Leyland cypress
The Leyland cypress, or 'Leylandii', is a notorious tree that has been widely planted for its fast-growing nature. It easily can get out of control, shading gardens at the expense of…
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Chwilio
Horned treehopper
This bizarre bug can be found on plants in woodland rides and clearings.
Sugar kelp
Sugar kelp is the crinkly belt like kelp that can often be found in deep rockpools on the lower shore or washed up on the beach after rough seas.
Red-and-black froghopper
This distinctive bug is often seen basking on low-growing plants in spring and summer.
Wetlands
Teeming with insects, rich in plants and a haven for mammals, wetlands offer an unforgettable experience. They play a vital role in supporting wildlife, purifying water and capturing carbon.
How to create a mini pond
Even a small pond can be home to an interesting range of wildlife, including damsel and dragonflies, frogs and newts. Any pond can become a feeding ground for birds, hedgehogs and bats – the best…
Razorbill
The razorbill has a characteristically thick, black bill, with a white stripe across it. It nests with other seabirds, such as guillemots, but prefers the lower ledges and rocky bottoms of cliffs…
Lowland calcareous grassland
Typical of softly rolling pastoral landscapes, the short, aromatic turf of lowland calcareous grassland is flower-rich and humming with insects in the summer. Its long use by humans lends it an…
Protect the Montgomery Canal
A thriving ecosystem packed with rare plants and scarce species; a year-round refuge for otters to feed and play; and, in summer, a bustling insect highway, alive with bees, butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies, the Montgomery Canal is one of the best canals for nature in the UK; But The Monty is under threat.
How to grow a wild patch or mini meadow
Whether it's a flowerpot, flowerbed, wild patch in your lawn, or entire meadow, planting wildflowers provides vital resources to support a wide range of insects that couldn't survive in…
Calaminarian grassland
This is a strange, sparse habitat of grassland growing on old mining tracks and slag heaps, on river gravels and naturally exposed metal-rich soils in the mountains. Only the toughest metal-loving…
My experiment
Simon has been restoring Wild Meadows for three years. By planting trees, digging a lake and sowing meadows, he is showing how quickly wildlife like otters, badgers and tawny owls can return, and…