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We thought the birds would enjoy picking at this hay to put in their nests.  But if the birds don’t use it hopefully we will get some bugs and insects to move in! 

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One of the first plants for bees to collect their pollen.

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Our log pile by the compost heaps where we have seen mice, rats and hedgehogs 🦔 

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Inspirational recycled garden art projects

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Inspirational recycled garden art projects

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Please take a look as there are some fabulous garden art projects that will inspire you to try them at home - many use recycled materials. Or why not create a few garden art ideas of your own - and please share them with us too!

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530 Best Garden Art ideas | garden art, yard art, garden

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May 3, 2021 - Inspirational Art in the Garden . See more ideas about garden art, yard art, garden.

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Wind Chimes - a simple idea to try at home. Hope you enjoy, any questions please let me know.

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Scroll down to find a fantastic idea for a simple garden windchime, something to hang in your favourite tree, or where you sit to enjoy hearing the breeze.

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This is a great video showing you how to make a simple yet really effective dream catcher at home. Incorporated into this you can add your own upcycled materials from home such as beads, fabrics, shiny objects, feathers, anything really to add some colour to your craft. Any questions please ask.

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See below for instructions on how to weave the centre of your dreamcatcher

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Bird feeders that offer a good variety of nuts, fruit and energy will certainly appeal at this time of year as birds start nesting and preparing to feed young.

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Bird feeders that offer a good variety of nuts, fruit and energy will certainly appeal at this time of year as birds start nesting and preparing to feed young.

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Well done Charley and Caitlin for your very careful work on these bird feeders, let us all know who comes to visit please!

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Fabulous well decorated table with a lovely feast of treats for the birds

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Fabulous well decorated table with a lovely feast of treats for the birds

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Well done Emma, Rob, Caitlin and Charley with these wonderful wildlife treats. Please try and record just what species come to your table to take a look and enjoy your feast if you can. There's certainly lots of choice - everything from halved apples with giant sunflower seeds pushed into them - looking a little like hedgehogs! - to cheerio strings with tempting apricots, blueberries and grapes. I'm sure this display will also attract some new species into your garden. Water is always a really good idea too - even when its cold the birds still love fresh water to drink.

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Ground feeding is a must for blackbirds!

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Ground feeding is a must for blackbirds!

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Making sure you have something for everyone in your garden is really important. Take a look at this fab, simple idea created in the session today, and well placed in the garden so that the birds have some cover against possible predators too. Well done Caitlin.

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Try adding different fruits if you can, just simply use any left overs you have in your fruit/veggie bowl over Easter.

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Congratulations on completing your course -with so many new things tried and achieved its always good to take a moment and remind ourselves just how far you have come and how much you have achieved.

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Session 4 Practical - how to make a simple bird cake 

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Session 4 Practical - how to make a simple bird cake 

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Some great links too that support your knowledge on feeding garden birds:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/feeding-birds/safe-food-for-birds/

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/inthewild/feedinggardenbirds

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Cheery bird strings - so simple to make!

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Cheery bird strings - so simple to make!

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Making bird feeders from juice cartons - theme them and hang them in your wild garden area 

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Making bird feeders from juice cartons - theme them and hang them in your wild garden area 

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Get to know your birds - have you seen any of these?

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Get to know your birds - have you seen any of these?

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Try making  this simple lollypop stick bird feeder

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Try making  this simple lollypop stick bird feeder

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We are so lucky to have this fabulous resource on our doorstep, please take a look at the events for this Easter - so much to take part in and to enjoy.

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Welcome to Cannock Chase - Cannock Chase

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Welcome to Cannock Chase National Landscape An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Cannock Chase is one of England’s finest landscapes, in the heart of Staffordshire and the jewel of the West Midlands. Well known and loved for its scenery, wildlife and rich history, it offers superb walking, cycling and horse-riding in a tranquil and peaceful […]

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Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has plenty going on too this Easter!

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Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has plenty going on too this Easter!

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Take action for a Wilder Future in Staffordshire

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Session 3 Practical:  How to create spring/summer containers

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Session 3 Practical:  How to create spring/summer containers

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Container Gardening - Session 3 Practical 1

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Activity sheet and top tips from the session

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Activity sheet and top tips from the session

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We've sown our seeds

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We also planted some seeds from a rotten tomato and they've also started to grow :)

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Our cress is growing

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Last week we spoke about making seed bombs with our wildlife seeds. Here is a tutorial on how to make them. Post us your photos of your seed bombs.

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Some beautiful designs and all so very different great work.

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Well done girls you have done a beautiful job of these pots with your dads help and support.

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Harry you and your dad have done a fantastic job on this window box. You had the biggest pot to decorate, but you have made a beautiful job using decoupage to decorate it. Well done.

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Glenn we love the way you have used your foraged items from the garden to decorate your pot. It will be interesting to see what happens to your leaves over the next few weeks as they dry out. You could have dried the leaves out using a flower press or microwave first before you stuck them to ensure they do not change.

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Well done Finley with your pot. You have used decoupage to decorate your pot and it looks great.

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Today we looked at alternative recycled plant pots, and we all had a go at making this fab newspaper pot. Very simple to make and very effective. Also as it is newspaper you can put the pot with the plant in straight into your garden soil/container. Over time the newspaper pot with decompose in the soil and disappear.

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Videos to watch -  how to make a hanging or low level bug house.  

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Videos to watch -  how to make a hanging or low level bug house.  

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https://supersimple.com/article/bug-hotel/

Chester Zoo – using cardboard tubes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OexxoXo9uFk

How to make lots of different homes for insects and invertebrates:
https://www.preloved.co.uk/blog/inspiration/inspiration-bug-hotel/

If you want something that looks more like a mansion:

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-build-bug-mansion

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/garden-activities/build-a-bug-hotel

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Nice and simple - quick and easy way to create a hanging bug hotel for your garden/outdoor space.

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Nice and simple - quick and easy way to create a hanging bug hotel for your garden/outdoor space.

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Looking for something a little grander for your bugs?  Try this one ....

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Looking for something a little grander for your bugs?  Try this one ....

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Help your wildlife move around more easily and go undetected from preditors by making this simple mammal tunnel 

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Help your wildlife move around more easily and go undetected from preditors by making this simple mammal tunnel 

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Today we will be sowing herb seeds into your first cleaned container. Please watch the video tutorial and contact me with any questions. Please take photos of your own project and share with us on Padlet in the Your Space Session 2 column.

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Container Gardening - Session 2 Practical 1

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This video takes you through the 21 days of chick development inside the egg. Showing you how a chick develops/changes each day from a tiny cell into a chick which we will see soon.

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Here are some more ideas of the jobs which need doing in your garden this spring

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The RHS gives us lots of tips and advice of how to encourage wildlife into our gardens/outdoor space.

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RHS tips & advice for creating your own wildlife garden / RHS Gardening

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Need some help and advice about your garden? Search the advice from RHS to find out everything from growing your own plants, fruit & veg to winter pruning.

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Session 2 - How to sow herb and flower seeds

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Session 2 - How to sow herb and flower seeds

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Following session 2 you will be able to sow your chosen seeds into your beautifully decorated pots (once dry). This video will guide you through step by step so watch carefully.

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Container Gardening - Session 2 Practical 1

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Further decoupage projects to explore and new techniques to try: 

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Further decoupage projects to explore and new techniques to try: 

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pinterest decoupage ideas - Google Search

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tray canvas furniture rice paper cutting board art napkin mod podge shabby chic wood

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This article explains how gardening can help with health and wellbeing. It also has some real life stories how it has changed peoples lives.

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Mental health and wellbeing – How gardening can help / RHS Gardening

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Gardening is being prescribed for people facing some of life’s toughest challenges – read real-life stories of people who have benefitted and the science behind it all

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This website takes you step by step through making a plan for your garden.

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Get set for spring by collecting ideas for your garden. You could follow our guide and make a collage or plot plan for plants and more.

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Great app to go on your phone that helps identify flowers / plants in your garden! A great free tool and well worth getting!

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‎Instantly identify plants. Accurate, fast and content rich! In addition to description and plant care tips, enjoy beautiful plant pictures around the world. When you take a walk on sunny days, have you ever come across a beautiful flower that you would know more about? When you're at a vacation wit...

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We are going to try to clean our pots with Milton and have decided to put them in a sunny spot in our back garden. Sam has chosen one side and I have chosen the other side. Our pots are not big but we’re hoping for a good display that we can see from our kitchen window.

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We haven’t collected any organic resources yet as we were unsure how to stick them onto the pots. (Pine cones, twigs or stones). But we have found one pot each. Sammy has gone with a glazed terracotta pot and I have gone with a normal terracotta pot. We are just cleaning them to make sure there are no bacteria as they have both been outside all winter and we spotted that although Sam's is glazed, it has had some frost damage.

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Introduction to your course and your learning Padlet/Facebook group

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Introduction to your course and your learning Padlet/Facebook group

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myself and Finleys Handywork

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Please take a look at the tutorials below they will help with your activities that you are going to be doing at home this week.

1. Cleaning your pots: Please can everyone clean and bring a pot(s) with them for next week,

2. Foraging: Please can you collect some interesting items from your garden, local park, when you are on a walk, things you find that interest you so that we can use these to decorate your pots and your gardening journal.

3. Gardening Journal: These are in the post to you - when then arrive you may like to spend some time decorating the front cover ready for next week.

4. Photographs: Please share how you get on each week - post your photographs to the Your Space Session 1 - work in progress pics, and photographs of your finished projects are all great.

Thank you and looking forward to seeing you next week.

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Please use this section to record all your activities from this week. It is really easy to upload photos of your work. Just click on the '+' below where it says 'your space session 2' and follow the steps through. If you need any help please ask one of the tutors and we can show you what to do.

We can't wait to see all your work !

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Please use this section to record all your activities from this week. It is really easy to upload photos of your work. Just click on the '+' below where it says 'your space session 1' and follow the steps through. If you need any help please ask one of the tutors and we can show you what to do.

We can't wait to see all your work !

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Please take a look at our group agreement, we want everyone to feel safe, supported and included.  We want everyone to achieve as much as possible by taking part.

To approve and to leave any suggestions please use the space below.  It is important that all course members submit their approval of the Group Agreement

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Have you found one of these?Find out more about the beetles in your garden and how to identify them 

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Have you found one of these?Find out more about the beetles in your garden and how to identify them 

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Whether a majestic stag beetle, shiny chafer or stunning green tiger, the lumbering beetle is one of our favourite garden insects. Here is our guide to British beetle species, including where to see and how to identify them.

How many beetle species are there in the UK?

With over 4,000 species in the British Isles, many of which are very small, beetles are often portrayed as being a 'difficult' group, the preserve of experts. However, there are plenty of beetle species that are either large, brightly coloured or easy to identify in the field or from photos, such as ladybirds, stag beetles, and longhorn beetles. Around 40% of the UK's insects species are beetles.

Confirmations can always be sought at the ' I spot nature' identification site where your uploaded photos (of beetles, and indeed any organism) are regularly checked by experts and enthusiasts.

What do beetles eat?

British beetle species have a varied diet. Some species, such as the lesser stag beetle like to eat rotting wood, while the orange and black sexton beetle, favour decaying animals to lay their larvae.

Meanwhile, the dor beetle eats faeces from animals. Many other species prefer the pollen and nectar from plants.

How many legs does a beetle have?

Like all insects, beetles have six legs. Beetles have a head, thorax and abdomen, which its legs and wings are attached to.

British beetle species to spot

Green tiger beetle

With long legs and sharp jaws, this fearsome predator takes short flying leaps to attack prey or escape. It is very active on patches of sparsely vegetated or bare sandy or chalky soil.

Cockchafer

Mostly nocturnal, it is also called May-bug for its appearance in spring. Old reports note clouds of cockchafers banging on to lit windows or street lamps. Larvae are fat, pale, C-shaped maggots in the soil, feeding on grass.
Learn about cockchafers in this guide on the BBC Wildlife Magazine website
Rose chafer

This living jewel is metallic green all over. Unlike most beetles, it flies with its wing-cases closed and has a special notch at the side to accommodate its membraneous flight wings. It often sits on flowers.

Twenty-two-spot ladybird

The brightest lemon-yellow of any British beetle, this always has 22 round jet-black spots on its cheerful wing cases. A mildew feeder, it grazes on mould and fungal hyphae.

Whirligig beetle

This small, shiny oval beetle is so named because it swims in tightly, sometimes frenzied circles on the surface of ponds and slow moving rivers and streams. Here it hunts small creatures that fall onto the water. It can also dive to catch prey.

Violet ground beetle

A large (3cm long), fast-moving and aggressive beetle with a powerful bite that hunts worms, small slugs and other invertebrates. It roves at night in woods, meadows and gardens and has a distinctive purple sheen to its carapace. If alarmed, it gives over a rank smell.

7-spot ladybird

Our most familiar beetle and a nursery rhyme favourite with its bright red oval carapace with black spots. Still common though declining. Its dark-grey larva have a reptilian appearance and, like adults, prey voraciously on aphids.

Oil beetle

Up to 4cm long, these are hugely impressive insects with distinctively bulbous abdomens and are found commonly on meadow flowers, particularly celandines, in spring. There are five species in the UK and they are named for their shiny, oily appearance.

Soldier beetle

A raft of handsome species found on summer flowers (particularly thistles and umbellifers) and are fantastic pollinators. All have long, thin bodies. The red soldier is orange-red all over but with a black tip to its abdomen. Other species have black-grey heads and abdomens separated by red thoraxes.

Devil's coach-horse

Britain's largest rove beetle is a gothic monstrosity found under logs and stones. Its short wing-cases expose a flexible hind body - it will rear up and wave its large jaws menacingly, and it can nip.

Red-headed cardinal beetle

It is named for its papal colour scheme, which warns predators not to eat it as it contains poisons (harmless to pick up). Flat larvae, with two-pronged tail, feed under logs and bark.

Green tortoise beetle

Flattened and flanged, it clamps down on to its water-mint food-plant leaf if disturbed. The larvae keep hold of their dry excrement and moulted skins to make a predator-avoiding blob-parasol on their tail end.

Wasp beetle

This has deceptively wasp-like colours, plus striking red legs, jerky movements and hawking flight. Larvae feed in dead wood; adults are often seen in sunshine running on stacked logs, or buzzing over bramble flowers.

Stag beetle

The UK's largest beetle spends most of its life out of view. The larva feeds on dead wood below ground for five years before emerging as an adult. Only the male possesses the 'antlers', which are infact enlarged jaws. The stag beetle has declined due to a loss of dead wood habitat.
Learn about stag beetles in this guide on the BBC Wildlife Magazine website
Bloody nosed beetle

This handsome black beetle is flightless and can be seen walking along the ground or in low vegetation in April. It's often found in coastal areas and on grasslands in the south of the UK. The beetle's name comes from its defence strategy of exuding bright red fluid from its mouth when threatened.

Dor beetle

This large beetle has a distinctive black domed body that shines blue or violet in the light. It feeds on dung and is found in grasslands and woodlands grazed by sheep or cattle. The endless munching of dor beetles saves from being knee deep in animal dung.

Sexton beetle

This distinctive beetle has a black and orange patterning on its wing cases. It performs an important service in burying and recycling carrion (usually small mammals and birds). Its antennae are packed full of receptors enabling it to smell a dead animal up to a mile away.
Learn more about carrion beetles in this guide on the BBC Wildlife Magazine website.
Harlequin ladybird

The most invasive ladybird, the harlequin arrived in Britain in 2004 and has spread rapidly. This beetle has the potential to jeopardise many of our native ladybird species through competing for food or eating their larvae. It is very variable in appearance.

Great diving beetle

Both larvae and adults are voracious predators of tadpoles, aquatic insect larvae and small fish. The larvae have a scorpion-like appearance and live underwater for two years before transforming into the adult beetle. The 3cm long adults come to the surface regular to replenish their air supply by sticking their abdomen's out of the water.

Thick legged flower beetle

This spectacular shiny metallic green beetle is most often seen on flowers such as daisy, cow parsley and hawthorn blossom. Only the male has the thickened 'thighs' that give the beetle its name; it uses them to impress females. The larvae live in hollow plant stems.

Glow worm

The glow worm is not a worm but a beetle. Adult female glow worms are famed for their glow; they are wingless and double the size of the males. Glow worms like chalky or limestone grassland where there are plenty of snails and slugs for their larvae to feed on.
Learn how street lights interfere with glow worm courtship, on the BBC Wildlife Magazine website.
Whether you have a large space, or just a windowbox, you can make a bug hotel that not only provides sanctuary for a host of fascinating creatures but also allows you to get close to them.

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British beetle guide: where to see and how to identify

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Whether a majestic stag beetle, shiny chafer or stunning green tiger, the lumbering beetle is one of our favourite garden insects. Here is our guide to British beetle species, including where to see and how to identify them.

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Forraging can be great fun, providing hours of great adventure. Take time to record your journey so that you can enjoy it again, and again!

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Forraging can be great fun, providing hours of great adventure. Take time to record your journey so that you can enjoy it again, and again!

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We hope you enjoy personalising your own linen forraging bag, and making a start in your very own journal where you can capture your thoughts and ideas throughout the course. Great to look back on afterwards too! Why try some art journalling or story telling to help you on your way.

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Welcome to Cannock Chase - Cannock Chase

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Welcome to Cannock Chase National Landscape An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Cannock Chase is one of England’s finest landscapes, in the heart of Staffordshire and the jewel of the West Midlands. Well known and loved for its scenery, wildlife and rich history, it offers superb walking, cycling and horse-riding in a tranquil and peaceful […]

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Session 1 - How to choose, and clean a pot for growing your herb or flower seeds

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Session 1 - How to choose, and clean a pot for growing your herb or flower seeds

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Please watch this video. It will guide you on the best pots to use in the garden, how to clean them and the importance of cleaning them.

Once you have watch this video find a pot at home, give it a good clean and then bring it to session 2.

In session 2 we will decorate the pots with your designs from week 1. So make sure you collect and then bring with you all your organic resources.

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Container Gardening - Session 1 Practical 1

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The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has a wealth of knowledge available via this link. You should also find help on what jobs need to be done in the garden to help you get ready for spring.

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Gardening tips & advice for growing your own plants, fruit & veg / RHS Gardening

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Need some help and advice about your garden? Search the advice from RHS to find out everything from growing your own plants, fruit & veg to winter pruning.

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A fun quiz - find out how much you know about nature. Let us know how you get on

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A fun quiz - find out how much you know about nature. Let us know how you get on

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Great Diving Beetle ©Jack Perks

Insect quiz

How well do you know your insects?

Are you an expert entomologist or an insect novice? Answer these ten questions about insects to find out!

1. How many species of insect have been identified in the world?

a) 565,000

b) 925,000

c) 1,200,000

Answer

2. How many days (on average) does a bumblebee live for?

a) 19

b) 28

c) 36

Answer

3. How many different species of ladybird are there in the world?

a) 2000

b) 5000

c) 8000

Answer

4. Which beetle is the strongest insect on the planet?

a) Rhinoceros beetle

b) Bull-headed dung beetle

c) Hercules beetle

Answer

b) Bull-headed dung Beetle

This species of dung beetle (Onthophagus taurus) was found to be able to pull 1,141 times its own body weight - that's like an 11 stone person pulling six double-decker buses!

5. What insect was the first living creature to be sent into space?

a) Soldier ant

b) Cockroach

c) Fruit fly

Answer

6. What percentage of all the species in the world are insects?

a) 25%

b) 40%

c) 80%

Answer

7. How old (in millions of years) is the oldest insect fossil?

a) 180

b) 320

c) 400

Answer

8. Insects have structures known as simple eyes, in addition to the compound eyes they use to see. But what do they use these simple eyes for?

a) Detecting colours

b) Magnifying images

c) Detecting light

Answer

9. What is the loudest insect in the world?

a) Cicada

b) Cricket

c) Bee

Answer

10. What is the largest butterfly in the UK?

a) Purple emperor

b) Swallowtail

c) Peacock

Answer

How many did you get right?

Rhinoceros Beetle ©Philip Precey

1-3

You're a bug beginner

There are lots of amazing insects still to be discovered!

4-7

You're an amateur entomologist

You know your bugs from your beetles!

Buff-tailed BumbleBee © Jon Hawkins Surrey Hills Photography

8-10

You're an insect expert

When it comes to insects, you're the bees knees!

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An insect quiz for nature enthusiasts - how well do you know your insects?

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Beautiful Butterflies - explore this fab link to learn about all of the following:

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Beautiful Butterflies - explore this fab link to learn about all of the following:

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Butterflies found in UK gardens

Identification of common UK butterflies and key facts

How to attract butterflies to your garden

The Red admiral butterfly – ID and recording sightings

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Trees woods and wildlife

Brimstone

A common master of disguise, the brimstone blends perfectly into the alder leaves it lays its eggs on. Spot them in early spring when they emerge from hibernation.

Trees woods and wildlife

Comma

Tough, charming, rough around the edges. The comma is one of the few butterflies that is becoming more widespread, likely due to global warming.

Trees woods and wildlife

Gatekeeper

Named for its rigorous patrol of hedges and woodland rides, the gatekeeper butterfly is a prime pollinator. Look for them sipping nectar on sunny days in the summer.

Trees woods and wildlife

Green hairstreak

The only green butterfly in the UK, this small but spectacular species can be seen fluttering through woodland clearings during the spring months.

Trees woods and wildlife

Holly blue

A delicate holly-lover with some unsavoury tastes. Find the holly blue on its foodplant in woodland, or feeding on juices from rotting fruit or carrion.

Trees woods and wildlife

Orange-tip

Subtle, delicate and well-disguised – that is until the male flashes a splash of bright orange. Orange-tips are a butterfly of grassland and woodland edges.

Trees woods and wildlife

Peacock

Big. Bold. Beautiful. This stunning showstopper is instantly recognisable, with its captivating azure ‘eyes’ and orange-brown wings. Widespread and common throughout the UK, it is one of our most-loved butterflies.

Trees woods and wildlife

Purple emperor

Despite its exotic appearance, the purple emperor is as typical of UK woodland as the mighty oak. It’s elusive and beautiful, but has quite the unsavoury appetite.

Trees woods and wildlife

Purple hairstreak

Small yet stunning, the purple hairstreak is rarely seen as it spends much of its time fluttering high up in the tree canopy. Reliant on oak woodland, this little butterfly is never far from oak trees.

Trees woods and wildlife

Ringlet

With chocolate brown velvety wings and a delicate trim, the ringlet is an understated yet attractive butterfly. Look out for its trademark bobbing flight as it travels through woodland glades.

Trees woods and wildlife

Silver-washed fritillary

These flashy butterflies are strong fliers with a flair for the dramatic. Spot the silver-washed fritillary charging through the air along woodland rides in search of a mate, or the caterpillars munching on their favourite flowers: violets.

Trees woods and wildlife

Speckled wood

Understated yet headstrong, the speckled wood spends its time basking in sun-dappled woodland and fiercely patrolling its patch.

Trees woods and wildlife

White admiral

Found exclusively in woodland, the white admiral is a stunning butterfly with a delicate gliding flight. Unlike its sun-loving peers, this black and white beauty prefers shady spots to relax in.

Keep exploring

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Butterflies - British Animals - Woodland Trust

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Woodland butterflies are some of the most thrilling and colourful woodland animals. Get top facts and ID tips with pictures.

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Feed butterflies and they will return to your garden

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Feed butterflies and they will return to your garden

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Help your wildlife move around more easily and go undetected from preditors by making this simple mammal tunnel 

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Help your wildlife move around more easily and go undetected from preditors by making this simple mammal tunnel 

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Useful Learner Information -  British Values, Protect yourself, Feeling and Staying Safe:

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Useful Learner Information -  British Values, Protect yourself, Feeling and Staying Safe:

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https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Education/Community-learning-service/ProviderInfo/Safeguarding-and-Prevent-duty-overview.aspx

Using the internet safely and protectiing personal information:
https://www.deliveringforscotland.gov.uk/at-home/internet-safety/