Surviving the scarcity of food and tumbling temperatures of winter can be a tough time for wildlife. Maintaining body temperature and looking for food can sometimes burn energy even more quickly than they can consume it. There are two ways that some wildlife make survival more likely, some choose to migrate to warmer climes until winter has passed such as swallows, martins and swifts and some choose to hibernate - a Latin term which literally means 'to pass the winter' - through the coldest months of the year. Th.e only animals that truly hibernate in Ireland are hedgehogs and bats, oh and the small population of dormice that turned up in Co. Kildare. During hibernation they are not really asleep, instead they drop their body temperature to match their surroundings and enter a state of torpor. This allows them to save a lot of energy but slows down all other bodily functions making normal activity impossible. Some other woodland residents enter a state of inactivity but will often emerge during warm spells to eat or exercise, animals such as squirrels, badgers and even butterflies. Hedgehogs are one of the few mammals that we call true hibernators but to understand why they do, you have to understand what and when they eat. Firstly, hedgehogs are omnivores, they eat both plants and animals but most of their diet consist of worms, slugs and beetles but also the occasional frog along with roots, mushrooms, berries and even bird's eggs. Secondly, hedgehogs are nocturnal, they are active from dusk till dawn searching for tasty things to eat. They need to eat a third of their body weight each night so; it takes a lot of creepy crawly things to feed these hearty eaters. In the lead up to hibernation, it is essential that hedgehogs fatten up and put as much weight as possible so that over winter there is a large store of energy to call upon which all helps to keep the body running. When the weather gets colder and food becomes scarce for the hedgehog, it will go into hibernation to survive. During mild winters hedgehogs can remain active well into November and December but they usually hibernate from late October through to March or April. During the day, and during winter hibernation, the hedgehog will sleep in a specially built nest in thick undergrowth, under a shed, in piles of leaves or sticks. They do not, however, enter a continuous state of hibernation and recent studies have shown that even during hibernation, hedgehogs are likely to move nesting sites at least once during this period and so can sometimes be seen out and about in the mild spells of the winter months. The name of the dormouse has the same origin as the French word dormir which means 'to sleep' and is probably a reference to the fact that they spend most of their lives asleep and dormice really know how to sleep. From late October through to May the dormouse hibernates; May might seem very late to emerge from hibernation but it isn’t until then that any food becomes available. Their diet varies depending on the time of year. In autumn, dormice are fattening up on a feast of hazelnuts, seeds and berries, in order to put on enough fat for them to survive the winter. Once they emerge from hibernation in late spring, they will eat the blossoming flowers of trees such as hawthorn and oak but they are also known for taking caterpillars. Dormice are tree dwellers and make nests in thickets where they can raise their young but even during the summer they do a lot of sleeping. Most food foraging is done at dusk and dawn so in the daytime and during the dead of night they go back to sleep again. After gathering up their fat reserves in autumn, dormice will go into hibernation; as the weather turns cooler they will move down from the trees to ground level, where the winter temperatures are more stable. They hibernate under logs, under moss and leaves or among the dead leaves at the base of coppice stools and thick hedges. Dormice choose a moist place to hibernate, where the temperature will remain cool and stable and the humidity high, conditions that are vital for when their metabolic processes are slowed. Water vapour is lost during the animal’s breathing and so damp conditions are really necessary and will ensure the animals do not desiccate during the winter, as they do not wake up and drink regularly. They create a tightly woven nest around the size of a tennis ball made of grass and leaves and they will curl up in this ball with their tail wrapped around their face and body to keep warm; dreaming, perhaps of summer. As temperatures start to drop and insect numbers decline, bats (males and females) move into hibernation roosts (hibernacula) though very little is currently known about where Irish bats hibernate, apart from the Lesser Horseshoe bat. Horseshoe bats need cool places for the winter, houses are usually too warm so they may choose caves, bridges, crevices in stone-outbuildings, disused cellars, mines or even tree holes. A bat’s body temperature lowers (bats reduce the difference between body and ambient temperature to an absolute minimum) and their metabolic rate slows, meaning they use less energy and can survive on the fat they have stored up instead of trying to forage for food when insect prey will be harder to find. Individual bats may wake up occasionally during mild spells to hunt and to drink. A recent study of droppings collected at hibernation sites in Co Clare showed that the important prey items for winter foraging were those insects associated with the dung of grazing cattle as well as the winter gnat. Photo credits: Piotr Laskawski - Irish Wildlife Trust - Lorna Griffiths - Woodland Trust - National Geographic - Bat Conservation
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How to plant a hedge that will give you beauty, wildlife and foraging, all within a row of flowering plants. Hedges serve many purposes within a garden – they delineate the boundary between one garden and another or between different parts of the same garden, they can be used to filter strong winds, intrusive traffic noise and pollution and provide privacy. They are often planted as a backdrop to flower borders or lawns, to give evergreen structure in winter or to provide shelter when sitting outside. Hedges have a positive effect on gardens generally, they increase the range pollinators, native flora and fauna, they increase soil health and fertility, they increase biodiversity and local ecosystems and they can provide more food for less work than just about any thing else you can do. As the interest in growing food continues and more vegetable and fruit is planted instead of purely ornamental plants, what if your hedge rewarded you with food as well as being a windbreak or a screen. Imagine a hedgerow that is awash with spring blossom and a feast for the senses in autumn with colour and the wild flavours of the fruit nestled within. Succulent berries, the tartness of wild apples, pears and plums and the unique taste of hips, haws and nuts. A good native, edible hedge has many uses, this living wall of green is also great for wildlife all-year-round, offering nectar and pollen for many species of bugs and butterflies, fruit and berries for a myriad of birds and mammals as well as providing seasonal foraging for eating fresh, frozen or preserved. A single species hedge may give a more uniform look, but a mixed-species hedge can be absolutely stunning with the contrasting leaf shapes and textures, punctuated by masses of spring flowers and vibrant autumn colour in the form leaves and fruit. By growing the widest range of plants possible, you will also attract the widest range of wildlife. I would recommend a mixed hedge that includes some, if not all, of the following Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn or sloe - This native shrub or small tree is an excellent basic start for an edible hedge and its prickly stems make an excellent stock-proof barrier for any hedgerow. White flowers on bare branches in spring are followed by blue-black fruits in autumn that have a very sharp flavour when fresh but become sweeter if frozen after picking or left on the tree until after the first frosts. The sloes contain Vitamin C, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and other antioxidants but are not usually eaten raw and are rarely used for cooking; they are more widely collected for use in making wines or infused into alcohol and sugar to make sloe gin. Pyrus communis - The wild pear is thought to be one of the ancestors of domestic pears and can sometimes be found in older hedgerows. The whole tree is laden with clusters of white flowers in April which are very attractive to pollinators. The glossy green leaves in summer turn vibrant orange and gold in autumn and produces tiny, but sweet pears that are perfect for jellies and jam and considering it's a tree, it takes readily to clipping within a hedge. Malus sylvestris - The native crab apple forms a dense, bushy tree that will also conform readily to cutting and is often found in older hedgerows. Beautiful pinkish-white blossom, very rich in nectar and of incredible benefit to wildlife.; some 50 plus species of insect are associated with the crab apple. The blossom is also very rich in pollen, and will pollinate cultivated dessert and cooking apple varieties too. In autumn small, hard, tart green, sometimes flushed red fruits appear that make a delicious jelly and are excellent for a source of pectin for jam. Rosa canina - The dog rose is a vigorous, scrambling, shrub with arching green stems armed with thorns. Lightly scented, flowers, in shades from candy-pink to white from June to August are followed by orange-red hips which are very rich in Vitamin C. It makes a wonderful informal hedgerow. or as part of a mixed hedge where it can wind its way through the other plants and is great for both pollinators and for birds. Rubus fruticosus - The blackberry or bramble, a plant that is usually cleared from hedgerows instead of being planted, is a staple of the foraging world. It is a great grower practically everywhere, needs no special soils or site and will reward annually with a crop of deliciously sweet, juicy fruit. The flowers are visited by bees, bumblebees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths and the fruit is loved by birds, field mice, squirrels, foxes and people. Corylus avellana - What can you say about the common hazelnut. It is a great grower almost anywhere, is a cheap and effective way to bulk out a hedgerow, extremely fast growing, and tolerant of a wide range of soils and conditions. As a woodland plant it is also tolerant of shade, this is a must have plant for food foragers. Hippophae rhamnoides - Sea buckthorn or seaberry is a more unusual selection for an edible hedge. This prickly shrub with narrow, silver-green and small white flowers in spring produces an enormous amount of striking orange berries which are delicious but very, very tart. Only females produce berries and tend to fruit only after six years for your hedgerow though new cultivars can produce a little fruit earlier. . Other fruiting plants to consider are damsons, gages and bullaces which are the wilder forms of the garden plums; you can intersperse hedges with evergreens such as holly, privet and cotoneaster but make sure you remember which fruit you can eat.
Planting hedges is a much better choice of boundaries than fences or walls if you want to attract wildlife, especially if you choose native trees and shrubs. They allow a safe way for wildlife to move through the landscape, between gardens and other spaces, and provide feeding and nesting opportunities along their length. They offer food in the form of leaves, flowers, berries, fruits, seeds and nuts and are also good protection against predators. If you choose to plant an edible hedge you will be competing with the wildlife for the bounty it provides but given the amount of hedges that are lost each year or flailed to broken stumps, it's a small price to pay that some of the goodies may be snaffled first... Though we appreciate the emergence of new leaves in the spring, the arrival of flowers and fruit, nothing quite captures our imagination as the spectacular display when autumn's colours are at their peak From our native trees of ash, oak, hazel, birch, rowan and willow to trees that were introduced later like beech, horse chestnut and larch and the astounding array that we now plant in our gardens, such as maples and sweet gums (Liquidambar), Ireland’s display of colour in the autumn can be dazzlingly beautiful. For just a few short weeks, the leaves turn many colours, shades beloved of artists. hues of sepia and tortoiseshell. Of peach-tinted parchment and burnished copper, of caramelised bronze and honeyed gold, of yellow and russet, of carmine, purple, pink and ferrous red, They are, however, not there for our benefit; nature has a way of combining the sublime with the practical, and the fiery colours of autumn trees stand out as an excellent example of this convergence. But just what is going on? Why and how do leaves fall off and why do they change colour first? Leaves are the food factories of trees; the seasonal workers of the canopy and chlorophyll, the pigment that makes them green, is instrumental in harvesting the energy from sunlight and using it to make carbohydrates (glucose). The tree uses the sunlight to break down the carbon dioxide (CO2) which it sucks in from the air and water (H20) which is drawn up through their amazing root system. The tree turns the CO2 and H20 into oxygen (O2), which gets expelled as transpiration through its leaves and glucose, which the tree consumes for energy. The process, called photosynthesis, is less sustainable in the darker months of Irish winters so it is far more advantageous for a tree to disrobe temporarily; to be deciduous, than to retain their leaves throughout the year. The benefits of shedding leaves is that trees can retain the nutrients from their leaves in the body of the tree, preserve the moisture in their branches and trunk and require less energy by entering a state of dormancy. From late summer onward, cells at the junction of the leaf and stem begin to multiply, forming a layer known as the abscission layer which is a sort of plant equivalent of a dotted line. In autumn, hormones within the tree begin to change, the most notable of which is auxin which are produced throughout the growing season and as long as the rates remain steady, the cells of the abscission layer stay connected, keeping the leaves attached to the tree. With shorter days and cooler temperatures, auxin production in the leaves starts to decrease, triggering cellular fractures along the dotted line, causing the leaf, from its own weight, to fall from the tree. Since its spring emergence, the leaf has contained the light harnessing pigment Chlorophyll and two further pigments, with ancillary roles in photsynthesis; xanthophyll and betacarotene, both of which are obscured by the more dominant green pigment of chlorophyll during the growing season. As the season progresses, however, and the tree enters the autumn of its year, nutrients and compounds are reabsorbed from the leaf, exported to the stems, branches and elsewhere for safe storage until the spring. Now, as the green hue is dispersed, the other pigments remain, revealed in their true colours; xanthophyll gives the leaves its glowing golds and yellows and betacarotene its vibrant oranges. In some trees, other colours emerge that weren't there during the spring or summer, reds and purples. As phosphate decreases in the leaf, so the sugars that remain become less and less able to undergo the conversion into carbohydrates for use by the tree. The sugars still break down and this produces anthocyanins, the red and purple pigments that give us the richest and most vivid autumn colours of all. There is still some debate about whether these anthocyanins confer some strategic advantage to the tree. Why would some trees, preparing for winter, engineer new pigments instead of absorbing all possible sugars before dumping their leaves? It is possible that their presence helps to lower the leaf’s freezing point, giving it some protection from cold and allowing leaves to remain in place longer and more time to export nutrients. It is also thought to deter grazing animals whilst the re-absorption is still progressing. The final colour, brown is produced by tannins; although present throughout the growing season, they become more evident as the chlorophyll disappears and blend their colour with those of other leaf pigments.. This is the last addition to the autumnal splendour, the uniform of death and decay, the colour that endures long after the other colours have faded, when the tree's autumn finery is but a carpet on the ground. And the leaves that were green, turn to brown.
A moon garden is specifically designed to be enjoyed after dark, a garden that comes alive by the light of the moon and where you can reconnect with creatures of the night. The Moon is the closest astronomical body to Earth, giving it a strong influence over us; it pulls on Earth’s oceans, causing tides, and its movement affects our emotions, reactions, and even the cycles of our bodies. The moon has always played an important role in gardening and in agriculture; long before calendars, we tracked time by the cycles of the moon. We also tend to think of moon gardens as a modern design trend but they are not a new concept at all; moon gardens have a long history and can be found in countries like India and Japan. In the early 1500s, India’s Mughal emperor Babur created the Mehtab Bagh - literally meaning ‘Moonlight Garden’ and later, his descendant Shah Jehan included it as a part of the Taj Mahal; a moonlit pleasure garden from which to view the mausoleum. Moon gardens were also planted in medieval Japan, using white or pale-coloured rocks and sand, and pools of water to catch the shimmering moonlight. The golden age of these monochromatic gardens, specifically white gardens began in the 20th century with, Gertrude Jekyll among the first to acknowledge the importance of colour in the garden. She created a number of monochromatic gardens, including white though the Sissinghurst White Garden must be the most famous and, to many, the most beautiful white garden in the world. It was created by an English writer and gardener Vita Sackville-West, originally as a rose garden and later transformed into the White Garden seen today. Creating your own Moon Garden Try to seek out the most peaceful spot for your lunar layout, where you can sit and whisper your secrets to the moon, listen to the wind through the plants or the trickle of a water feature, where you can sit and relax for hours without disturbance. Artificial light should be kept to a minimum, the garden should be enjoyed by moonlight but on days where there is no moon, you can accentuate the planting by installing soft lights; consider tiny fairy lights, low level solar lights, lanterns or candles. While your sight may be somewhat impaired at night, your other senses will not be so, aim to create an acoustic environment. A good moon garden will have soothing sounds such as those from a small fountain or other similar water feature; or the sounds of crystal clear notes that ring out on gentle breezes from strategically placed wind chimes or a soft susurration through the stems of ornamental grasses and bamboos, whispering sweet nothings to the night.. Create a garden that imbues the night air with lingering and intoxicating perfume of night scented flowers, climbers such as honeysuckle around a cosy arbour or ones that line a path which release their perfume as you pass by, lavender and catmint and phlox. Remember to plant containers with sweetly scented annuals like nicotiana and night scented stock. Make use of design elements such as paths constructed from light or white coloured gravel or pale cobbles, garden mirrors in the right place can help to reflect the moon or mirrored balls placed in strategic places in the borders White is the last colour to disappear into the gloaming so, choose trees, shrubs and plants that will continue to pierce the darkness long after the sun has set. Bring a glow as the daylight fades and that ethereal twilight descends over the garden. Flowers such as snowdrops, magnolias, alliums and tulips will start the flowering year whilst the striking stems of white-stemmed birch will add an accent all year round. During the summer white shrub roses, foxgloves Agapanthus, Philadelphus and Daphnes will add height and perfume so make sure there is somewhere to sit nearby. Hydrangeas will flower well into autumn along with annuals such as Pelargoniums, Nicotiana, Dianthus and cosmos Planting for nighttime beauty that is also beneficial for pollinators such as moths, bats and bees gives you the opportunity to reconnect with nature. You may even create a garden that whilst you sit, communing with the moon, may attract other wildlife to the garden, such as hedgehogs and foxes
Night pollinators are attracted to plants in a moon garden as it is usually planted with white and pale-colored flowers that are intensely fragrant and produce a lot of nectar. White and pale blooms show up well in moonlight, so moths flock to them. They also have an amazing sense of smell, they love flowers that are highly scented, they love wisteria, honeysuckle and jasmine which you can plant against walls or over fences, archways, pergolas and arbours. Some moths hover over the plants to sip nectar with their very long tongues, and others will land on the flowers while they feed. A few native bees, such as small sweat bees, work by night, using the moon and starlight to navigate through the garden, they are drawn to evening primroses and Monarda (beebalm). that are fragrant during the day but their perfume intensifies as the night gathers. |
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