GARDENS & GARDENING
How to rewild your patch By RURAL magazine’s gardening correspondent, Gill Maccabe
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t long last, and not before time, many Island gardens and hedgerows and major tourist sites such as Jersey Zoo are looking a mess. At least, that is what many would have called it years ago. But finely manicured borders with not a blade of grass out of place and rows of marigolds, petunias and other mismatched coloured annuals standing upright on perfectly toiled earth are firmly passé. Today’s gardening trend is all about rewilding and naturalisation, letting nature and wildlife come together in a gently controlled manner. During the first lockdown we saw what could be achieved without mass trimming and pruning. The hedgerows were a riot of pink field campion and bright red valerian, with white yarrow standing sentinel behind, interspersed with gorgeous blue diadem cornflowers fighting for supremacy, nodding their little heads and spreading their valuable seeds. Organisations such as Jersey Trees for Life and Jersey Biodiversity Centre are encouraging home and landowners to make room for native plants and wildlife species and their respective websites are packed with information on how to get closer to our Island's ecology, wildlife and natural environment and help preserve what we are so fortunate to have on our doorstep. You can rewild your own piece of land by making just a few tweaks to your maintenance schedule. Rather than prune for winter, put away your shears and clippers and follow a few simple steps. Interested? Then get started.
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