-Smith. - 29 April 2022
Adapting gardens to climate change. A guided tour of Ham House Gardens with Head Gardener Rosie Fyles. - 4 March 2022
Attracting garden birds. A talk by bird enthusiast John Gard. - 11 November 2021
How to get the best out of water in your garden - A walking tour of residential ponds and water harvesting systems. - 17 October 2021
Green grafting for a greener environment - An informative tour of the Wates Estate’s gardens with local garden designer Thérèse Rebeiz. - 25 September 2021
Good Gardens launch party - 6 July 2021
Resources
We have put together some excellent resources from books and websites to podcasts and videos to help you turn your own garden into a "good garden". Click here to view them.
Videos
Wild Your Garden with Joel Ashton - How to videos and examples of wildlife gardens installed by landscape designer Joel Ashton (YouTube Channel)
Garden Ninja - Includes playlists on wildlife gardening and gardening without plastics (YouTube Channel)
The Middle-Sized Garden - Sustainable gardening advice for beginner gardeners (YouTube playlist)
Tiny wildflower meadow - Bumblebee Conservation Trust guide on how to grow a wildflower meadow in a pot or container
Gardening for Wellbeing and Wildlife - Condensed version of a talk Alison Marsden gave in the Good Gardens for Everyone project
Books
Wildlife gardening for everyone and everything by Kate Bradbury. - Easy to follow practical guide broken down by species and how you can attract them to your garden.
How to garden the low carbon way : the steps you can take to help combat climate change by Sally Nex.
Gardening for bumblebees : a practical guide to creating a paradise for pollinators by Dave Goulson.
Companion to wildlife gardening by Chris Baines. Very detailed guide combining how to with the authors extensive experience and research findings.
The garden jungle, or, Gardening to save the planet by Dave Goulson. Observations and science on the wildlife in our gardens. Nerdy, entertaining read.
Websites and online guides
Nature on your doorstep - Beginners guides to affordable wildlife friendly gardening
Gardening for wildlife - Advise by RHS experts
Wildlife gardening guides - Quick and easy as well as more detailed guides by The Wildlife Trusts
Plants for pollinators - RHS advise and plant list
Gardening without harmful invasive plants - Guide with detailed advice on plants and the conditions they require to thrive
Podcasts
Growing Greener - Pocast series on how to become a sustainable gardener from BBC Gardeners' World
Peat – the miracle beneath our feet - why it is important to save it and how you can go without in your garden
Wildlife in winter - chatty episode about the wonders of garden wildlife in winter
Permaculture special - environmentally friendly way to grow food
Gardening in a changing climate
Thrifty gardening - tips on saving resources (and money) in gardening
Gardening for wildlife - top plants, top tips & more
Forum
Wildlife Gardening Forum: Facebook group aiming to encourage, educate, and entertain with all things wildlife gardening. It's very busy but well worth scrolling for inspiration. Your wildlife gardening questions are welcome - the group is run by RHS & RSPB wildlife gardening experts from the #WLGF, the UK's largest garden wildlife charity.
Thanks
Artwork kindly provided by local artist Beatriz Olivares Vela. Follow Bea on Instagram @bea.wims.
Good Gardens for Everyone is funded by Richmond upon Thames' Local Area Fund.
