If you yearn to watch blackbirds feeding their young, and butterflies flitting amongst the flowers but you don't have the space for a meadow or want to give your whole garden over to nature, don't despair: with just a few clever tricks you can bring the countryside and its residents to your garden, even in the most urban of locations. Encouraging a little wildlife into your garden can bring a lot of benefits for the gardener. Having a wildlife-friendly garden isn't just about letting nature do its thing so that you can enjoy watching it from your window or the patio, it has a far more important contribution to make. Let nature do the hard work of gardening for you: ladybirds and blue tits will make short work of aphids, while birds, bats and hedgehogs will feast on larger insects. It's biological control at its best; leaving you more time to sit in your deck chair and listen to the dawn chorus of the birds, the croaking of frogs, and the nighttime grunting of visiting hedgehogs. If the natural look of a wildlife garden isn't your thing, you'll be pleased to know that even the most modern, minimalist garden can include features which will bring in wildlife without cramping your style. In this book, the team at Gardeners' World Magazine bring you tips and advice on simple ways in which you can create a haven for wildlife - whatever your garden style.

You don't even need a garden to enjoy growing beautiful plants as a pot or window box can be squeezed in anywhere. Whether you want to have colourful flowers or homegrown veg, Gardeners' World 101 Pots is packed with fantastic planting recipes to try. All are easy to do and will produce great results without any hassle. There are ideas to create stunning displays for each season of the year, plus easy ways to grow veg in pots so your own homegrown produce is just outside your kitchen. You'll never be stuck for ideas of what to plant with this handy little book. Gardeners' World Magazine is Britain's biggest selling gardening magazine, providing fresh ideas and clear advice every month. From plants and flowers to gardens and design, allotments and kitchen gardens to shopping guides and tried and tested reviews, Gardeners' World Magazine features the top names in BBC gardening, such as Monty Don, Alan Titchmarsh, Carol Klein and the Gardeners' Question Time team. Find out more at www.gardenersworld.com

Few gardens have constant sun, but this doesn't mean they have to be gloomy. Even the most shaded gardens can be full of colour and variety. Packed with expert instruction on planting and aftercare, and full-colour photography accompanying each gardening idea, 101 Shade-loving Plants is full of diverse ideas to suit all gardens. Banish the dark from shady gardens once and for all.

In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.

Explains how to use a system of layered mulch materials, including newspaper, leaves, and grass clippings, to provide a nutrient-rich base for healthy gardens and robust flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruits

“What better way to begin to explore the natural world than to experience the magic and beauty of a family garden.” —Arden Bucklin-Sporer, author of How to Grow a School Garden Many gardeners find that once they have children gardening goes the way of late-night dinner parties and Sunday morning sleep-ins. Raising kids and maintaining a garden can be a juggling act, leaving the family garden forgotten and neglected. But kids can make great gardening companions, and the benefits of including them are impossible to ignore. Gardening gets kids outdoors and away from television and video games, increases their connection to plants and animals, and helps build enthusiasm for fresh fruits and vegetables. Their involvement becomes the real harvest of a family garden. In The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids, Whitney Cohen and John Fisher draw on years of experience in the Life Lab Garden Classroom and gardening with their own children to teach parents how to integrate the garden into their family life, no matter its scope or scale. The book features simple, practical gardening advice, including how to design a play-friendly garden, ideas for fun-filled theme gardens, and how to cook and preserve the garden's bounty. 101 engaging, family-friendly garden activities are also featured, from making Crunch-n-Munch Vegetable Beds and Muddy Miniature Masterpieces to harvesting berries for Fresh Fruity Pops.

Presents photographs and step-by-step instructions for sixty gardening projects for children.

"If you yearn to watch blackbirds feeding their young, and butterflies flitting amongst the flowers but you don t have the space for a meadow or want to give your whole garden over to nature, don t despair- with just a few clever tricks you can bring the countryside and its residents to your garden, even in the most urban of locations. Encouraging a little wildlife into your garden can bring a lot of benefits for the gardener. Having a wildlife-friendly garden isn t just about letting nature do its thing so that you can enjoy watching it from your window or the patio, it has a far more important contribution to make. Let nature do the hard work of gardening for you- ladybirds and blue tits will make short work of aphids, while birds, bats and hedgehogs will feast on larger insects. It s biological control at its best; leaving you more time to sit in your deck chair and listen to the dawn chorus of the birds, the croaking of frogs, and the nighttime grunting of visiting hedgehogs. If the natural look of a w"

Playing and Learning Outdoors shows early years practitioners how to get the very best from outdoor playing and learning for the enjoyment, health and education of all children from ages three to five years. Fully updated to reflect the current status and understandings regarding outdoor provision within early childhood education frameworks, this new edition will allow practitioners to develop rich and stimulating outdoor play provision in Early Years settings and enable them to feel confident to offer wonderful play experiences outdoors. Playing and Learning Outdoors offers practitioners achievable advice and support, based on approaches which are appropriate and effective for young children’s all-round well-being and development. This invaluable resource also includes practical advice on: movement and physical play playing with sand, natural materials and water plants, living things and growing construction, creative and imaginative play. This second edition also includes a brand new chapter on ‘Providing experiences beyond the garden walls’ which will urge practitioners to harness the huge potential contained in the locality (physical world) and local community (human world) around the early years setting’s own boundaries. Filled with advice and support, this lively, inspiring and accessible book will help practitioners to develop a truly practical and enjoyable approach to learning through play outdoors for all children aged from 3 to 7.