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"The Natural Garden"
Be at one with nature...
 A natural garden encourages birds, bees and butterflies - and frogs, toads and lizards to a friendly environment.
Letting a garden go back to nature doesn't always achieve this result. Sometimes nature needs a little help..... Some years ago, my partner and I bought an acre of neglected woodland in France. The land had been left to it's own devices for many years and the undergrowth and overgrowth had become so entangled, the whole area was slowly dying. For a natural garden to develop, it needs to breathe. When the brambles get going around young trees, it won't be long before they are strangling the tree and eventually kill it. Brutal huh?!Deciding what must stay and what must go isn't always easy.
First get rid of the heavy duty predators! Get them under control, or they will control you! Limit a bramble patch to a small area of the garden and cut back every year after fruiting. Enjoy the wild blackberries first, or leave them to the birds - the choice is yours. The same with nettles - Nettles are great in a natural garden. Not only do they encourage butterflies, they are also a good source of human nourishment - Nettles are high in iron and vitamin C and make great soup! BUT they will take over the whole plot if not contained. Again, limit their growth.
If, like us, you have a number of trees in your garden, serious decisions are needed. Don't cut in haste! Be prepared to lose a few trees along the way though. We were obliged to cut down a number of VERY large trees and it was heart wrenching to see them lying on the floor. BUT they were stealing light from the land and worse - leaning on other trees, passing on viruses, lifting the tiles off the roof of the house! etc;When we started making sense of our woodland/giant bramble patch, the task was enormous and we approached the 'natural garden' project on a day to day basis, discovering forgotten paths, fruit trees the birds had obviously planted, wild flowers we had no names for, luminous green lizards, and even the odd snake skin, shed by a rather large snake I guess! We wanted to create a natural garden from a natural mess. Nature hadn't been kind to our acre of land, and it was up to us to put it right. What a responsibility!!
Our priorities lay WITH nature and not against it, so we went with the lay of the land as much as possible, and now the garden feeds us as well as much of the local wildlife. We have hazelnut trees but also many red squirrels = NO hazelnuts for us! There are frogs all over the garden although we still haven't got a 'proper' pond. The frogs live in the vegetable patch and do a great job of keeping the slugs under control. There are a few pictures of our 'slightly' tamed natural garden on this page. Our 'Tamed' Garden!
Creating a natural garden relies more on common sense than great horticultural experience. Keep nature in mind at all times while you plan your garden. Consider: *wildflowers *friendly creatures ( frogs, toads etc;) *the natural lay of the land *'controlled' brambles and nettles *using trees for shade ( adjust seating areas perhaps )
Water is the key to life!Whatever you do don't forget the water supplies. Rather than battling with hoses, sprinklers and complicated watering systems, try collecting rain water! We have used this system for years in our garden and it truly works. We keep a water butt next to the greenhouse, and direct the water from the roof through odd scraps of guttering and old pipe. The reflection from the glass/plastic also warms the water slightly - much better for the small greenhouse plants than direct cold tap water...brrrr! Find an old plastic container, with a lid to avoid drowning stray mice, cats or hedgehogs. Rig up your water collecting system as best you can. It may take a little trial and error, but persistance will conquer all! 
In the UK, I found some wonderful designs you can incorporate into a natural garden at Crocus UK. Click on this link Water Butts for the natural garden Type 'water storage & butts' into search box on their homepage - you get a selection of water butts in all sorts of sizes and colours. Perfect for every style of garden!
In the US, you might like to try Amazon. They have a range of different water butts and barrels.
Flat Back Rain Barrel - Woodgrain
A water storage system is a MUST-HAVE in your natural garden - practical and environment friendly.Creating a natural garden isn't just a question of letting nature 'take its course'. Help it along a little...and you will gain many hours of pleasure from your wild outdoor space - So will the butterflies and bees :-)
Happy Gardening!
More "Garden" Reading
More "Garden" ReadingGrow Your Own Winter Food: A good diet incorporating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is a must if you want to stay fit and healthy and keep the bugs at bay during the cold winter months. Growing your own winter food is just one way of ensuring you get the freshest, tastiest produce packed with goodness straight from the garden to the kitchen table. This easy-to-follow self-sufficiency book shows you how to grow your own fruit and vegetables for winter use and includes facts on each fruit, vegetable or herb as well as nutritional value, recipe ideas and storage suggestions.
Grow Your Own Winter Food is perfect for those with limited gardening experience, with gardens big or small who are looking to become more self-sufficient. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Winter Food
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Grow It, Cook It!: Many crops, including herbs, can be produced in a relatively small space with a little pre-planning and organizing: in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Herbs are perfect for enhancing the flavour of cooking, treating minor ailments, and preventing colds and flu. Your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping. Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. .
This book provides all the information you need to keep your family and friends healthy, fit and enjoying life to the full. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow It, Cook It!
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Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!
• Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake.
• Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Grow Your Own Pharmacy
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Herbs and Spices: Some herbs grow vigorously, some are tender and need special growing conditions, some are annuals, some perennials, some you can grow indoors, all can be grown in pots or directly into the ground. There are also certain spices, such as chillies, that can be grown in temperate climates.
This clear and concise directory of herbs and spices provides all the essential information to help you grow a selection of these flavour-enhancing foods in small or large spaces. Ideas for which herbs and spices go best with which foods also accompany each description, so that you can really enliven your repertoire of recipes. Order it now direct from the publisher... Herbs and Spices
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Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense is packed full of great ideas and tips. Granny brings traditional home-making up to date with cooking, gardening, needlecrafts and even games to play with the kids...Click on the link below to order your copy.
Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore and preparing nourishing home cooked meals for the family will certainly keep them away from the goodie shelf. Gardening encourages physical exercise and a good healthy dollop of fresh air. And you can get the kids involved too. Before the days of computer games and electronic pets, children used to have fun without rummaging about in the fridge every five minutes. Enjoy a few rainy-day games and crafts of yesteryear with today’s kids. They’ll love it and so will you! Granny's Book Of Good Old Fashioned Common Sense
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